6 in 1 - 2 - 3 Pizza Sauce Recipes

[PapaJon]

I'd like to dedicate a new thread for everyone to share their pizza sauce recipes made specifically from canned 6 in 1 tomatoes.

There are a lot of common ingredients that go in sauces but the frustrating thing about many of the recipes that are described in these forums is that they are only lists of ingredients that are combined "to taste".  This is rather vague and while it is understandably so, as many people have different preferences and at different times different ingredients taste slightly different, but it doesn't lead to good replicability.  I believe it is also safe to say that those who season "to taste" do so with an estimate already in their head (e.g. 2-3 shakes, enough to coat the top of the sauce, eyeballing) before they actually start to taste and determine how to make further adjustments.

What I would like to see is a list or recipes that use weight or volume measurements first, but may be followed with "OR to taste" so that the person trying to replicate the sauce has at least an idea of how much to add before tweaking if needed.

6 IN 1 All Purpose Ground Tomatoes
Our original, multi-purpose tomato product, 6 IN 1 uses only the highest quality vine-ripened tomatoes, hand-selected and processed within hours of harvest, with no added citric acid or preservatives.

All-Purpose Ground Tomatoes in Extra-Heavy Puree
This versatile Escalon product has long been a favorite of pizza and pasta operators because of its sweet tomato flavor, bright natural color and thick, rich consistency. 6 IN 1 contains only vine-ripened, unpeeled ground tomatoes, extra-heavy purée and a touch of salt. It is so delightfully versatile you can use it in everything from soups and salsas to pizza and pasta sauces. 6 IN 1 was
Mr. Colombo's favorite product!

[StrayBullet]

1T Oregano, 1.25t Basil, Pinch of Thyme whetted with water and 2-minuted nuked to 160^o, set aside to cool.

#10 can split in half...straining and reserving the excess water/liquid.

2 "3-finger" pinches of sugar and salt, sometimes adding an extra dash of salt.

Eyeballed what is most likely 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

Add cooled spices.

Stick blended to desired consistency...may add back in separated tomato juice from first step.

[ZekeTheCat]

I take a #10 can (6lb 9 oz) of 6/1 crushed tomatoes and divide it into seven 2 cup plastic containers with lids which gives approximately 14 1/2 to 15 oz per container which I freeze and use as needed.

When I'm preparing to make pizza, I thaw one container of the 6/1 and add:
1/2 tsp - Sugar
1/4 tsp - Garlic powder
1/4 tsp - Onion powder
1/8 tsp - dried Basil
1/8 tsp - red Cayenne pepper - optional - for a little bite

I let it set for several hours or preferably over night to develop the flavor and it's a good tasting pasta sauce too.

[Pete-zza]

Jon,

I discussed a couple of my Papa John's clone sauces using 6-in-1 tomatoes at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6633.msg56931.html#msg56931 and at Reply 8 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6633.msg57044.html#msg57044.

What complicates challenges like this is that there are so many different brands and forms of herbs and spices. Also, age and storage conditions can affect the potency of herbs and spices. Moreover, different people have different sensitivities to herbs and spices.

Peter

[PapaJon]

Jon,

I discussed a couple of my Papa John's clone sauces using 6-in-1 tomatoes at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6633.msg56931.html#msg56931 and at Reply 8 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6633.msg57044.html#msg57044.

What complicates challenges like this is that there are so many different brands and forms of herbs and spices. Also, age and storage conditions can affect the potency of herbs and spices. Moreover, different people have different sensitivities to herbs and spices.

Peter

Hi Peter,
Thanks for the links, as always your posts amaze me with their depth and detail not to mention your gift of wordsmithing.  Your thoughts regarding the inherent variables in different ingredients is spot on, and I truly appreciate your point.  One of the reasons I narrowed the scope of recipes to only include ones based off of 6 in 1 is to deal with that issue specifically.  I also believe most people at least start off with a basic estimate or measurement from which they then make adjustments.  I believe this starting point has at least some merit and therefore a listing of volume, weight, or other types of measurement would still have benefit to others if for nothing else than to act as key reference points.

