Spag Bol, why does mine taste so bland??

[imwithspud]

For some reason lately when ever I've made spaghetti bolognese it's turned out really bland and quite tasteless. It used to be one of our favourite meals as a family, not sure what happened. Just wondering if anyone has any tips to jazz it up a little as I'm making it again tonight and DP has moaned but I really want to work to improve it.

Here is the recipe I currently use, off the top of my head so apologies if I miss anything:
500g Lean Minced Beef
1 Carton Passata
1/2tbsp Tomato Puree
About 150ml Beef Stock (recent addition in an effort to try and add some flavour)
1 Onion
1 Leek
1/2 Grated Carrots
4 crushed Garlic cloves
Lots of mixed herbs
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of sugar
Pepper

There was a massive thread on this just days ago - it must the change in the weather that is making people think of cosy meals?

Anyway, have a read of this --> www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/2463781-How-to-boost-flavour-in-my-bolognese

I'm sure it's delicious. Tell your DP to piss off and get himself beans on toast.

Not to state the obvious, but salt?

It needs a good slug of wine and some cream at the end to take off the acidity of the tomatoes. I would also add the stock cube but leave out the water. The other thing is to really let it simmer for a few hours. The longer the better. A ragout (as the Italians call a meat sauce like this) is quite a dry sauce. The longer it simmers the thicker it gets and the more depth of flavour your sauce will have.

Salt!

Like I said on that last thread last week

How long do you cook it for? An hour and a half is minimum, 2 hours preferable.

I also add either red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar or lemon but I think the main thing is how long it's cooked for.

I do mine in the slow cooker

Don't use lean minced beef. The fat is where the flavour is, it's not the enemy. And cook it for as long as you can.

If you were adding no stock before it would have been really bland I think. Salt (which is in stock cubes) brings out flavour. Either add some plain salt or an extra stock cube (but don't add extra water, just crumble the cubes in) or even a bit of Marmite. Personally I would also add a pinch of sugar to balance out the tomatoes and a glug of red wine or vinegar. And I would leave out the nutmeg (I prefer that in cheesy, creamy, spinach type dishes. That's my taste though).

yes to salt.
leeks? I would swap for celeriac.

Some brilliant suggestions, thanks! I try not to add salt, because DC1 eats what we eat and obviously the stock cube contains salt. Also DC2 will be weaning in a couple of months and she will also be eating what we eat so I'm a bit wary of too much salt, but maybe a pinch will help.

I will have a read of that thread, I did look to see if a similar thread was posted but obviously didn't look hard enough! I probably haven't been letting it simmer for long enough. After I've read through that thread I'll go and start preparing it so that it's got a good few hours to simmer before dinner.

I'll report back!

Just seen you already add sugar so ignore that part!

and no sugar but a good glugg of baksamic vinegar when cooking to reduce down before adding the toms.

Just seen latest post. If you don't want to add more salt than I'd make sure you're not adding the stock cube mixed with water, just crumble it in alone.

I usually make things, put aside some for dd then continue to cook and add extra salt then.

Lots of good ideas here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/421283-what-s-the-secret-ingredient-that-makes-your-spaghetti-bolognese

I start by frying little bacon bits in a pinch of cinnamon then adding my onions etc.

And I always add half a bottle of red wine

You could add salt onto the grown ups' plates after serving if sharing with a baby :)

Will definitely crumble the stock cube in rather than use water, don't know why I didn't think of that before. Thanks for another link, I really want to make my spag bol tasty again. I'm sure the main reason is because I've not been leaving it to simmer for long enough, but I'm open to other ideas too.

And sometimes dried porchini mushrooms!!

My husband once tried to 'jazz it up' by adding anchovies

Do you have a slow cooker? I ask because I did a spag bol in there last night and because I didnt have any passatta I used a jar. Switched it on low when I left for work at 8ish and had it for tea at 6.30. It cooked down, went lovely and thick and really beefy. All I had added to the jar was onions and garlic.

I start with a little pancetta, fry that in a tiny bit of olive oil until the fat runs - that sorts out the salt and fat in one hit.

If you don't want to add salt though then I'd try minced beef with a higher fat content.

I don't bother with sugar or nutmeg but I do use rosemary (ideally chopped fresh as we have some in the garden but dried is also totally fine) which combined with the pancetta gives it a lovely deeply savoury taste.

I also use celery. For us the redwine (or white or beer if you are stuck) is as essential as the beef. Roasting the vegetables for half an hour can help with flavour too. Reducing the sauce, and if still not enough flavour a small rasher of bacon can help.

Salt added on the plate tastes just like...well...salt

Salt added during cooking enhances and brings out the flavours of the other ingredients

If I were you I would separate the DC's portions out into another pan and then season yours properly. Honestly, it will change it completely.

I know we are all supposed to watch our salt intake but that doesn't mean "don't season anything" - after all, we all need salt to survive!

Fry your onions till golden brown. Then add a whole carrot and cook for another 5 minutes.

Also add more than 1/2 tbsp tomato purée. I normally add 2-3 tbsps.

You can add salt at the end, after you have served your dd portion.

Apparently salt isn't the enemy. I don't think adding it to homemade food is a problem, it's more the fact that loads of salt is in manufactured foods and processed meats.

I use

Diced celery, carrot, onion
Diced bacon
Crushed garlic
Red wine
Chicken stock
Tomato purée
Minced beef (small quantity)
Finish it with butter

No tomatoes! Cook it for 1.5 hours