Spaghetti Sauce--tomato paste overpowering!!

[toothbrushx2]

I followed the southern living recipe to make spaghetti sauce.
I used two cans of tomato paste as called for along with 28 oz can of diced tomatoes. The tomato paste was overpowering ? What can I do differently ?

 

[Piccolina]

What else did the recipe call for? How big were the cans of tomato paste? Tomato pase is very concentrated and can have an overwhelming affect if used in too high a quantity. Two cans of store bought tomato sauce as a base for your tomato sauce sounds like a more common way to start a tomato or spaghetti sauce.

Personally I like to use an Italian product called "passata" to make the base of most of my tomato sauces, to this I often add a couple/few of tablespoons of tomato paste or sun dried tomato paste. I find that often the longer you cook a tomato sauce the "gentler" its flavour seems to become. (A spoonful of sugar in the sauce also helps to knock some of the edge of the stong/acidic flavour that tomato sauce can have.)

BTY, Welcome to DC toothbrushx2, I'm glad you've joined us here!!!

 

[purrfectlydevine]

Here's what I do:
3 28 oz. cans tomato puree
2 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 tomato paste can of water to rinse out the cans(or amount needed)
2 ribs celery, each cut into 3 pieces
1 large onion, cut in chunks
1 soup bone
garlic
salt
olive oil in the bottom of the pot

Simmer 3-4 hours uncovered. Take out soup bone and celery. Crumble in 5 pounds or uncooked very lean ground beef and oregano to taste. Simmer covered for another 1 to 2 hours.

 

[Piccolina]

That's a really nice looking recipe purrfectlydevine, roughly how much finished tomato sauce do you end up with?

 

[toothbrushx2]

Spaghetti

Here's what I do:
3 28 oz. cans tomato puree
2 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce
1 12 oz. can tomato
1 tomato paste can of water to rinse out the cans(or amount needed)
2 ribs celery, each cut into 3 pieces
1 large onion, cut in chunks
1 soup bone
garlic
salt
olive oil in the bottom of the pot

Simmer 3-4 hours uncovered. Take out soup bone and celery. Crumble in 5 pounds or uncooked very lean ground beef and oregano to taste. Simmer covered for another 1 to 2 hours.

Thank you !!

 

[toothbrushx2]

What else did the recipe call for? How big were the cans of tomato paste? Tomato pase is very concentrated and can have an overwhelming affect if used in too high a quantity. Two cans of store bought tomato sauce as a base for your tomato sauce sounds like a more common way to start a tomato or spaghetti sauce.

Personally I like to use an Italian product called "passata" to make the base of most of my tomato sauces, to this I often add a couple/few of tablespoons of tomato paste or sun dried tomato paste. I find that often the longer you cook a tomato sauce the "gentler" its flavour seems to become. (A spoonful of sugar in the sauce also helps to knock some of the edge of the stong/acidic flavour that tomato sauce can have.)

BTY, Welcome to DC toothbrushx2, I'm glad you've joined us here!!!

I will try adding sugar next time I prepare the sauce.

 

[mish]

I'm guessing it's a misprint. For 28 oz of tomatoes/sauce, it might be 2 tbls tomato paste - or 1/2 a can -- a very small can of tomato paste.

 

[jennyema]

I agree with Mish -- that must be a misprint for that quantity of tomatoes. And I also agree that 2T would be a good starting point. Half a can would be maybe 5T.

 

[mish]

If I used 2 cans of tomato paste, I couldn't unpucker for about a week.

The size of tomato paste cans most often seen here, are smaller than, let's say a small frozen juice container. It's very concentrated. I use it sparingly, and usualy have lots left over. Hope that helps.

BTW, welcome to DC.

 

[Alix]

I'm going to jump in and agree with both Mish and Jennyema. Likely that was a misprint. Fortunately, you can correct the sauce pretty easily if you still have it. Adding sugar, wine and some regular tomato sauce will thin it out to a better consistency and flavour for you, and then you will also have the bonus of having some sauce to freeze.

 

[toothbrushx2]

Thanks DC Friends !!!

 

[buckytom]

i agree with everyone about the quantities. i usually make 5 or 6 quarts of sauce at a time, and at most i will add no more than 2 small cans for the entire pot.
also, i only add it towards the end to be able to tell how much to add, using it as almost a thickener.

 

[Andy M.]

I saute onions and sometimes carrots to start a sauce then add the tomato paste and caramelize that a little. All three of these items will add a natural sweetness to the sauce to counteract tartness in the tomatos.

That way, I don't have to add sugar to the sauce.

 

[toothbrushx2]

If I used 2 cans of tomato paste, I couldn't unpucker for about a week.

The size of tomato paste cans most often seen here, are smaller than, let's say a small frozen juice container. It's very concentrated. I use it sparingly, and usualy have lots left over. Hope that helps.

BTW, welcome to DC.

hahha--that is funny. I laugh easily. Laughter keeps me health.

 

[purrfectlydevine]

That's a really nice looking recipe purrfectlydevine, roughly how much finished tomato sauce do you end up with?

First that 12 oz can tomato was supposed to be tomato paste. I think it makes about 6 or 7 quarts because we have it on rigatoni the day I make it and I never measure how much I use.

 

[Michael in FtW]

The tomato paste was overpowering? What can I do differently?

I must admit that I'm at a total loss about in what way the tomato paste was "overpowering" - since you did not explain. Too much tomato flavor, too sweet, too thick, or something else?

You didn't give us the recipe you used so I took what little info you did give and I checked on the Southern Living recipes published recently and this is as near as I can get to something like what you described: Southern Living Spaghetti Sauce recipe.

If you could (a) tell us in what way the tomato paste was overpowering and, (b) what the ingredients were that you actually used ... then perhaps we could help your figure out a better solution.

I'm with you buckytom - when I make a pot-o-Italian gravy (usually in the 6-8 qt range) I only add 1 small can of tomato paste in the last 30-minutes of cooking if it needs it (to boost the tomato flavor or add a little thickening).

 

[jennyema]

IMO that recipe is wierd. 24 ounces of tomato paste mixed with 8 cups of water, lots of canned diced tomatoes, onions and herbs?

 

[urmaniac13]

Perhaps it depends if you like a thicker sauce or not, but personally I never use any tomato paste in my pasta sauce. I prefer the chunkier, juicier sauce, if you get the extra separated juicy part after the sauce is cooled, you can just mix it back in while reheat it, or use that juice to cover the baking form if you are making something like lasagne or cannelloni. I use either tomatoes from tin with its juice, or if in season well riped fresh tomatoes, and some passata, or tomato sauce added, it sort of thickens itself after it gets cooked for a while.
As a start I sautè minced onion, carrot and garlic (carrot is a great addition, instead of sugar, to "sweeten" the sauce), then add some red wine and a bayleaf, let it get absorbed then add the tomato stuff and herbs (if you use fresh basil, add them towards the end, its flavour gets killed when cooked too much...)... you just have to kinda taste it as you go and play with it until you acheive the flavour you go after, don't worry if you end up making too much, just freeze it!!

 

[toothbrushx2]

I followed the southern living recipe to make spaghetti sauce.
I used two cans of tomato paste as called for along with 28 oz can of diced tomatoes. The tomato paste was overpowering ? What can I do differently ?

This is the recipe I used:

1 pound ground beef
1 sm onion
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes--undrained and chopped
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder

 

[cartwheelmac]

A spoonful of sugar in the sauce also helps to knock some of the edge of the stong/acidic flavour that tomato sauce can have.

Yep, yep, yep!

Cameron