[norma427]

Jon,

In my opinion and some other members a combination of 6 in 1 with Les’s recipe does make a great sauce.  Les’s sauce recipe is at Reply 5 http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1931.msg17063.html#msg17063

and where I tried Les’s sauce numerous times with 6 in 1 (and other sauces) is starting at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,11539.msg105665.html#msg105665

Norma

[jerrym]

PapaJon,

UK 400g chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (1 tsp = 5ml):

Oregano 1/2tsp, marjoram 1/8tsp, garlic powder 1/4 tsp, black pepper 1/4 tsp, sugar 1 tsp, tom puree 3 tsp, salt 1/4 tsp.

important thing i find is to make the sauce at least 1 day before and ideally 3 days before (store in fridge)

[chickenparm]

This is a great topic! I'm going to try some of the suggestions here.I love the 6 in 1's and I have used it straight onto the pizza with just a pinch of salt added.It still came out very good.Tomato taste got better or sweeter on the pizza when cooked as expected.I was really impressed that using it basically straight from the can,it still came out good enough on its own.Sure it can use the extra spices,but I always start from the basics.

I'm the type that likes to make a pie sometimes with using the stuff straight from the cans,sometimes
with a little salt,and see how it turns out with nothing else added.This method has helped me to eliminate cans of products that I do not care for anymore,that sometimes adding spices first will cover up how bad/or less quality, a product may be and i cannot figure out why.
 

[PapaJon]

For lack of spices in my kitchen I have gotten by with about a tsp each of garlic powder and basil per 2 cups of 6 in 1.  I'm sure there is room for improvement, but so far this is a huge step up from the Ragu sauce I was previously using.  Other than the two tsp mentioned above the sauce was left as is, no draining no blendering.  I could see the benefit of both draining and using a blender, but still I'm loving it.

[Meatballs]

Jon,

This type of thread is a great tool for beginners and lurkers, so in that spirit, here's my recipe and my odd method of scaling it.  Using the concept of baker's percentages, I call tomatos 100% and base the rest of the ingredients off of that.  So, whatever size can you have or if you want to use the rest of the can for say, braciole, (yeah, that's a recommendation) you can adjust the spices accurately.

6 in 1                               100.00%                 1lb 12oz can (794 gms)             Volume #2 1/2 can
Dry oregano                         0.10%                        0.8 grams                               1 teaspoon
Minced dry onion                   0.50%                        4.0 grms                           1 1/2 teaspoons     
sea salt (FINE)                      0.60%                        4.8 grams                           3/4 teaspoon
Kraft Parmesan Cheese           1.75%                        14.0 grams                            5 teaspoons
Black pepper                         0.10%                        0.8 grams                           3/8 teaspoon
Garlic powder                        0.45%                        3.5 grams                         1 1/4 teaspoon
Water                                10.00%                       80.0 grams                           1/3 cup

Whisk together and allow to sit covered in the fridge for a day before use, unless you forgot, then use it immediately after whisking, its still real good. 

Use uncooked for pizza sauce, for use as a marinara sauce for dipping the bones or calzone, put 1/2 to 1 cup in a small sauce pan and simmer on low for 5 minutes. 

I like the Kraft Parmesan because it gives a familiar flavor from my childhood, its what the family used and, as far as I can tell, what every pizzerria in Philadelphia used too.  I've tried the "good" stuff and just don't like it as much (wife disagrees).  Volume measurements are approximate, I just weighed fractional teaspoon measures to get the totals.  The recipe is adapted from two recipes of Tom Lehmann.

If we all express our recipes to percentages then it will be easier to compare formulas, also, any other uses you have for 6 in 1 would be interesting too.   And, as I have posted in another area, gram scales are cheap (about 7 bucks at Amazon) and work perfectly for weighing your "herbs" so, I don't want to hear that you don't have the capacity to weigh in fractional grams.

Ron

Oh yea, its been posted around in various places here but I want to reiterate...Escalon will ship 6 in 1 for less than you usually find it for in grocery stores (when you can).  I ordered 9 cans for $24.75 shipped to Alabama shipping was only $2.25, that's $2.75 a can shipped.

[gtsum2]

I have no idea on measurements, but I add sea salt, a couple pinches of sugar and basil, oregano, thyme and marjoram to it until it looks and tastes right

[Meatballs]

My 6 in 1 came today, the future is secure!

[PapaJon]

Good deal on the 6 in 1.  I can get it locally but only in #10 (96oz) cans.  The price comes out to $0.11/oz which as you noted is slightly more expensive than ordering direct even when shipping is added in.  Way to go Escalon!

Hopefully without stuffing my foot in my mouth or stepping on any toes, I'd like to reiterate/reword what was posted at the top of this thread, I do not believe there is a need to post just ingredient lists, as they are only half the formula.  The definition of a recipe is a list of ingredients combined with instructions.  I wonder what kind of pizza we would all be making if all the recipes on this site said "I have no idea on the measurements, but I use water, salt, yeast, and flour to make my dough".

The goal here is a firm stepping stone from which beginners can then try their hand at tweaking to adjust to their own taste.

