Wanted: Spaghetti Sauce Recipe w/ meat

Doc

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I'm sure you guys make some killer spaghetti sauce. How about sharing the recipe with all the gory details for a novice cook to make a GREAT sauce.

Thanks in advance!! :tiphat:
 

rocket_j_dawg

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This is the recipe I have been using for quite a while. It is (apparently)the recipe that was set down in 1982 by the chamber of commerce in Bologna - the home of bolognese. This is according to Chef Alessandro Circiello, of the Italian Federation of Chefs. Enjoy.

Serves four people
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
6 slices of streaky 'pancetta' bacon, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 carrots, chopped
1 Stick of celery, chopped
1kg/2¼lb lean ground beef
2 large glasses of red wine
2x400g cans chopped tomatoes
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
800g-1kg/1¾-2¼lb dried tagliatelle
freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, frying until softened. Increase the heat and add the ground beef. Fry it until it has browned. Pour in the wine and boil until it has reduced in volume by about a third. Reduce the temperature and stir in the tomatoes and celery.

2. Cover with a lid and simmer over a gentle heat for 1-1½ hours until it's rich and thickened, stirring occasionally.

3. Cook the tagliatelle in plenty of boiling salted water. Drain and divide between plates. Sprinkle a little parmesan over the pasta before adding a good ladleful of the sauce. Finish with a further scattering of cheese and a twist of black pepper.
 
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Doc

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Awesome. :tiphat: Thanks!!!! Assuming you drain the grease after browning the ground beef before adding the wine. Right?
 

ChowderMan

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rocket's recipe looks stunning!

but here's my take: it's all in the tomatoes.....

I have about 1000 sq ft in my home garden (at this place) - starting with garden fresh actually ripened on the plant tomatoes is astronomically superior to anything else on the planet.

various brands of canned tomatoes are terrible/passable/good/superior/stellar - and there's more than one opinion on 'the brand' . . .

I 'stew&freeze' my extra crop - and in season I buy 'canner' tomatoes from the local stands - to hold me over the winter if my own crop is not sufficiently plentiful. regrets some of the flavinoids of tomato go away / are destroyed by refrigeration, freezing is more even worse....

all that said, it's all in the tomatoes - so try some different brands for quality and find one that tickles your taste buds. very generally speaking and in my experience, 'whole' canned tomatoes work best, but your mileage may vary.

when combining fresh / canned / frozen tomato with all the other goodies, "time" is really crucial to making a good sauce. just "heating up" a pot of tomato&goodies does not allow the flavors to infuse and permeate the sauce. 4-5 hours on a very very low simmer works, as does make-simmer-refrigerate-resimmer next/third/fourth day. there is no substitute for a low slow prep.....
 

Doc

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Good info Chowder, I never considered that. And, for some reason the 2nd or 3rd day after is better than the 1st day. :confused:
 

rocket_j_dawg

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Chowder, you are bang on when it comes to using fresh tomaoes over canned. We have an Italian deli in town and occasionally they will have jarred tomatoes from Italy. I much prefer them over canned but you are right. Fresh is best.
 

Shermie

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Doc, here's one that's guaranteed to please!


Spaghetti Bolognaise
10-08-2012, 04:30 PM

Ingredients;


1 cup each chopped;

Onions. Celery, Green pepper & carrots.

5 cloves garlic, chopped..

3 T oil.

1/2 stick butter (reserving half of it).

1/2lb ground beef.

1/2lb ground pork.

1/2lb ground veal.

1/2lb ground chicken or turkey.

1 medium can stewed tomatoes.

3 medium cans tomato puree.

2 medium cans tomato paste.

1/4 cup sugar.

1 cup water.

2 tsp mustard.

3/4 cup White Chabali, Sweet or Burgundy wine.

1tsp each - Dried herbs;

Oregano. Basil, Parsley & Thyme.

2 bay leaves.

3/4 tsp ground black pepper.

1 tsp salt.

1 tsp seasoned salt.

1/2 tsp Cajiun seasoning or chyanne red pepper.

3/4 cup grated or shredded parm cheese.

1lb spaghetti.

Large pot of boiling salted water, preferably a 5-qt Dutch Oven.

