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For the sauce: Grease crockpot with cooking spray.
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Dump all sauce ingredients into crockpot, stir together and cook on low for 7 hours.
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For the meatballs: Whisk together milk and vinegar, or use buttermilk.
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In a stand mixer, place bread cubes and pour milk/vinegar over the bread cubes.
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Mix together, so bread cubes are evenly coated in the milk/vinegar or buttermilk.
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Let sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
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In a medium bowl, using your hands, combine finely minced bacon, ground beef, and ground pork.
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Set aside.
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To the stand mixer, add finely minced yellow onion, pressed garlic, Parmesan, egg yolks, and spices.
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Mix until well combined.
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With your stand mixer running, add in 1/3 of the meat mixture.
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Once combined, add in another 1/3 of the mixture, and again, once combined, add in the remaining meat.
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Once fully combined, store meatball mixture, covered, in the refrigerator until ready for use.
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14
Preheat broiler on high and place rack on the top rung.
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Using a large cookie scoop (mine is about 3 tablespoons or 1 1/2 ounces), scoop out meatballs onto a silicone-lined baking sheet.
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You should have about 36 meatballs.
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Broil for 8 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through (keep an eye on them as broiler temperatures can vary).
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The tops should be nicely browned and the internal temperature should be about 160 degrees F.
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When sauce has cooked for 7 hours, place the meatballs into your crockpot and cover meatballs with the sauce.
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Set the crockpot to high and cook for an additional hour.
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To assemble the sandwiches: Slice bread in half.
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Top with meatballs, thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, and Romano cheese.
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Broil until cheese is melty.
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Sprinkle with dried oregano and serve immediately!
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Note: This would also be fantastic over pasta!