[gtsum2]

Hopefully without stuffing my foot in my mouth or stepping on any toes, I'd like to reiterate/reword what was posted at the top of this thread, I do not believe there is a need to post just ingredient lists, as they are only half the formula.  The definition of a recipe is a list of ingredients combined with instructions.  I wonder what kind of pizza we would all be making if all the recipes on this site said "I have no idea on the measurements, but I use water, salt, yeast, and flour to make my dough".

The goal here is a firm stepping stone from which beginners can then try their hand at tweaking to adjust to their own taste.

you have a point, but everyone's taste is different, as are the goals of the sauce.  Some like a bright, acidic sauce, others like a sweeter sauce...still others like a heavily spiced sauce......a firm stepping stone would be the 6n1 maters to start with, and then adjust to taste from there, no?  When cooking to taste, I never measure...I add and taste and add some more and tweak things as I go...I think the dough is a bit different - water, salt, yeast and flour - the cornerstone of any dough...does the combination of said ingredients actually make the crust taste all that different (aside from massive amounts of salt added)?  Or does the technique (ball and folds, mixing time, autolyze, and cold ferment, etc) have more impact on the end result?  I think the latter, but I am a beginner, so I could be way off here. 

[Meatballs]

As somebody with credentials and considerable experience in flavor evaluation I would like to state that "adjust to taste, just a pinch, you want just a hint of... " mean nothing without considerable experience in the subject.  I evaluate beer from brewers who range from beginners to advanced professionals. I have a vocabulary for flavors and also indicate exactly where on the palate they attack and in what intensity.  Taste/flavor is both an exact science and also the most subjective topic one can enter into.

Since there are no taste standards for Pizza Sauce, there is nowhere to begin to explain to someone, no matter how experienced, how to flavor it.  The very best we can do is give exact quantities, directions, brands of ingredients, etc. along with exact mixing directions and even at what temperature to sample (all flavors in complex mixes are very temperature Dependant as to ingredient expression, this can even be explained chemically, but I digress).

This is why I posted my formula in both percentages, based on tomato weight/brand and kitchen measures along with mixing directions.  When I began to research pizza I came across an evaluation of flavor characteristics that stated (somehow unequivocally) that sauce was 41% of the flavor of pizza (crust was 6%, toppings were 32% and cheese at 21%).   This makes the sauce the most single important flavor ingredient in the pizza mix.  I also found the least number of references to sauce ingredients than any of the other pizza factors (dough, toppings, cheese). 

I think this thread could really become a serious reference for a lot of people if we stick to the original idea and post our sauce recipes as accurately as possible for others to follow.  If that means writing down everything you do and put into the sauce the next time you make it (that is, adjust to your taste while measuring the volume or weight and recording it) we could then have reproducible formulas along with tasting notes that could be compared on paper.

As a final note, just let me say... I'm Neapolitan/American, what is just right in oregano for me, that is to my taste, makes my German/English wife shiver in horror.  "To Taste" is a uselessly imprecise and totally subjective term.  Lets really try to get a grip on that 41% of pizza flavor for the common good.

[StrayBullet]

As somebody with credentials and considerable experience in flavor evaluation....

I find that talent fascinating but I'm so glad I'm not

[PapaJon]

While a thread will take on a life of it's own, the original intent was to reach a solution or as close to a solution as possible to a simple question that every person on this board has asked at one point or another.  While the solution may not be as simple as the question, by coming up with a list of different recipes (as detailed as possible) this thread will help many new pizza makers come closer to their goal and broaden their understanding of the variety of sauces that are out there.

In answer to your conundrum gtsum2, instead of stating that everyone has different preferences, why not when you (or anyone else) create your recipe and list it here, define what your taste preferences and/or goals with the sauce are in it’s description.  Then those readers who have similar tastes or who are interested in the flavor profile you describe will attempt to make your sauce.  Obviously their will still be differences, but thus the "stepping stone" or foundation concept.

Think about it in another way.  If some famous cook or some wealthy investor happened to be served a slice of your pizza and is blown away with the sauce and asks you if you would like to go into the sauce making business, one of the first things you would need to do is to come up with a business plan that would include calculating your running costs which would include the cost of ingredients.  Even if you stubbornly insisted on taste testing and adjusting every single can/jar/bucket of sauce to your golden standard you would still need to come up with a basic recipe that included measurements of some sort so that you could correctly budget your business.

This forum has it’s share of famous cooks, and while it might not be a wealthy investor of cash, it’s “pages” are a wealth of knowledge that many people over many years have selflessly invested to the common goal of improving everyone's pizza experience.  Now can we get three cheers for positive thinking and for working towards a solution?   

