Cooking tomato sauce in crockpot?!
Cooking tomato sauce in crockpot?
I have recipe for tomato sauce in crockpot but notice that it comes out more watery- not as tomato tasting. Shoudl I be leaving the lifd a little ajar when i cook the sauce? Please advise on about whether lid should be covered, uncovered, a little off to one side? please explain exact cooking directions thanks
Answers:
Leaving the lid off, it will never reach a good enough heat, to reduce the water content and make it thicker...
Let the lid on, cook it on high, and give it time, a crock pot wasn't designed to replace a stove top ....or... make it on a stove top and use the crock to keep it warm.
Yes, I would leave the lid ajar to allow moisture to escape. That's what I normally do on the top of the stove too.
Do NOT leave the lid ajar. Just start with a less watery tomato base, such as crushed tomatoes. I have had no problem using this for a good tomato sauce. You might add a tad of sugar to offset the acidic taste of the tomatoes. My mother taught me this trick.
I would absolutely leave the top off, the reason your sauce tastes watery is because no water is able to evaporate with the lid on. Also, the quality of the tomatoes you start with has everything to do with the finished product. I reccomend Nina or San Marzano, both imported from Italy and available at most supermarkets and specialty stores. If you need to add sugar to your sauce then you are not buying good tomatoes, simple as that. In case you're wondering, I'm the executive chef of an Italian restaurant in Las Vegas.