American Chop Suey
Serves 4
Cooking Time 2 to 3 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: This diner favorite pairs tender elbow macaroni with a meaty tomato sauce flavored
with bell pepper and celery. But most of the time, the pasta is blown out and the
flavors are washed out. For a full-flavored chop suey with tender pasta—all prepared
in the slow cooker—we toasted our pasta with oil in the microwave before combining
it with hot water to jump-start its cooking. For the sauce, 85 percent lean ground
beef worked well, and microwaving it briefly helped to render excess fat and ensured
that the beef didn’t turn grainy over the long cooking time. A large can of tomato
sauce provided brightness and gave our meat sauce just the right consistency. To bump
up its flavor, we included bell pepper, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes; a small
amount of Worcestershire amped up the savory notes of the sauce. Finally, to ensure
a dish with bright, fresh flavors, we stirred in more tomato sauce just before serving.
Click here for more information on cooking pasta in the slow cooker and making a foil collar.
See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
1 |
pound 85 percent lean ground beef |
|
1 |
green bell pepper, cored and chopped |
|
2 |
celery ribs, minced |
|
1 |
tablespoon minced garlic |
|
¼ |
teaspoon red pepper flakes |
|
1 |
(29-ounce) can tomato sauce |
|
1 |
tablespoon Worcestershire sauce |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
8 |
ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni |
|
2 |
teaspoons vegetable oil |
|
½ |
cup boiling water |
|
½ |
cup grated Parmesan cheese |
1. Microwave ground beef, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Break up any large pieces of beef with spoon, then drain off fat; return to now-empty bowl. Stir in 2½ cups tomato sauce, Worcestershire, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
2. Line slow cooker with aluminum foil collar and spray with vegetable oil spray. Microwave macaroni and oil in separate bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until some pieces look toasted and blistered, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer hot pasta to prepared slow cooker and immediately stir in boiling water (pasta will sizzle). Stir in meat and sauce mixture, cover, and cook until pasta is tender, 2 to 3 hours on high.
3. Remove foil collar. Gently stir in remaining tomato sauce, adjusting sauce consistency with extra hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve.