Help! Too much tomato purée

[keybored]

I'm cooking up a massive batch of bolognese. I recently bought a bigger stock pot so I can make twice as much as I used to (I portion it up and freeze it for fast meals when I don't have time to cook). So this time I just doubled up on all ingredients but somehow I quadrupled the tomato purée

It tastes strongly of tomato now, obviously. Is there anything I can add to tame it somewhat? I've Googled and seen people suggest baking soda or sugar but would like to know if anyone has had success with these (or other methods) because I don't want to ruin it even more. It's almost 30 portions.

And no, doubling all the other ingredients isn't an option. It's a big pot but not that big

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Sugar and just cook it for longer?
I'm not sure how authentic you are going but throw in some beef stock cubes? Maybe? To ramp up the beef flavour.
It could end up really salty then though.

Is it actually bad or just not how you really want it? You could end up mucking it up even more by adding more ingredients.

 

[existentialist]

I'm cooking up a massive batch of bolognese. I recently bought a bigger stock pot so I can make twice as much as I used to (I portion it up and freeze it for fast meals when I don't have time to cook). So this time I just doubled up on all ingredients but somehow I quadrupled the tomato purée

It tastes strongly of tomato now, obviously. Is there anything I can add to tame it somewhat? I've Googled and seen people suggest baking soda or sugar but would like to know if anyone has had success with these (or other methods) because I don't want to ruin it even more. It's almost 30 portions.

And no, doubling all the other ingredients isn't an option. It's a big pot but not that big

I don't think there's such a thing as a tomato antidote!

I suggest you split the batch in the pot, and then increase the other ingredients that way. And hope that you have lots of freezer space

 

[StoneRoad]

hmmmm.
you might need to experiment a bit ...
split batch, increase other ingredients, beef stock cube or similar (if it does get too salty, the tradition cure for that is to add raw potatoes and cook until almost soft - when I did this in a beef casserole I left them in and cooked them into the sauce - so you can get them out).

 

[Saffy]

Just stick a load of cheese on top when you come to eat it.

 

[zora]

The internet recommended cinnamon to me when I googled that same problem a few years back (I had used passata instead of tinned tomatoes, leaving the chilli I was making taste overpoweringly tomato-y) and it worked! In fact, I always use it in chillis now, not tried it in a pasta sauce though.

Maybe try the seasoning adjustments on a small portion, rather than adding to the vat straightway?

 

[kalidarkone]

Sugar and just cook it for longer?
I'm not sure how authentic you are going but throw in some beef stock cubes? Maybe? To ramp up the beef flavour.
It could end up really salty then though.

Is it actually bad or just not how you really want it? You could end up mucking it up even more by adding more ingredients.

Whaaaat? Don't listen to this.

 

[Mumbles274]

Too much red fruit? Surely the answer is add green veg? Maybe some spinach?

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Whaaaat? Don't listen to this.

Really?!

 

[kalidarkone]

Add some more mince and some beef stock.

 

[kalidarkone]

Really?!

Yeah-Why would you add sugar?

 

[MrCurry]

The following is not guaranteed to work, but maybe you’d like to try this suggestion with a small portion and see if it helps:

Add soy sauce (light soy, not dark soy) and a bit of Worcestershire sauce (half as much Worcester sauce as soy sauce). It should take the flavour a bit more towards savoury / umami and offset the dominant tomato flavour you have right now. Obviously don’t overdo it otherwise you’ll end up with something not very bolognese, but in smallish proportions I think it will help your problem. Touch of sugar may work well with this combination also, as Mrs Miggins already said.

 

[keybored]

Is it actually bad or just not how you really want it? You could end up mucking it up even more by adding more ingredients.

It's not great but it's not terrible. I've used the same recipe for years so now it tastes strongly of tomatoes in comparison.

I suggest you split the batch in the pot, and then increase the other ingredients that way. And hope that you have lots of freezer space

Definitely don't have enough freezer space, plus I'd need to make a 10 mile trip and buy 2kg of beef and all the vegetables and stuff.

 

[keybored]

Yeah-Why would you add sugar?

It's supposed to neutralize the acid in the tomatoes, I often use sugar in tomato recipes if using raw tomatoes. But tomato purée already has sugar in it so I'm not so sure that'd work.