1 -1/4 cups whole milik, half & half or heavy cream.


Directions;

In 5-qt Dutch Oven, over medium-high heat, heat oil and butter just until hot.
Add weggie mixture and chopped garlic. Mix thorougly to coat with oil / butter mixture. Cover and let mixture sweat as it cooks for about 12 minutes.

Add all four ground meats. Stir and scramble until brown. Add tomato products, sugar, water and wine. Add mustard, dried herbs, seasonings, bay leaf and grated cheese. Stir mixture until well blended. Add reserved half stick of butter.

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Maintain that low simmer and cook sauce for at least 3 to 4 hours. Do NOT cook above the gentle simmer, or sauce will start to stick & burn at the bottom of pot!

Meanwhile, add speghetti to boiling salted water. Keep spaghetti separated by constant stirring until all of it is submerged completely in the hot water. Boil to desired tenderness, preferably to aldente, because it cooks more in the sauce. Drain in a colander. Do NOT rinse the pasta, or the sauce won't stick to it! Sauce has to stick to it.

When sauce is done, skim off any fat that might be at the surface & add milk half & half or cream to it. This has to be the last liquid added, to keep milk, half & half or cream from curdling or breaking. Adjust seasonings if needed or desired.

In large bowl or pot, combine both the spaghetti and meat sauce. If desired, you can cook the spaghetti with sauce a bit longer to ensure that the sauce will really stick to the spaghetti. Garnish with grated parm or romano & chopped parsley. Enjoy!!

Make about 12 servings. :)


VARIATIONS;

If desired, you can make seasoned meatballs in place of the ground meat, or add Italian sausage to the sauce, or both.

Healthier Versions;

For a more healthier alturnative, you can use just the lean ground chicken or turkey, or lean ground pork.

For the vegetarian version, omit all of the meat and use diced eggplant, zuccinie & summer squash.

Omit the butter and use olive or canola oil. Substute 1% milk in place of the whole milk, half & half or heavy cream. :eating2:
 

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Doc

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Sounds good Shermie.
You reminded me of when I used to help with spaghetti dinners at a club I belonged to, the chef who owned a restaurant would put on the sauce in a BIG TALL pot and tell us stir the top half only. Do not rake the bottom. He allowed it to sick down there and never served that part. If one of us over stirred and brought the burnt parts up into the sauce the sauce was ruined. His way worked well, and his sauce excelled. Wish I had his recipe.

Hoping for some more sauce recipes to compare. I know you ladies have some. Don't hold back, please post them. :tiphat:
 

Shermie

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Sounds good Shermie.
You reminded me of when I used to help with spaghetti dinners at a club I belonged to, the chef who owned a restaurant would put on the sauce in a BIG TALL pot and tell us stir the top half only. Do not rake the bottom. He allowed it to sick down there and never served that part. If one of us over stirred and brought the burnt parts up into the sauce the sauce was ruined. His way worked well, and his sauce excelled. Wish I had his recipe.

Hoping for some more sauce recipes to compare. I know you ladies have some. Don't hold back, please post them. :tiphat:



What a waste of precious spaghetti sauce!! He must have had the burner jacked up to the moon!!

I realize that you were following his orders, but I think that was so stupid on his part! I'd NEVER do that! it is just so wasteful. Penny-wise, pound-foolish!!

He should invest in one of THESE (pictured below)!! A never-Burn pot. They come in the 7-qt, 11-qt & 176-qt versions. I want the 7-qt one. Your sauces, gravies, custards and other delicate heat-sensitive foods will NEVER burn!!!

All because there's a hermetically sealed triple-layered heating chamber at the bottom which houses a special heating oil that heats up enough to cook your foods, while at the same time, keeps things from sticking and burning. :eating2:
 

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Doc

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What a waste of precious spaghetti sauce!! He must have had the burner jacked up to the moon!!

No, the burner was on low and the pot was a commercial pot (7 gallon or so), it would simmer all day long. And this was about 30 years ago. He did know what he was doing and we always had enough, so no complaints from this guy. I probably did not explain it correctly as just the very bottom was burned, as long as you did not scrape the bottom you still had about 7 gallons or so of sauce. hardly any waste.
 

