In a world where I want something reminiscent of my grandparents’ sauce but where the time to make it doesn’t exist for me, this Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce is the perfect answer. It simmers away in the slow cooker, allowing me to come and go, but it is has that deep rich flavor. Try to think of it like the scale that Lady Justice is holding. One one side is the acidity of the tomatoes – almost a bitterness. We are adding just enough sugar to the other side of the scale so that both sides are level with each other. Too much sugar and it will weigh down the sugar side and make the sauce sweet. Not enough sugar, and the acidic tomatoes win out. When you add just the right amount, you don’t taste sweetness or acidity, just the wonderful flavors of the sauce. This recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of sugar, but if at the end of the cooking time you still taste that bitterness from the tomatoes, add another 1/2 teaspoon in. If your family doesn’t like chunky tomato sauce, consider that the pieces of tomato break down quite a bit during cooking. If it is still too chunky, you could transfer the finished sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender.
