Bolognese secret ingredient

[Pippylongstockings91]

So... I never knew to put sugar in bolognese! Tonight I've done it and everyone wolfed it down. My question is how much do you put in? I probs put to much in that's why everyone ate it 😂

I use passata and a few spoons of sun dried tomato pesto.

I put about a teaspoon in too. I also like to add really finely chopped bacon if I've some to use up.

The vast majority of posts on this thread are either joking or you’re all literally criminals.

Depends on cooking time I think. I usually leave mine for hours to simmer and don't need sugar but if I'm doing a quick tomato sauce based dish, I add a splash of white dessert wine to offset acidity
Also soy sauce as mince browns - I got that from MN

No, no sugar - I just add loads, and I mean loads, of tomato puree - that has enough sugar in it not to need anything extra.

I just use standard ingredients, I think - I put in a bit of paprika for a kick.

A dash of red wine goes in too, if I am planning to drink red wine with the meal.

@IPeedInThePool

Anything tomato based I always add sugar makes the taste so much better.

Yes, to take away the sourness of the tomato. The bolognese recipe in my book recommends this.

I always add sugar to tomato sauce. Also add soy sauce, miso, and Worcestershire sauce for Bolognese. Sometimes Katsu sauce too.

1/2 tsp of sugar in anything that contains a tin of tomatoes, always!

@CallforHecate

The vast majority of posts on this thread are either joking or you’re all literally criminals.

This really made me laugh. I agree

Yes, agree 💯. Half tsp of sugar makes bolognaise so much better.

Dash of white wine - both sweetens the sauce, and makes it taste lovely.

Surprised me too as I figured tinned tomatoes were quite sweet naturally.

Try a spoonful of pesto, sounds weird but you don’t really taste the pesto just adds a nice flavour

I add a spoonful of sugar to pretty much any sauce with tinned tomatoes, except for tuna pasta bake as it makes it too sweet with the fish.

Lots of tomato puree and a beef stock cube here. If using wine, it's white wine for Bolognese, not red.

No sugar in mine! If your tomatoes are that acidic I’d think you’re better off trying different tomatoes.

I use Worcestershire sauce and sometimes cinnamon (just a sprinkling but it’s lovely). Cinnamon was what my grandmother told me she used in cottage pie but I later discovered she meant nutmeg but I like cinnamon so go with it.

Finely chopped chicken liver with the mince, then a glug of milk once it's browned. Even better, rayeb - it's a soured creamy milk sold in ME countries - a bit like lassi.

I make my own 'dolmio' type sauce by the quart in the slow cooker, as tomatoes are ludicrously cheap & tasty out here (& also go off very quickly, so I'll buy a couple of kilo, pick out the good 'uns for salad & cook the rest into sauce). I add all sorts of other veg to the tomatoes, then stick blend it & freeze for use in all sorts of meals.

Definitely no added sugar required in spag bol. I might add a teaspoon of cocoa to a chilli, though, but still no sugar.

I'm not anti sugar & have a massive sweet tooth, but if your tomatoes are naturally ripe you don't need it. I do find tinned tomatoes a bit acid after years of living in a hot country where gorgeous flavoursome fresh tomatoes are cheap, though, so if you're using tins it might take the edge off them?

Agree with milk!
Also pancetta, chicken livers, white wine and a star anise.
Plus the usual stuff.

@Hopeishere52

I use a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar

This^ if using canned tomatoes.

A beef stockpot, lots of tomato puree and a square of 70% dark chocolate.

Yes sugar- the proper Italian way! Teaspoon and taste.

Lots of red wine and a good squirt of HP sauce.

Balsamic and Marmite but no sugar.

I use a teaspoon of sugar and a good dash of milk. Makes such a difference.

I put sugar in, but only because I use bayleaves - it counteracts the bitterness of the bayleaves.