Passion for Pork www.PassionforPork.com

Pork Meatballs With Porcini Mushroom Sauce

Cassandra Anderton - Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Pork Meatballs Slow Cooked To Perfection

As the fall chill sets in, I like to pull out my slow cooker and start the meal earlier in the day, then head out for some errands and come home to a ready-cooked meal. Many make meatballs with beef or turkey, but I prefer using some local ground pork and some ready-mixed sausage, and add in even more flavour with extra dried spice. When slow cooking dried spices are best during the cooking process, top with fresh when complete if desired.

Pork Meatballs

For the meatballs

  • 1-1/2 cups fresh bread torn in small pieces
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1-1/2 lb. ground pork
  • 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage out of casing
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 Tbs. finely grated Parmigiano
  • 1 tsp. dried sage
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

For the sauce

  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock
  • handful dried porcini mushrooms, crumbled
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Meatballs

Mix the bread and stock in a large bowl and soak for 15 minutes. Add the pork and sausage to the bread and squish all together.  Add the egg, cheese, sage, oregano, salt, and knead in with hands until combined. Form into 18 meatballs.

Mix the tomatoes, tomato paste, ½ of dried porcinis in slow cooker and process with hand chopper until blended. Add oregano, thyme, fennel, /2 tsp. salt and the remainder of the porcinis in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Pork Meatballs

Drop the meatballs into the sauce. Cover and cook until cook 3 to 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Can be kept warm for 4-5 hours. Taste sauce for salt and pepper needs. Cook pasta as per instruction and top with meatballs sauce, and some more grated cheese.