 

[MrCurry]

Yeah-Why would you add sugar?

Because it’s great in Bolognese in the right proportion (not Dolmio excess) and because it will temper the sharpness of the tomatoes. the suggestion from zora to try with a small portion is very good advice.

 

[existentialist]

It's supposed to neutralize the acid in the tomatoes, I often use sugar in tomato recipes if using raw tomatoes. But tomato purée already has sugar in it so I'm not so sure that'd work.

Yes, I'm with you on the sugar taking out some of the sourness. I don't think any tomato puree I've ever used had added sugar, though...so the sugar trick could work. I guess you're just going to end up with a very...intense bolognese

 

[keybored]

Yes, I'm with you on the sugar taking out some of the sourness. I don't think any tomato puree I've ever used had added sugar, though...so the sugar trick could work. I guess you're just going to end up with a very...intense bolognese

I went through the bin to find the tube and you're right, it's just tomatoes in there. Dunno what made me think there was added sugar, I'm maybe thinking of ketchup.

 

[existentialist]

Oh, also, long slow cooking will mellow the tomatoeyness, I think. I quite like the idea of getting some umami flavours in there, too - low-salt stock cubes/powder might help there.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Yeah-Why would you add sugar?

Only a bit - it just changes the tomato flavour.

 

[keybored]

Oh, also, long slow cooking will mellow the tomatoeyness, I think. I quite like the idea of getting some umami flavours in there, too - low-salt stock cubes/powder might help there.

There are already 6 OXOs in there.

I chucked 1 tablespoon of sugar in and it's definitely helped. Tempted to try what MrCurry suggested but I only have dark soy.

 

[rutabowa]

sugar is the magic ingredient in tomato pasta sauces, it makes them delicious... I don't always do it cos it is bad for you, but if it was just about taste I'd def add it.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Yes I think MrCurry's suggestion of trying to up the umami is good. Dark soy will be fine. Just add it slowly or it could end up too salty.

Marmite is also a good source of umami.

 

[Spymaster]

I'm cooking up a massive batch of bolognese. I recently bought a bigger stock pot so I can make twice as much as I used to (I portion it up and freeze it for fast meals when I don't have time to cook). So this time I just doubled up on all ingredients but somehow I quadrupled the tomato purée

It tastes strongly of tomato now, obviously. Is there anything I can add to tame it somewhat? I've Googled and seen people suggest baking soda or sugar but would like to know if anyone has had success with these (or other methods) because I don't want to ruin it even more. It's almost 30 portions.

And no, doubling all the other ingredients isn't an option. It's a big pot but not that big

Is too much tomato puree really a big problem?

You can "wash" it out like you would if you over-salt something. Add a pint of hot water, stir it around for a bit, then ladle it out. You'll be removing other flavourings too though so you may need to re-season the whole thing afterwards.

 

[keybored]

Marmite is also a good source of umami.

:vomit: Not a chance.

So as well as the sugar I've added 2 x tbsp of Worcester sauce and 2 x tbsp of soy.

Let's hope this doesn't turn into "Urban helps to destroy a bolognese" thread.

 

[8ball]

Yes I think MrCurry's suggestion of trying to up the umami is good. Dark soy will be fine. Just add it slowly or it could end up too salty.

Marmite is also a good source of umami.

This is indeed the right way to go - have done it myself and it works.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

These could be mad suggestions but what about adding coffee or cocoa powder? They are good additions to chilli.

I guess you run the risk of turning it into something completely different when "more tomato than usual" might be just fine.

Break it into portions and change each portion in a different way?

 

[Mrs Miggins]

:vomit: Not a chance.

So as well as the sugar I've added 2 x tbsp of Worcester sauce and 2 x tbsp of soy.

Let's hope this doesn't turn into "Urban helps to destroy a bolognese" thread.

Haha!! Fair enough.

Destroying it is a strong possibility

 

[Spymaster]

These could be mad suggestions but what about adding coffee or cocoa powder?

I reckon you should piss in it keybored

And chuck in some marmalade.

 

[keybored]

I reckon you should piss in it keybored

Gotta be better than the "rinse all the flavour out with boiling water" suggestion.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Add sugar or honey and reduce.
Also.. some lea abd perrins can help.