Spaghetti Sauce Secrets

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Do you have any secrete ingredients you put in your spaghetti sauce?
Just curious.
 

Jim_S

Resident Curmudgeon
Gold Site Supporter
Lots of garlic. I don't know if you would call it a secret though.
 

Ironman

🍺
I add a little bit of sugar (and sometimes extra Oregano and Garlic). Same with my pizza sauce, only because my kids love it.

In my opinion, you can't add too much garlic to anything. Chili, chilimac ect..
 

Abby

More coffee please
Super Site Supporter
Curry powder, curry powder and more curry powder!!! My father-in-law used this in his sauce and I have found it irrestible. I also add about 1/2 c. sugar to my sauce.
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Curry powder, curry powder and more curry powder!!! My father-in-law used this in his sauce and I have found it irresistible. I also add about 1/2 c. sugar to my sauce.

That would be my dad she's talking about!!!!! Yep, Abby is my wife. Thanks for finding your way over here and helping out with recipes and all. :thumb:
Oh yeah, and welcome to NCT!!!! :D :thumb:
 

Abby

More coffee please
Super Site Supporter
Thanks! I absolutely love my new gadget!! As Doc probably told everyone, I tried making some home made bread this weekend. I ended up throwing it away and started over! It didn't work either because I had one packet of old yeast and one packet of new yeast. It didn't raise and felt like a brick! Hey, Doc, we could have used it for a door stop!
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I had thought is using em for skeet and shooting em down .... but they were probably to heavy to fly real far. :hide: :yum: :D
 

Deelady

New member
I sometimes add garam masala and a touch of milk or cream....gives it an indian flare and is soooo good!

Abby I love the idea of curry, never thought of that, will try!! Thanks!
 

BamsBBQ

Ni pedo
Site Supporter
when i make sauce from scratch i add a small grated carrot to it and a touch of sugar.

the carrot helps with the acid of the tomatoes..
 

lilylove

Active member
I start out by sauting my onions, celery and garlic... don't know if it's a secret.

I think it gives the sauce a deeper flavor than just adding the veggies to the tomato sauce.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
White wine and sugar here. If I want it a bit drier and darker, then a merlot instead of white. Oh, and mix in pork or lamb with your beef if you're making a meaty sauce.
 

BamsBBQ

Ni pedo
Site Supporter
thats how the italians around here basically make their meataballs

beef,veal,pork and thats how i usually make mine

White wine and sugar here. If I want it a bit drier and darker, then a merlot instead of white. Oh, and mix in pork or lamb with your beef if you're making a meaty sauce.
 

Calicolady

New member
No veggies, or curry, paprika, ginger, alspice, garlic or milk. Milk?
When I make sauce I fry, then bake my meatballs, sausage &
a piece of chicken. If I don't have sausage, I through in a piece of pork, or a smoked hamhock, that I bake alittle.
When I fry the meatballs, I also fry a cut up into 4 pieces potato.
I only add some salt and fresh ground black pepper, chopped fresh oregano, parsley and just a few basil leaves and some grated romano & parmesan cheese. Any other flavors added to the sauce come out of what I put in the meatball, and what's in or on the other meat I've cooked.
Depending on each pot of sauce, I sometimes have to add sugar, but usually the potato takes care of the acidity.
Once in a great while, if I have a bottle open, some red wine is good to deglaze the frying pans then added to the sauce.

Note: Be frugal if adding basil, either fresh or dried. It will overpower the sauce and ruin it.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I use the types of San Marzano tomatoes shown below as a base for all my Italian sauces with tomato. I bit of red wine or white wine, onions, bell pepper, a little crushed red pepper, garlic, dried oregano, fresh basil and flat leaf parsley and an Italian blend of spices. No sugar needed with the wine and these tomatoes. I use two cans of the whole and one of the crushed with about the amount of paste one would get from the small cans. If I can't find them I will settle for other brands such as La Bella San Marzano but this brand is the best period in my opinion and I've tried them all.
 

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FryBoy

New member
WHICH spaghetti sauce? I don't have "a" spaghetti sauce, or at least I haven't since my roomie and I invented one in college that had more herbs and spices than Colonel Sanders' Fried Chicken. I make a huge variety of pasta sauces, from the very simple to very complex. And that, I guess, is my "secret ingredient" -- variety.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I actually only make one marinara sauce that I call my base sauce as I listed above. It is very thick and from there I could use it on pizza, pasta, add meats like meat balls or sausage etc. I make up about 5 qts ever two weeks and takes me about 5 to 6 hours.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I put fennel in my Italian sausage but not in my sauce. Here is my Italian blend that I use which I make myself.

1 Tbs. dried rosemary
1 Tbs. dried basil
1 Tbs. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried sage
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. ground garlic

I add about a 1/4 of fresh basil and a 1/4 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley and more dried oregano near the last 30 minutes of cooking.
 

AllenOK

New member
As was already mentioned, I saute the onions, garlic, and any other veggies that are used. I will also caramelize some of the tomato sauce/solids. Then I deglaze with wine.

HINT: There is a chemical in tomatoes that is alcohol soluable. You can only taste this in the presence of ethanol. Therefore, pouring a little wine into any tomato sauce will help bring out the full flavor. If you don't want to taste wine in your sauce, use vodka.
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
HINT: There is a chemical in tomatoes that is alcohol soluable. You can only taste this in the presence of ethanol. Therefore, pouring a little wine into any tomato sauce will help bring out the full flavor. If you don't want to taste wine in your sauce, use vodka.
Wow, Allen, I never knew that! You know, I used to wonder when I saw those Vodka sauces, since vodka has no taste. Now it all makes sense. Thanks so much for sharing this hint.
 

Mr. Green Jeans

New member
Thank goodness no one commented "First thing I do is take the lid off the jar of Ragu"

Off to the bulk spice rack at the local health food store for fennel seed.
 
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