[BTB]

Meatball, I give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that you are in earnest, and no disrespect is intended, but just my "feeling" upon viewing this statement . . . 

As somebody with credentials and considerable experience in flavor evaluation I would like to state that "adjust to taste, just a pinch, you want just a hint of... " mean nothing without considerable experience in the subject. . . . . "To Taste" is a uselessly imprecise and totally subjective term.

BALONEY! Tell that to all the great mom and grandma cooks and see what reaction you get.  Either flavor or spice or add herbs to suit one's taste preference is in the end the best guidance. Just my opinion to show one different from yours.  Advising adding "scoops" (e.g. tsps and tbsps) can ruin a whole day's pizzamaking effort with overly spiced sauce that one and/or others may really dislike (and ruin all the great crustmaking work and toppings preparation that day).  And as I've often said in regard to adding ingredients to the 6 in 1 sauce, adding "less is often more."
 
I prefer leading others to the categories or types of additives to the 6 in 1 and let people add plus or minuses (and I prefer by "pinches" unless you have a ton of sauce to make for commercial purposes).  I like to add a little of dry oregano, but much less dry minced onion than you suggested (onion powder isn't too bad either), sea salt is OK (I have the fancy French gray stuff but I've never noticed a significant bit of difference from regular salt), I always top most pizzas with some grated good Parmesan or Romano cheese, a dash of pepper (sometimes white is better), garlic powder is good (but sometimes a bit of minced garlic from the jar helps the medicine go down better), but rarely would I consider adding so much water to the 6 in 1.  Maybe others can use it, but I never would.  For deep dish I drain for 10 to 15 minutes, but do no draining for thin crust sauce. 

I can't begin to tell you of the hundreds of times that I've witnessed great pizzamaking (like at the great Vito & Nicks in Chicago or the many great pizzerias down here in the Tampa area) where you can watch the pizzamaking in action.  The chef "shakes" the Parmesan or Romano cheese on without any aid or help from a scale or spoon.  They "pinch" on their blends of spices and spread it out onto their pizzas either before or after baking.  And amazingly, I didn't see no scoops or other measuring spoons.  Maybe that's done, tho, at Pizza Hut, Little Ceasars, Hungry Howies, Dominoes, etc. whose doors I will never darken even if I'm starving.

I respect your thinking, but just disagree with much of what I consider "rigid" thinking, that's all.
 
                                                                               --BTB

[Meatballs]

No offense taken, really, I guess I was not clear. 

I know that a great number, if not the majority, of experienced cooks use pinches, tosses, snifters, whatever and never quantify what they are doing.  They take a taste and because of experience know how it will translate into the final dish.  That technique, however, is not the way to convey information to others who may not be as experienced, keen in the palate or aware of the intended results.  I advise people on how to brew beer and correct recipes and fermentation problems...I have to be able to talk to both professionals and rank amateurs and I have developed a technique.

The spirit of this thread is to share and compare recipes for 6 in 1 sauce.  If my recipe is going to be meaningful to anybody I have to give you precise quantities for you to make it the first time.  After that, all bets are off.  You will know what my sauce is by making it and then you can adjust it with pinches, snifters, etc.  But if you want to tell somebody how you adjusted my sauce, give them precise quantities and then they can see what you did and how it differs.

All it takes to transcribe a recipe from pinches and snifters into grams and ounces is to measure as you do it.  I suggest using a fractional teaspoon, say 1/4 teaspoon measure and see how many of those you throw, then record it.

I can prove to you in your own post that quantities are necessary. 

You stated:  "but rarely would I consider adding so much water to the 6 in 1.  Maybe others can use it, but I never would."

You absolutely prove my point with that statement...You only know that because I posted the EXACT quantity in my recipe post.  What if I had said, I add some water till its right...what would you know of my sauce?

I really think you are more critiquing my sauce and technique of exact measurements and somehow find measuring offensive, that it takes away from the art of cooking.  And to be honest, it does...it makes what you do reproducible.  And you don't want somebody else with your sauce...I understand that, but I do.  I want people to be able to take what I have learned and customize it for their own use.  My creativity was in the research that produced that formula, I give credit to others for having adapted it from their recipes. I combined recipes and scaled it for home use, to my New York style tastes.  And once you make my sauce, you know what I like in a pizza sauce...even if you know nothing else about me.

Ron

[StrayBullet]

Now that reply has me wanting to measure out my normal process next time around....thanks!

The more I experiment with drink concoctions, the more I realize it's about precise measurement....someone may want a stronger drink but there's something to say about making a balanced, well tasting drink that will make you think twice about standing up one or two

Mark