Why is my spag bol never good?

[ThatLoudCat]

I'm generally a good cook. I cook from scratch everyday. A really good spag bol eludes me though. Everytime I try it's just fine. Maybe slightly watery, or too sweet, or just lacking in flavour.

I've tried many different recipes and they're never what I want them to be. As a kid, spag bol was an easy dinner that everyone's mum made every week so why can't I make it??

Decent mince from the butcher. Red wine and tomatoes, onion, herbs, bit of sugar, brown sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato puree (clearly not authentic, but it’s yummy!). I cook mine on low for at least 3 hours.

Whatever you put in it (and mine varies depending what I've got in) the key is a long slow cook, around 4 hours simmering on the hob or in the oven.

Same. Mine is always shite

I don’t do this myself but I have watched chefs cook spag bol who say the flavour is in the browning of the mince. I watched Tom Kerridge lay out his mince on a baking sheet and virtually burn it in the oven under the grill I think and then return it to his bolognese sauce to re-absorb the moisture lost but the theory I think is that this time it takes on board the flavours of the sauce … .

But I take it you are browning your mince well and then de-glazing the pan with a small cup of wine at a high temp?

I agree with pp that a good bolognese sauce needs to be simmering for a long time and is always better the next day. And don’t overdo the onions if your sauce is too sweet. Obviously don’t overdo the liquids either if you don’t have time to simmer for hours.

With questions such as these op, I rely on Felicity Cloake of The Guardian (scroll to end if article ) as she has done the testing of various methods for you:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/nov/25/how-to-make-perfect-bolognese

Her definitive recipe however includes chicken livers, nutmeg and white wine! 🤔

It’s not remotely traditional but I like adding some mushrooms or mushroom ketchup to mine for depth of flavour.

My secret recipe involves adding a handful of cherry tomatoes to the plum tomatoes, and some cooked and sieved chicken liver for an umami kick. No one in the family knows, they all hate liver and would refuse to eat it.

It’s down to cooking from the longest time.

I’d love to taste everyone’s recipes on here, as I cook mine in about 15 minutes 😂 I work split shifts and have about 45 mins to do the school run AND make dinner. I always think mine tastes amazing (I use a mixture of recipes), so either I’m an amazing cook or I just have zero standards (the children never complain though) 😂

Share your recipe/method OP, and we can happily give you some advice. I’m half Italian and I make a mean bolognese!!!

Though I’m not sure why we’re on page 2 of people posting their recipes when the op has not posted hers

If I'm making Bolognese I prefer to make it after lunch or while making lunch and then let it simmer away for the afternoon.

I use smoked bacon (or regular with a bit of smoked paprika if I haven't bought smoked). I also use tomato puree mixed with milk. I like Aldi tomatoes (black tin) but I can tell if I have bought Tesco or equivalent at the same price the tomato sauce is slight thinner. I add about 3/4 of a tin of water for each tin of tomatoes I use.

Mine is spectacular

grate carrot, finely chop onion and celery and fry in a little olive oil and butter

add 2 slices of chopped bacon

add lots of chopped garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaves

add mince and brown

add tomato puree and Worcester sauce and fry for a minute

add glass of red wine and bring to boil

add glass of milk and bring to boil

add tin of tomatoes and bring to boi

reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours

add water if it needs more liquid

The Italian side of my family would be horrified at the thought of garlic and herbs in a ragu. They are pretty snobby though when it comes to food though!

This is the best recipe I’ve tried from the chamber of commerce of Bologna. Properly authentic and really delicious

https://www.accademiaitalianadellacucina.it/sites/default/files/Ragù%20alla%20bolognese%20-%20updated%20recipe_20%20April%202023.pdf

this is the list of ingredients - no pesto, no herbs, no Worcester sauce:

Coarsely ground beef (see note): 1 lb (400g)
• Fresh pork pancetta, slices: 6 oz (150g)
• ½ onion, peeled: about 2 oz (60g)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled: about 2 oz (60g)
• 1 celery stalk, trimmed: about 2 oz (60g)
• ½ cup (1 glass) of red or white wine
• Strained tomatoes: 7 oz (200g)
• Tomato paste (double-concentrated): 1 tbsp
• ½ cup (1 glass) of whole milk (optional)
• Light meat or vegetable broth (or stock cubes)
• Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Salt and pepper

I've never used red wine, but I do use oregano and red pesto.

It's probably cooking time - there's no secret ingredient really it's very simple - soffritto, beef, pancetta, red wine (milk in some recipes) tomatoes, and herbs and seasoning. Thing is each stage you add an ingredient takes time, then the simmer/reduction stage takes hours.

It not successful as a quick to plate dish, sadly!

Turmeric was a game changer, for me.

If it’s too watery, let it reduce. Add sugar if using tinned tomatoes (ours tend not to be sweet enough). I usually add a teaspoon of marmite (and I actually hate the stuff on its own!).
I start with smoked pancetta in a cold pan, bring to heat and cook off until the fat renders. Remove the pancetta and add sofrito, fry it off and then add mince (I do this bit by bit to brown otherwise it’s too wet), add tomato puree, give it a mix, deglaze with wine. Add beef stock & chopped tomatoes. Stirry stirry, simmer it to reduce, taste (usually add sugar & marmite at this point), add the pancetta back in, start cooking pasta and then serve when that’s ready.

I bake mine - lots of red wine (or wine stock pots), garlic, fried lardons, soffritto, balsamic vinegar, an oxo cubes, salt and pepper, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée. Then cook on a low temperature for 2 or 3 hours, topping up the stock and wine as needed.

Yes yes and yes. Cook on very low for a veeeeery long time.

Also, making it a day in advance and reheating - better still.

I add grated carrot and chopped celery after the onion has softened. Sometimes some finely minced chicken livers, just a pinch.

Can’t forget the lardons (smoked)

Very similar to most, I use beef & pork mince, I also add finely chopped chorizo which might upset the Italians. I cook mine for 4-5 hours, stirring in a splash of milk every hour or so.

A pinch of bicarbonate of soda and a good pinch of sugar added near the end.

I wonder where this weird hyperbole came from about Italians and food. I’ve spent many years in many parts of Italy and the food snobbery is about the same as anywhere else, if not less, the food is awful in some parts. I’ve seen far worse general snobbery in the uk about roast dinners for eg, like using aunt Bessie’s Yorkshires and roast potatoes instead of homemade, or putting sweetcorn on a roast. Or using bisto. It comes down to individual family recipes rather than an entire nation judging you putting garlic in a ragu. I guess that’s another thread though

Tins of whole plum tomatoes, not chopped. Plenty of flavouring including a little Worcestershire sauce. Fry off tomato puree first, it mellows it a bit. Long slow cooking. At least two hours and more if you can. Look I know most of us haven't the time for all that, but it is the secret to Ragu sauce of the gods!

Secret to spag bowl is cook slow and for a long time and keep the ingredients simple. Cook all the fat off the mince if want to be healthy! Tinned tomatoes, few mixed Italian herbs (not too many), onion, garlic, tom puree and let it simmer. Add small amounts of water if gets dry, but that rarely happens. Cheese on top, sorted.

As it, realising that it should go nowhere near a spag bol?