Shermie

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No, the burner was on low and the pot was a commercial pot (7 gallon or so), it would simmer all day long. And this was about 30 years ago. He did know what he was doing and we always had enough, so no complaints from this guy. I probably did not explain it correctly as just the very bottom was burned, as long as you did not scrape the bottom you still had about 7 gallons or so of sauce. hardly any waste.



Oops, sorry. This pot was not out back then. It was introduced at http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/30099-chefs-never-burn-sauce-pot.aspx only a couple of years ago. :eating2:
 
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ChowderMan

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Doc -

I neglected to mention . . .

using frozen>thawed or canned whole tomatoes -

(you can always chop them up; putting 'diced' tomatoes back together is a very tedious task....) -

I drain and reserve the water/liquid - then add it back 'as needed' for consistency.

'cooking down' tomatoes for consistency has some serious dangers:
2-3 years back I made a horrendous boo-boo. I cooked the tomatoes down to a disintegrated paste. it got dark, thick, way-too-strong tasting.

eventually threw out 6-10 qts of stuff we just could not eat. was not burned, just an overpowering strong taste.

does 'stir / use only the top' come back to to mind? methinks there was similar experience behind that....

I also use the stewed>frozen>thawed tomato for homemade pizza. again "under cooked" the tom. sauce makes for a fresh clean pizza taste that the 'cooked to death' type sauces can not start to compete with. call me goofy, but I have zilch issue with a 'chunky' tomato sauce on my pizza, or pasta.
 

Shermie

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I'm making a small pot of Marinara sauce right now. Sort of a spaghetti sauce without any meat. it is being made for Chicken Parm. :eating2:
 

joec

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Here is my basic sauce and I often add meat to it from Italian sausage, ground beef, pancetta etc. I've even used veal and chicken.

My Basic Tomato Sauce by Joe Cilinceon:

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion finely diced
2 large bell pepper finely diced (1 green, 1 red or roasted jarred red pepper optional)
5 cloves of minced garlic (or to taste)
1/2 cup of fresh basil (dried basil can be substituted in 3 fresh to 1 dry ratio)
1/2 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley (dried can be substituted in 3 fresh to 1 dry ratio)
3 tablespoon dried oregano (or to taste)
3 tablespoons of an Italian blend (optional and I make my own)
2 - 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, broken into pieces and their juices (San Marzano is my brand)
1 - 28 ounce can of crushed or diced or another can of whole (optional)
1 - 6 ounce can of tomato paste
12 ounces of red wine ( I like Cabernet Sauvignon wine or some other wine you can drink. I find white wines a bit too dry and some reds too sweet. Vermouth can also be used also.)
1 table spoon of crushed red pepper (optional or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Heat the olive oil in about a 5 qt or larger pot over medium heat with crushed red pepper for minute or 2. Add the onions, bell pepper, salt and pepper and cook till softens about 5 minutes and onions become some what translucent.

I then add the garlic and let it cook for about minute not allowing it to burn. I then add the tomato paste and allow it to sweet into the vegetable mixture and let it cook until it gets a some what brown color to it. I stir constantly during this process which takes about 5 minutes. I then add my red wine and stir it in to the paste and vegetables.

Note: If using fresh basil, parsley, oregano etc add it about 30 minutes before the sauce is done.

I now add my dry herbs such as oregano and Italian blend (dried basil and dried parsley if using instead of fresh). I let that go for about 2 to 3 minutes then add the the whole canned tomatoes 1 can at a time and crushing the whole tomatoes in my hands. I let it come back to a simmer before adding the next can of whole tomatoes. Again when it comes to a simmer add the last can of tomatoes which is where I use the crushed though whole work as well.

I now bring the pot to a boil then reduce it to a good simmer and stir it every few minutes for about 3 hour. I then add my chopped parsley and basil if using fresh. I now let the pot go for about 1 hours on simmer, stiring every few minutes.

I now use a stick blender to get a consistent texture to it though you don't want it soupy but thick. I then taste it to see if it needs more seasoning such as dry herbs, salt pepper adding it as necessary. I now let it cook about another 30 minutes to 1 hour on a slow simmer still stirring it every few minutes.

