What beer goes with tomato sauce.

Reads 15005 • Replies 24 • Started Wednesday, January 16, 2013 4:22:58 AM CT

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pinkie
beers 470 º places 10 º 04:22 Wed 1/16/2013

Today amma make-a the sawse. Sugo alla bolognese. Pairing beer with tomato sauce is notoriously difficult. Any suggestions?

 
Danko
04:31 Wed 1/16/2013

Biere de garde or perhaps a less hop-forward APA (Red Seal etc).

Or this curve ball, which I believe would be a kickass pairing:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mikkeller-blondeaux/173110/

 
_angst_
beers 5019 º places 97 º 04:34 Wed 1/16/2013

Originally posted by pinkie
Today amma make-a the sawse. Sugo alla bolognese. Pairing beer with tomato sauce is notoriously difficult. Any suggestions?


Dry saison with brett.

 
fiulijn
beers 28318 º places 745 º 04:36 Wed 1/16/2013

I would like to point out that "tomato sauce" and "sugo alla bolognese" are not the same things

a tomato sauce should bring forward some acidity from the tomatoes (although some canned tomatoes sold around the world are horribly sweetened), and maybe the herbal touch from oregano or basil

the bolognese sauce is more rich in fat and proteins: it has a different flavor profile;
and if you use carrots and onions (I have to "learn" to use less carrots), it will be sweet too


Said so, I will let somebody else decide what goes best with it
I’m too flexible about pairings...

 
pinkie
beers 470 º places 10 º 04:39 Wed 1/16/2013

Originally posted by fiulijn
I would like to point out that "tomato sauce" and "sugo alla bolognese" are not the same things

a tomato sauce should bring forward some acidity from the tomatoes (although some canned tomatoes sold around the world are horribly sweetened), and maybe the herbal touch from oregano or basil

the bolognese sauce is more rich in fat and proteins: it has a different flavor profile;
and if you use carrots and onions (I have to "learn" to use less carrots), it will be sweet too


Said so, I will let somebody else decide what goes best with it
I’m too flexible about pairings...


Yes so right. I am using pancetta, beef (because the veal was too pricey) and sweet italian saussage. (onion and carrot of course)

 
fiulijn
beers 28318 º places 745 º 04:42 Wed 1/16/2013

Even before reading the Swedish replies above, I was expecting an answer about Saison (which I would consider for the tomato sauce); while I would have preferred a more robust and malty beer for the bolognese sauce, as suggested by Danko


But now, thinking again, I would suggest my go-to beer with anything: Schelkerla Märzen

 
fiulijn
beers 28318 º places 745 º 04:53 Wed 1/16/2013

Originally posted by pinkie
Originally posted by fiulijn
I would like to point out that "tomato sauce" and "sugo alla bolognese" are not the same things

a tomato sauce should bring forward some acidity from the tomatoes (although some canned tomatoes sold around the world are horribly sweetened), and maybe the herbal touch from oregano or basil

the bolognese sauce is more rich in fat and proteins: it has a different flavor profile;
and if you use carrots and onions (I have to "learn" to use less carrots), it will be sweet too


Said so, I will let somebody else decide what goes best with it
I’m too flexible about pairings...


Yes so right. I am using pancetta, beef (because the veal was too pricey) and sweet italian saussage. (onion and carrot of course)

First of all, I’m not a purist when it comes to recipes, usually.

Just for the sake of comment: this page in Italian (try to Google-translate it; I can help if it doesn’t work) comes from a famous website
http://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Ragu-alla-bolognese.html
It seems to refer to "beef" and not "veal" (this should make you feel better ;-)
it mentions also that in 1982 some competent organization in Bologna registered the traditional recipe (no link provided; you can search).

At home we didn’t use the pancetta and the sausage.
But I know that somebody uses a mix of 2/3 beef and 1/3 pork meat.
I also add garlic usually, and a pinch of allspice and some herbs (e.g. rosemary).
And don’t forget the celery.


Do you think there is any difference in the final result, with the cooking time?
I usually simmer for very long

 
pinkie
beers 470 º places 10 º 04:58 Wed 1/16/2013

Oh I do indeed. In fact when the oil comes to the top cook, it some more. =) At least two hours if not longer. For a marinara quick is ok, but I also simmer that as well. I find that if I add the wine last it can’t impart any bitterness from a long cooking time. So I braise in my stock.


 
cgarvieuk
beers 37620 º places 457 º 04:59 Wed 1/16/2013

Chelada

 
pinkie
beers 470 º places 10 º 05:18 Wed 1/16/2013

"It seems to refer to "beef" and not "veal" (this should make you feel better ;-)
it mentions also that in 1982 some competent organization in Bologna registered the traditional recipe (no link provided; you can search).

At home we didn’t use the pancetta and the sausage.
But I know that somebody uses a mix of 2/3 beef and 1/3 pork meat.
I also add garlic usually, and a pinch of allspice and some herbs (e.g. rosemary)."


You know I forgot to say that the reason I don’t prefer the beef is because veal and italian saussage both go with white wine but I feel like using the beef obligates me to use red. That’s going to make it a little robust. The allspice is something I might try this time. With beef I’m going to stick to the parsley, marjoram, oregano and like that.


 
pinkie
beers 470 º places 10 º 14:01 Wed 1/16/2013

I went to the store today to pick up a wine that would bridge the gap between the beef and the sweet italian saussage. I came home with a bottle I have to tell you about. (just in case there are other cooks here=) It’s ridiculously cheap, rated 90, and it’s from 70 year old Spanish vines. It’s a red granache so it’s sweet. It’s called Evodia Altovinum. It’s ruby red, velvety smooth and supple like burgundy, has a slight smokiness and mineral quality from the 70 year old vines but it DOESN’t have the tart ping of a cabernet or the grainy robust texture of a chianti riserva. OMG I’m drinking it now. Really good in the sauce.

=)

Mille grazie a tutti for the beer parings.