My sauce tastes of tomato but is still brown and I want it tomato red like the stuff sold in food halls.I add loads of tomatoes, puree, paste and tomato soup to try to get my mince a nice tomato colour.Please, what am I doing wrong!
margyr,
Apr 3, 6:40pm
paprika.
mwood,
Apr 3, 8:16pm
a few drops of Cochineal or Red Colouring is required
margyr,
Apr 3, 8:56pm
hahaha!
kiwiscrapper1,
Apr 3, 9:18pm
why would you want it red! my recipe has red wine in it but I still dont think it looks red, I would worry they have put something in it to make it go read and wouldnt eat it! if you would like my meat sauce recipe I can give it to you.everyone loves my lasagne and I double the recipe if I'm having people so its pretty big.
kiwiscrapper1,
Apr 3, 10:04pm
oops *red not read!
elliehen,
Apr 3, 10:09pm
It's the meat which turns the sauce brown (blood goes brown on cooking).
If you want a bright red sauce, make a vegetarian pasta sauce - it will keep the red tomato colour.
prawn_whiskas,
Apr 4, 12:55am
Or just don't burn the meat to a crisp! blood does not go brown, its the sugars in the muscle fibers that are released there is no 'loose flowing blood' in mince! If you let the meat go too brown then yes it will discolour the sauce.
So my only suggestion would be to not cook the living day lights out of it, low heat for any reducing.I've never had a 'brown' looking meat sauce, they are always the same colour as the tomato that goes in, perhaps rich red by the end but never brown looking.
mwood,
Apr 4, 1:03am
janny3 said "I want it tomato red like the stuff sold in food halls." - I correctly said use Cochineal or Red Food colouring - meaning do as they do - what's so difficult to understand about that !
elliehen,
Apr 4, 2:12am
mwood, everyone 'got' your answer and margyr laughed heartily in post #4 after yours.
Everyone knows that red colouring turns stuff red, but most of us don't want to overdose on it or we'll end up like your profile pic ;)
mwood,
Apr 4, 3:57am
But it's not about what "most of you want" - I was answering the OP's question not offering spurious advice on how to cook mince LOL
mwood,
Apr 4, 4:29am
and for the record I make a tomato sauce for my pasta and like to use amongst other things Mushroom Soy Sauce which of course alters the colour - so I use a few drops of red food colouring to make it a bright and happy red again- *pokes out tongue*
elliehen,
Apr 4, 6:58am
That's all OK then.
You put your money where your mouth is.and your tongue ;)
macandrosie,
Apr 4, 7:27am
add a packet of Maggi Tomato soup as well as 3-4 tabs of tomato paste
janny3,
Apr 5, 4:17pm
THANKS everyone for all your tips and hints.From looking at the red coloured lasagne recipes, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/worlds-best-lasagna/I think I do cook the living daylights out of my mince and the kids like the nice red colour.I'm going to get some lasagne sheets to try all your tips later.Thanks again.
evorotorua,
Apr 5, 6:38pm
mwood.do you actually HAVE those three wise skeletons! I love them. Ellie's comment made me look at your profile pic. Where so I get them from!!
norse_westie,
Apr 6, 2:32am
This. I barely cook the mince before adding the tomatoes - the idea is for the meat to cook in the tomato sauce. I've never had it anything less than very bright red. I was taught my Italian mother in law though.
miri_s,
Apr 6, 5:52am
Pre-browning the mince well, plus deglazing the pan and reincorporating the deglazed liquid with your mince, and also sauteeing any vegetables prior to baking a lasagne is what maximises the flavour.If this means one's lasagne is not so aesthetically appealing, then so be it.
Edit to say:the only alternative, if you do not want to sacrifice flavour for "looks", is tomake vegetarian lasagne (as has already been suggested) or, perhaps, substantially increase the ratio of tomato/pasta sauce to mince.
pickles7,
Apr 7, 3:33am
It is the breed of tomato you are using.
buzzy110,
Apr 7, 3:40am
Completely agree with you. Even though looks are important I wouldn't sacrifice flavour for it.
lanceandkathrin,
Apr 7, 9:02am
Use tinned tomato puree (or passata) instead of tinned chopped tomatoes as it is a little more concentrated or add a generous squirt of tomato paste to your tinned tomatoes. This will help with the colour without altering the taste. Also, simmer the sauce for at least 20mins to reduce it which will intensify the flavours.
janny3,
Apr 10, 12:32pm
THANKS again everyone!Flavour is always good but the kiddies like the bright red and I want ways to get them to eat food rather than junk.
Advice much appreciated.
fisher,
Apr 10, 2:36pm
kiwiscrapper1. I'll be a starter. your recipe please.:}
janny3,
Apr 11, 1:47am
Oh the kids will eat it if it's a pretty red colour, so I will try to make it like traffic lights ;)
keruru,
Apr 11, 5:01am
Just buy everyone some red-tinted spectacles may be the way to go.
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