This can no be used for a base for meat sauces, pasta sauces etc. I do this by adding the meats to the sauce letting it cook in the sauce.

makes about 4 qts of sauce.
 

Doc

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joec said:
This can no be used for a base for meat sauces, pasta sauces etc. I do this by adding the meats to the sauce letting it cook in the sauce.

Thanks Joe. Sounds Awesome. However, I'm not sure what you meant by the line above. Guessing no is a typeo and it was intended to be not. But if that is the case it does not jive with this quote from the top of your post:

joec said:
Here is my basic sauce and I often add meat to it from Italian sausage, ground beef, pancetta etc. I've even used veal and chicken.

Please help clear up my confusion. THANKS!!!!!

Reading it again ....I bet the no is a typeo for NOW .....then it all fits nicely into place. :bonk: Thanks Joe!!!!

Very interesting Joe. You do not add the meat until the sauce has already cooked 2 or 3 hours. :thumb:
 

joec

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Thanks Joe. Sounds Awesome. However, I'm not sure what you meant by the line above. Guessing no is a typeo and it was intended to be not. But if that is the case it does not jive with this quote from the top of your post:



Please help clear up my confusion. THANKS!!!!!

Reading it again ....I bet the no is a typeo for NOW .....then it all fits nicely into place. :bonk: Thanks Joe!!!!

Very interesting Joe. You do not add the meat until the sauce has already cooked 2 or 3 hours. :thumb:

The no is a type-o which happens often with my laptop since I sometimes hit the finger pad when typing making my cursor jump.

I have found that the sauce keeps for months in the freezer and can be taken out and thawed out then reheated and used to cook the meat without much hassle or flavor loss. I make this sauce up about once a month depending on how much I use. I always have some on hand. Also keep in mind that tomato sauce holds heat when cooking often hotter than one would image even just simmering on the stove top. I also like the texture of sausage and meat balls cooked in the sauce rather than pan fried first even if partially. With sausage I pouch it first by dropping it into boiling water for about 1 minute or until it turns kind of a white then remove it and let it cool. I then cut it into bit size pieces and drop it into the pot to finish cooking.

One other note is all ingredients can be substituted, dropped or even amounts changed to suit your tastes. I learned the basic recipe from my Grandmother and have made changes to match her flavor closer as products changed over the years.
 

Cooksie

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I make mine very similar to JoeC's with Italian sausage, but I use celery instead of bell pepper and tomato sauce instead of paste.
 

joec

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I make mine very similar to JoeC's with Italian sausage, but I use celery instead of bell pepper and tomato sauce instead of paste.

I've also seen people use carrots and with some tomatoes you need sugar as some have a real heavy acid taste. I like the paste as it make my sauce a bit thicker than some I've tried with just the sauce instead. I have a cook book coming with over 80 recipes for pasta sauces just for giggles and the price was .99 for the book from Gourmet Cooking. I have a cowboy cook book I got from them some time ago loaded with old recipes as originally written including ingredients. It also has and updated version using modern ingredients and techniques with the same taste on both. It was another of the .99 cook books.
 

Doc

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I've seen the name Bolognaise used in conjunction with spaghetti sauce but have no idea what is different about it and regular spaghetti sauce. Can someone explain the difference please?
 

Shermie

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I've seen the name Bolognaise used in conjunction with spaghetti sauce but have no idea what is different about it and regular spaghetti sauce. Can someone explain the difference please?




Three or four ground meats are often used - beef, pork, veal & chicken, if desired. Carrots are often used as one of the veggies.

It is basically made like regular spaghetti meat sauce. The difference is in what is added at the end of the cooking of the sauce - the heavy cream, half & half or milk.

This sauce also takes a lot more ingredients than regular spaghetti sauce - indeed. The added ingredients adds to the sauce, making it seem more bulked up and plentiful.

But also, the sheer taste of the sauce is like no other sauce you've ever had. I've only learned how to make the sauce a few years ago after an Italian restaurant that I used to often go to get some of it was closed down.

They had it there, and it was so good! The creaminess of the sauce, the meat and the spaghetti combined together tasted oh so good!!

