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??

Bovril or marmite instead of beef stock also work

This one is definitely the one to try - same as the one I posted. Have it with tagliatelle not spaghetti and don’t use the slow cooker - get yourself a Dutch oven and cook it in there instead in the oven

Slow cooker food always has a bit of a sad wet undertone. And needs to be subjected to the resurrection method:
Put the colander in your largest saucepan, tip the food in.
Wait a few mins.
Stand the drained solid over the slow cooker, it will be fine.
Boil the feckery out of the liquid until it is reduced to a thick and shiny unctuousness.
Mix the two bits back together.

I make a great spag bol (in my opinion anyway), but it has to simmer on the hob - it never tastes as good from the slow cooker. That could be where you're going wrong.

FWIW I use turkey mince (asda beef is vacuum packed and 🤢). I start by sweating the onions, add garlic, brown mince, chuck in whatever random veg I have, add tinned tomatoes, a chicken stock cube and some basil. Let it simmer on the hob for a few hours and jobs a goodun.

I am dashing between work etc too, so i make a massive batch on the weekend & freeze!

I have also discovered Mutti tomatoes! I live in such fear of them being out of stock that I was going to PM OP and not broadcast their loveliness far and wide! But since you have outed it, yes, I agree: fabulous!

Instead of chunks of chopped tomatoes in juice, they are a lovely thick consistency and full of flavour.

I find you can't skimp on time. Give the onions enough time to soften, the meat enough time to brown, and the whole thing enough time to cook on a small flame. Put in a laurel leaf.

Wtaf? Take it back! Outrageous.

Agree. Low fat mince to be avoided as well, as it doesn’t make good bolognaise.

Don't let the meat part get too liquid as the drained pasta is going to be wettish any way. Lots of cheese. Must be served hot as tends to cool quickly.

I use apple cider instead of wine and simmer for a long time until the liquid reduces. Plus garlic, celery salt, paprika and steak seasoning

I make a vegetarian one but I use the BBC Good Food recipe (minus the bacon). I also add dried porcini mushrooms that are soaked and then chopped and add the liquid. Slow simmer for an hour. It's so good and I'm usually a crap cook.

I like a dash of Henderson's or Worcester. I concur about low and slow, red wine, tom puree, good tomatoes.

Secret Ingrid is are fennel seeds and a teaspoon of marmite. Makes all the difference.

Tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce make a huuuuge difference. I also add a crushed OXO cube to the mince once it’s almost fully cooked through.

IMO nobody browns mince correctly you need to properly cook if through, where it’s crispy and leaving burnt bits at the bottom of the pan.

Batches is better, or the meat sweats.

Don't worry about over cooking, it’s going to rehydrate in all the lovely sauces and flavours and not turn into meat mush in your sauce.

I think it’s down to length of cooking time, 2 or 3 hours isn’t long enough to get a really good flavour. I often leave it in a very slow oven overnight with the lid off so it reduces.
you don’t need stock and 2 tins of tomato are ample for 1Kg mince meat. It’s a meat sauce and the tomatoes shouldn’t overpower it.
i agree the Delia recipe is good, chicken livers are a great addition but not necessary. If I’m in a hurry and serve the sauce after a few hours it tastes nothing like the sauce left to reduce overnight.

Carrots? I am horrified. I have never know anyone to put carrots in a spagbol.

Soffrito! Chop them super fine (I use the processor) and they pretty much disappear.

Fatty meat
Slow cooked
Add a parmesan rind
Plenty of Worcester sauce

I fry onion, garlic, and bacon add the mince fry until all cooked, add a dollop of tomato puree, add red wine 1-1 1/2 beef stock pots, teaspoon of mixed herbs, carton of passatta or tin of chopped tomatoes cook for about 15 minutes then add mushrooms and peppers bit of salt and pepper job done!

I don’t do spag bol but my lasagne is the bomb and the key to the ragu is a really good slug of red wine, an oxo cube and diced smoked bacon along with the usual ingredients. And 2 tins of toms to 500g of mince and cook low and slow for as long as you can.

Oh and a whole bulb of garlic, chopped, not crushed.

I am going to wade in as mine is delicious.
Good quality mince
Start with onion, celery, cubed carrot, garlic and soften for 10-15 mins. Then add mince and brown. Add tomato puree, don't hold back. I add 1 carton cirio pizza sauce and one tin good quality tomatoes as like more tomato-y. Thyme and oregano, 400mls approx beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and a tablespoon of redcurrant jelly. Simmer for a few hours then I add lots of frozen chopped basil - eh voila! If it was too thin would add some beef gravy granules.

Pork and beef mince for me is the key. You need the fat in it.

I use a digital cooker not a fancy one, it's like a big rice cooker.

Saute the mince until it's browned, add soffrito mix, stock cube, herbs, garlic, puree and tinned toms. About a cup of milk towards the end. They key is took cook it all day and it's still always better the next day.