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Mince is always tough in spaghetti bolognese?

post #1 of 9
4/8/07 at 4:59am
Thread Starter 
Hiya,

This is my first post and I'm after a little bit of advice with regards to spaghetti bolognese. I'm generally good at following recipes and cooking in general but I just can't get this right no matter what I follow.

Basically, without other ingredients to confuse this is the basis of what I do:


>> Put quantity of mince into frying pan
>> Fry until the texture of the mince is 'crumbly' (no oil/wine etc added - just fried dry) - usually 6-10mins
>> Add to saucepan with a jar of say Dolmio/Ragu
>> Simmer for 15-20 minutes to serve.

But always, ALWAYS the mince tastes tough - recently a friend cooked it though and it was gorgeous; don't know how she did it but it was really soft and nice.

I did ask, and she said she used wine; logic would say just fry it less but I'm really worried I won't cook it thoroughly and poison my date :(

Thanks for any advice :)
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post #2 of 9
4/8/07 at 7:19am
No onions, except what is in a bottle of ready-made sauce?
Cooking for only 20 minutes? Dry frying?

I think the above are your your problems.. Bolognese sauce improves with longer cooker time.
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post #3 of 9
4/8/07 at 8:12am
You pretty well answered your own question here.. Frying until the mince is dry? You only need to saute till the pink has disapeared..

I agree with Ishbel.. No onion? Is that because you dislike it? Why not try adding peppers, mushrooms, garlic etc. then.. Any bottled sauce could use a boost of extra veggi's..

I would also increase the simmer time.. 15-20 minutes is not a whole lot of time for flavors to blend.
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post #4 of 9
4/8/07 at 12:40pm
Mince, regardless of how much cooking it's subjected to, is a pretty unreliable method of poisoning one's date. You could try substituting oleander leaf for bay leaf...

Anyway, I think poisoning is best reserved for spouses & heads of state. For a date you're usually better off with more traditional methods of dispatch.

Ahem.

cook it longer. should work.
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post #5 of 9
4/8/07 at 4:32pm
In addition to what everyone else has already said about longer cooking, you might actually try starting with mince (ground beef to the other Yanks here ;) ) that has more fat in it, and cook it for a longer time at lower heat before adding it to the sauce, or adding the sauce to it. Remember that you can always drain off the extra fat that comes out, but it helps to have it there in the first place for moisture. And using too high a temperature to brown the meat will always toughen it, even it is in little particles.

As for poisoning: a couple of years ago I was chatting with an acquaintance who mentioned that he never, ever let his wife cook. Why not? Because the one time he did let her, she used bad meat in spaghetti sauce (she thought she was getting a bargain :eek: ) and did indeed make the whole family sick. There are some pathogens that cooking won't kill, so always use fresh ingredients! :p
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post #6 of 9
4/9/07 at 11:41pm
I always(after browning and adding your sauce)simmer very,very gently for at least an hour. If you think it's becoming a bit dry just add a little water. It will not be tough.
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post #7 of 9
4/10/07 at 3:33pm
I never cook the meat until done, I add the sauce to finsh cooking, kind of like a braise.
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post #8 of 9
4/10/07 at 5:24pm
Yep, you won't poison your date because even though the ground beef/mince won't be fully cooked when you add your tomato sauce, it will continue simmering for some time after, which means by the time it's done it will be cooked... However, you want to brown your meat (get some brown bits on the bottom of the pan) for flavour.

Also, add a small quantity of milk or cream to your bolognese before you add your tomato sauce, which is quite traditional and is said to help "tenderize" your meat (not sure if it has any validity).
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post #9 of 9
4/11/07 at 6:02pm
I agree with the above advice - longer cooking, add some vegies (carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms etc, dice fine if you don't like it chunky) after browning the meat. Need some form of fat in there to start, skim it off later. Definitely longer cooking - I cook mine 1 hour minimum, 4 hours for preference (adding more water or stock when its getting a bit dry). Tastes even better next day.

Are you using a "fat-free" ground beef? It needs some fat in there for moisture and flavour. My favorite cheat it to add some bacon rinds when it's browning - lovely flavour - just fish them out when it's done. (Dog loves 'em!)

Go easy on the salt - this could draw too much moisture out of the meat. If you're using a spiced up tomato sauce its probably got enough in it.

Do you put a lid on the pan? Could be all those juices are evaporating.....

Good Luck!
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