AIBU to ask what goes in your bolognese?

[MishMashMummy]

I feel like every bolognese recipe is totally personal to the individual who makes it - so tell me what’s in yours!

Mine is a bastardised veggie version. The base is caramelised onions, celery and garlic. The ‘mince’ is puy lentils and finely chopped mushrooms. Then the sauce has the following:

Tinned tomatoes
Tomato purée
Ketchup
Red wine
Liquid smoke
Salt
Pepper
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Fresh basil

I’m aware this would make genuine Italian nonnas spin in their graves

Different every time as I never remember what exactly I did the previous time... but usually a mixture of pork and beef mince, onions, garlic, lots of finely chopped or grated veg (carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, whatever I have in the fridge. Never celery because I never have celery in the fridge), beef stock, sherry. Sometimes I add fried chorizo for a bit of excitement in my life. Sometimes I stir in an egg after I take it off the heat, makes it richer and thicker. Cook it slowly all afternoon until dinner time.

I make mine very simple. Onions, mince and tinned tomatoes. Beef stock pot, Salt and pepper.

Onion
Garlic
Mince
a small quantity of chicken liver chopped finely
grated carrot
tomato puree
red wine (i freeze wine left in glasses - a Nigella tip)
Tinned tomatoes
Sometimes a beef stock cube and/or worcester sauce, particularly if I don't have chicken livers
Dried mixed herbs

Onion
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Pancetta
Mince
Bay leaf
Oregano
Basil
Tinned cherry tomatoes
Red wine
Tomato purée

Cooked for 3 hours

Depends on whether it's a healthy one or not.

My 'best' is slow simmered passata, whole bulb of garlic halved, thyme, tomato puree, rosemary 2 cups of stock and 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Salt, pepper and a splash of worcestershire sauce or marmite toward the end of the summer. Then mince browned with onion added at the very end.

Healthy is celery, onion and carrot, courgette, passata, tom puree, worcestershire sauce, a splash of olive oil, mince, salt, pepper and herbs.

Slow cooker with a generous layer of olive oil
finely chopped onion, celery, carrot (food-processor)
beef mince
frozen cube of garlic/ginger

when that is all nicely sizzling -
hefty teaspoon of marmite
beef stock pot
several shakes Worcester sauce
2 squares dark chocolate

toward the end-
passata (or a can of tomato soup if for the kids - much milder)
few squirts tomato puree topped with a tsp of sugar to counteract tartness
Italian herbs

I use the same for most beef-based dishes (minus the passata). If for adults I'll add black pepper and chilli.
You can't taste the dark chocolate but it definitely adds something 'deeper' to the flavour.

@vodkaredbullgirl

mince onions peppers mushrooms tin of tomatoes salt and pepper garlic tomato paste mixed herbs

This but without the garlic.

Mince
Smoked bacon
Diced onions
Diced carrots
Diced celery
Tinned tomatoes
Tomato purée
Dried oregano
Red wine
Salt
Pepper

Am I the only one who just pretty much sticks any left over veg and meat in it? Like it’s different everytime 😂

Does no one else use jars of pesto for the flavouring?

Ragu bianco (white ragu.....no toms!
Sofritto
Mince - half pork half beef
Sausage
Pancetta
Mix of chopped sage/rosemary/garlic
White wine
8 hours in slow cooker

Onion, carrot, oil, (DH allergic to celery or that would be in there), garlic, beef mince, pork or chicken mince, wine, passata, beef stock. Time. It takes a lot of time.

Onions, garlic, chopped chicken livers, minced beef, red wine, passata, tomato purée, beef stock cube. Cooked for around 2 hours ideally.

Isn't he brilliant @SquirrelFan

Garlic, onions, mince, tinned tomatoes ,red wine, tomato puree, beef stock cube, Italian herb seasoning, mushrooms, peppers, fresh basil, freshly ground black pepper and salt.

50/50 beef and pork mince
Chopped up fry steak
Onions
Lots of garlic
Chopped fresh parsley
Red wine
Canned tomatoes
Tomato paste
Salt

Now I want spaghetti.

Diced onion
Beef mince
Mushrooms
Grated carrot
Grated courgette
Tinned tomatoes
Tomato purée
Black pepper
Beef stock
Red wine
Herbs

Sofrito
Minced beef
Garlic
Ton of black pepper
Chopped tomatoes
Bay leaf
Big spoonful of pesto
Slug of red wine
Bay leaf
Simmer for hours or slow cooker.

Then the DC tried my sisters version which is just minced beef and dolmio and the raved about it and preferred it to mine

I make mine from corned beef (hides).

Mince
Chopped pepperoni (trust me)
Finely chopped onions
Finley chopped mushrooms
Chopped tomatoes tin
Passata
Garlic paste
Onion granules
Italian herb seasoning
Red wine/red wine stock cube
Salt
Pepper
Sprinkle of sugar

@forinborin

I make mine from corned beef (hides).

Can you tell me more about this please?

Lean mince
Sometimes a diced onion
Tomato puree
Chopped tomato
Black pepper
Dried mixed herbs
Vegetarian oxo cube

Onion, carrot and celery cut small and fried off
Venison mince fried off
Bacon lardons
Red Pepper
Mushrooms cut fine as my son doesn’t like them so he doesn’t realise they are there.
Chopped tomatoes x2 -got to be mutti finely chopped tomatoes
Tomato purée
Worcester sauce
Oxo cube
Secret ingredient is a Teaspoon of marmite-gives it a good savory flavour
Cook it down for a few hours

Mince
Beef oxo
Onion
Peppers
Garlic
Tomato paste
Passata
Red wine
Thyme
Mixed herbs
Smoked paprika
Worcester sauce

So delish!

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

OP I don't think you can call it bolognese if it contains no meat and has lentils in it

Pork mince
Beef mince
Bacon pancetta
Onion
Carrot
Celery
Chopped tomatoes
Chicken/beef stock
Red wine
Dash of milk

I can and I will 🍝