Spag Bol

[Lemmonie]

I do,

mince, garlic, oxo cube, worseter sauce, onion, mushrooms, tinned toms and Barbados HOT sauce

[Ian Davidson]

Interesting, so many variations. I like mine quite simple, but spicey. In this order;

- garlic
- onions
- mince
- red wine
- beef oxo

- tinned chopped tomatoes
- salt
- pepper
- peri-peri sauce
- basil
- sugar

- cream

Done.

[Lefty Guns]

Cream?!

[brum]

Bottle Good red wine
Pancetta - goes into the sauce raw so you get soft melty pork fat. Mmmmmmmmmmmm melty pork fat.
Porcini mushrooms
Chicken livers
Half teaspoon marmite
Mince
Onions
Garlic
Fresh basil
water

It should look like a soup, a couple of hours reducion until it's unctious and lovely.

[FTJoe]

Standard ingredients - Tomato, garlic, mince, onions (red/white mix usually), peppers, herbs

Then tend to add any of the following depending what's around:

Worcester sauce
Chilli sauce or flakes
Chorizo (Lidl chorizo is absolutley brilliant and the flavour when cooked is superb)
Sweetcorn
Grated carrots
Paprika
Red Pesto
Good red wine


I prefer it to be on the spicy side rather than too mild and definitely think part of the joy of spag bol is that there is no perfect way to make it or ideal set of ingredients. I think some people here are missing out if you genuinely always stick to the same recipe.

I'm trying honey next, or maybe chocolate, or possibly lemons halves.....can't decide.

[BAHN-STORMA]

Garlick said:

Tell me your secret ingredients for this staple mid- week meal

Me? Never use a pre made sauce, plenty of fresh herbs, chilli, pine nuts, pieces of chorizo, a (small) touch of honey and veg as you fancy. Fresh pasta too, not dried.

I need new ideas though, and I know PH can help.......

ETA: Fresh garlic too, silly of me to forget that really.

Just started cooking and thought I would do a quick 'search' for any added inspiration.

Good call on the chorizo... time for a quick trip to Waitrose!

[juice]

I make my Spag Bol, starting off with frying Pancetta and removing it from the fat renderings...

Then add my sofritto and once softened

Add Mince (usually go for 80/20 - as that's where the flavour is at)

Then lots of diced tomatoes (probably 3 16oz cans)

Bay leaves, some fresh oregano..

S+P

Some Beef stock

Then the crucial ingredient - Whole Milk (About a cup)


Then simmer the whole lot for about 4 hours, stiring occasionally and adding water if the sauce thickens too much.

Edited by juice on Friday 3rd July 19:11

[Shaolin]

I uasually add soem fresh chillis to mine on the plate (not the pan) as there is little savory food that in my opinion is not potentially improved with chillis

[davidspooner]

Hmm am I strange I use fresh chopped tomatoes rather than tinned. Seems to give a deeper flavour.

[deevlash]

worcestster sauce, red wine, sundried tomatoes, red pesto

[Magic Merlin]

Dijon Mustard (top secret)

[sherman]

Beef mince
Onion
Passata
Tomato puree
clove or 2 of garlic
Dried basil
Mixed herbs

[XJSJohn]

the only addition i have to the variations above that has not been mentioned (until sherman's post above) is Basil.

But i prefer it toi be fresh basil, and you tear it up and add it in the last 10 minutes of the cooking, (assuming that you are doing a proper slow cook reduction...)

otherwise, plenty of red vino collapso!!

[CrashTD]

golden syrup.

[shakotan]

I add a healthy glass of red after browning the mince, turn the heat up and boil for about 2-3 minutes before turning down the heat and adding the rest of the ingredients.

[dougc]

Dried mushrooms. Just a few. Crush and pound up into a powder and add to the sauce. That and a splash of balsamic.

[Henry Hawthorne]

Secret ingredient - Reggae Reggae Sauce.

[RVVUNM]

My wife does not eat red meat so she makes it with turkey mince. Try it, I think its better, infact were having it tonight.

[BJG1]

I use Lamb mince, use Rosemary and fennel seeds, a small amount of chili powder and plenty of other normal stuff, those 3 are my "secret" ingredients though.

[condor]

Having seen spag bol made on this thread with pork mince, thought I'd try it. The difference being that mine is left over pork from a slow (over-)cooked shoulder joint I had last night. In this case I would make the sauce and add the leftover pork towards the end, then it can marinade in the flavours overnight, and be fine for re-heating the next day.
This will be an experiment