Are you supposed to use sugar to make meat sauce?

Question

I have tomatoe sauce, ground beef. What else do I add to it? sugar?

Answer 1

Not neccesarily. You can though. This takes away some of the tang from the tomato taste. Some people say it tastes better, like my ex-mother-in-law, and some say it tastes too sweet. It's totally up to you, though.

Remember one thing when cooking with sugar, people who are Diabetic cannot eat sugar. It CAN send them into Diabetic shock if they have too much. This can be VERY dangerous.

There are other ways of making your food sweet naturally. One way with a meat sauce is to use sweet basil, which is a natural herb. It tastes very good and will make your sauces tatse a little sweet. Noone will really know the difference unless they are a connisuer or a professional chef.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Yes, just add sugar to taste. How much depends on the amount of sauce and the acidity of the tomatoes. The sugar is counteracting the acidity of the tomatoes, not bitterness. Assuming you are making a family size recipe, start with tbs, and taste, keep adding by the tsp till you get it where you like it. You don't need a recipe for this, just suit your own taste. There is no "right" amount.

As for the rest of the ingredients, I use crushed tomatoes, italian sausage, onions, oregano, basil & garlic.

You don't need a recipe for this, just suit your own taste. There is no "right" amount of these ingedients. It's what tastes good to you.

Answer 4

Some folks like to add sugar as it cuts down on the acidity of the tomato sauce. It's totally your call, but I know a lot of chefs who do it.

Answer 5

Do you like a sweetness to your spaghetti sauce - if you do - add some sugar. My family does not like sweet sauce - I never add sugar - my youngest daughter will not eat a sauce that taste sweet (we have often been at a restaurant where she ordered the spaghetti - and would not eat it because the sauce was sweet).

Italian meat sauces very - because Italian cuisine is very regional - one area may have sweeter sauces another may not.

Answer 6

Meat Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, grated
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
2 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 cup red wine
3 1/2 cups beef broth
salt
pepper
oregano
garlic



Combine butter and oil in large frypan and heat.
Add onions and saute' for one minute.
Add carrots, celery, mushrooms and parsley; cook, stirring frequently for 5 min.
Crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring frequently until lightly browned.
Sprinkle flour over the ground beef and stir until well blended.
Stir in puree.
Add wine gradually, stirring constantly.
Add the broth and season with spices as desired.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour or until thickened.
Serve with pasta.
Each serving is about 1 cup of sauce.

Answer 7

you might think that a smart answer but in Itailian cooking most of the tomato sauces 1 tbsp of sugar is added to keep it from becoming bitter....good question if you heard you add sugar somewhere....

Answer 8

You have no clue. Use a recipe from a source you trust. When one answer says add 1 tsp do they know if you're making two ups of sauce or 2 gallons? I would make a difference. USE A RECIPE!

Answer 9

cook your ground beef the get rid of all that fat. then saute onions, garlic, carrots, and add a little red wine and Italian herds and reduce it. now add your beef and tomatoes. and of course salt and pepper. just let it cook for like 30 minutes it should be good

Answer 10

i do here is my recpi. works well
add 1 1/2 grnd beef or turky if you like or mix the tw0.
3 ounces olive oil
22 ounces onions, finely chopped
2 ounces minced garlic
6 ounces green peppers, finely chopped
2 1/2 quarts tomato juice
3 cups tomato puree
3 1/2 cups tomato paste
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup dried parsley
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 ounce salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

chef blkhawk