The cream or whole milk sort of lifts it and gives it a slightly velvety smooth almost delectable pinkish color. :eating2:
 

Moxie

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I've seen the name Bolognaise used in conjunction with spaghetti sauce but have no idea what is different about it and regular spaghetti sauce. Can someone explain the difference please?

Although it has some tomato in it, Bolognese is not basically a tomato sauce. It's a meat sauce, or more properly, a ragu. You slowly braise a variety of chopped meats and veggies, usually with milk or other dairy added. You do put tomatoes in, but they do not dominate.

Marinara is a quick, simple sauce of tomatoes, aromatics, and herbs. It's bright and fresh tasting.

Spaghetti sauce is usually a tomato sauce, loosely based on marinara. It's cooked longer and takes on a thicker consistancy. It may or may not be made with meat added.
 

joec

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Although it has some tomato in it, Bolognese is not basically a tomato sauce. It's a meat sauce, or more properly, a ragu. You slowly braise a variety of chopped meats and veggies, usually with milk or other dairy added. You do put tomatoes in, but they do not dominate.

Marinara is a quick, simple sauce of tomatoes, aromatics, and herbs. It's bright and fresh tasting.

Spaghetti sauce is usually a tomato sauce, loosely based on marinara. It's cooked longer and takes on a thicker consistency. It may or may not be made with meat added.

Perfect description of the differences.

It kind of like the difference between a mirepoix (onions, celery, and carrots in a 2:1:1 ratio) and a Cajun Trinity (1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 2 stalks of celery). Both serve a similar purpose just a different way of cooking it though the use is basically the same.
 

Shermie

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But in MY opinion, and to me, Bolognaise seems to take longer to cook, given the fact that it has a lot of ground meat and other things in it.

And it has to be slow cooked, because it can stick to the bottom of the pot and start to burn real easily. it can't be rush by any stretch of the imagination. :eating2:
 

lilbopeep

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Peep's Basic "Marinara" Tomato Sauce

Olive oil
Fresh garlic - chopped fine
Onion - chopped fine
Fresh basil - chopped fine
Fresh oregano - chopped fine
Fresh parsley - chopped fine
Ground hot pepper flakes
Salt
Ground black pepper
Pinch sugar
28 oz. can Crushed or whole tomatoes (chopped)
6 oz. can Tomato paste
Burgundy wine
Water

Whole fresh basil leaves
Whole fresh oregano leaves
Whole fresh parsley leaves
ABOVE WHOLE HERB LEAVES ADDED NEAR END OF COOKING

Heat pot over medium heat then add olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook over low heat just to softened them (do not brown or they become bitter). Add tomato paste and cook slightly. Add enough wine and stir till you reach a smooth thick consistency. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, all chopped herbs (except whole leaves) and spices. Add 1 - 28 oz. can of water. Stir well and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Taste and correct seasoning during cooking if needed. Add additional water and/or wine if needed, to thin to desired consistency. Add whole leaves about 15 minutes before done cooking to add a "fresh, bright" herb flavor.

Meat Sauce Additions:

Chuck steak - brown in pot. Remove follow above directions. Lower to simmer and add the meat. Simmer till meat is tender.
Meatballs
Sausage
Braciole

Add any or all of the above meats to sauce and simmer.

MEATLESS SAUCE ADDITIONS - Green olives, capers and anchovies may be added to the sauce and simmer till olives are tender and mellow in flavor.
 

Doc

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Thanks Peeps :tiphat:
Did you leave off the measurements on purpose?
(edit to add: Meaning you don't measure when you make it, you just know)
 

lilbopeep

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Thanks Peeps :tiphat:
Did you leave off the measurements on purpose?
(edit to add: Meaning you don't measure when you make it, you just know)

You're welcome. It is to personal taste. I like my sauce spicy so I use a lot of spices. Add as many meatballs, sausage etc. as you like and simmer in the sauce. If you use a chuck steak use about a 1 lb. steak. It all depends on how much meat you want. Some people like a lot of meat (pull meat out of sauce and serve on a platter; take what you like) and the pasta is on the side with sauce added.

picture.php


I like my meatballs and Braciole on top of my pasta.

meatballs.jpg
 
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