Do you guys cook your sauce?

[A-Neibs]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I just found this website yesterday and I love it! I've already found so many insightful and helpful comments. I've been making pizza for 6 months now and have a passion for it. I was wondering if you guys cook your sauce before you put it on your pizza. I found this website by a Pizza Maker in Atlanta. He owns Versanos Pizzeria. He says a lot of good things, but he says there is no need to cook your sauce because it will cook in the oven.

I was sure that Chris Bianco cooks his sauce before he puts it in the oven. Does anybody know for sure. I've made sauce where I just mix all the ingredients and put in on the pizza, and I've made ones where I cook the sauce beforehand. What do you like to do?

[chickenparm]

I don't cook my sauce either.I got that tip from Jeff Varasano as well when I first started out.

Jeff is member here but hes been so busy with his restaurant,he doesn't have time to post anymore.

That said,A few NY pizza places I used to eat at,pre cooked their sauces.Most of the others do not though.I think its a matter of preference by the pizza maker.

I believe one needs to keep the heat very low when cooking,as to not overheat the sauce and turn it dark and yucky,since you already know,will cook again on the pie.

I like the non cooked sauce mixes,its easier to prepare and has a fresher taste at times.
Btw,Welcome aboard!
 

[kmitch747]

I would also be interested to know.  I've been a lurker here for almost two years and far from experienced but do love making pizza from scratch  

I cook my sauce for about 40 minutes but would love to know if there is a major taste difference in not cooking it as well.  I also use the sauce for other things besides pizza (though I use a pizza sauce recipe) so cook up a whole batch then freeze or refrigerate the rest.

[buceriasdon]

Depends, If I'm making a thin and crispy bar room style pizza, yea I prefer a reduced sauce with stuff in it. For a Margherita an uncooked sauce just works better for taste and presentation. A few crushed blanched plum tomatos with fresh basil and garlic is hard to beat. 
Don

[LD]

I used to cook my sauce but do not any longer.  I have found that the uncoooked version seems to have a brigher less acidic flavor that most people have commented to enjoy more. 

[TXCraig1]

I don't, and I generally like pies with very simple (tomato, salt, and maybe a little sugar), uncooked sauces better. Having said that, my pies are generally along the lines of the Neapolitan Style. I do think there is a place for cooked sauce in certain types of pizza. For example, maybe you have a big sweet crust and lots of very flavorful toppings - you might need the concentration of a cooked sauce to balance things out.

Craig

[Meatballs]

When I went to uncooked sauce the quality of my pizzas soared.  I make New York style mostly.  Start with a good crushed tomato, add a few spices and go.

Ron

[c0mpl3x]

cooked = spaghetti sauce

uncooked = pizza sauce

[Ronzo]

cooked = spaghetti sauce

uncooked = pizza sauce

Bingo.

Talked with a pizza shop owner here in my area (and he claims to be "NY pizza" - he's not) a couple weeks back and he said that he simmered his "pizza sauce" for 8 hours like it was a badge of honor or something. I didn't have the balls to tell him I thought that's a bad idea.

[kmitch747]

I'm glad OP posted this, I'm going to not cook it next time! I can't wait, I have three more jars of cooked to go through first!

[chickenparm]

Bingo.

Talked with a pizza shop owner here in my area (and he claims to be "NY pizza" - he's not) a couple weeks back and he said that he simmered his "pizza sauce" for 8 hours like it was a badge of honor or something. I didn't have the balls to tell him I thought that's a bad idea.

Wow,8 hours? Jeez!Is there that much water in it???
 

I used to eat at a Pizza shop in NY years back,and the owner cooked(simmered) his sauce every morning before opening.

They had excellent pizzas,calzones,pasta of all kinds,etc you name it.His sauce went on everything,including his pizzas.I loved the sauce too,cant remember it ever tasting over cooked or too done.

He was old school,in business for 40 years but he simmered his sauce for a few hours(about 3 hrs) before opening everyday around 11 pm.A buddy of mine worked there a few years and said they did this to thicken the sauce,thats all.They simmered on very low heat.I can understand that...but 8 hours? That would turn anything back into paste unless it was a very watery base sauce to start with!
 

[Tscarborough]

I cook it, sometimes for minutes, sometimes for hours, sometimes not at all.  If you think cooked=spaghetti sauce, you have a serious lack of experience with pizza or spaghetti sauce, or both.

[Ronzo]

I cook it, sometimes for minutes, sometimes for hours, sometimes not at all.  If you think cooked=spaghetti sauce, you have a serious lack of experience with pizza or spaghetti sauce, or both.

It's not a lack of experience. I've been eating both my entire life. I grew up in a home with an Italian mama.

It's a preference.

[Tscarborough]

Defining "spaghetti" is just as difficult as defining "pizza sauce".  My marinara is the same for both, but my normal cooked down pizza sauce has a totally different flavor profile from any spaghetti sauce I make.  If you are depriving yourself of a good cooked down pizza sauce, then you are limiting yourself.

[Ronzo]

If you are depriving yourself of a good cooked down pizza sauce, then you are limiting yourself.

I'm not depriving myself of anything, sir. I've made it like that before. I prefer it uncooked.

Like I said... it's a preference and that's the way I enjoy it.

You do what works for you, and I'll do what works for me. Deal?

[c0mpl3x]

cooking sauce to make it thick is spaghetti sauce.  i like a thinner, heated only at best sauce for my pizzas.

.02

[Tscarborough]

That is the bottom line: personal preference.

I would not consider putting either garlic or onion, much less bell pepper in my cooked down pizza sauce, nor would I consider making spaghetti sauce without all three (marinara excepted, it only has garlic).

The only thing spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce have in common for certain is tomatoes, so saying that cooked pizza sauce is spaghetti sauce is about like saying salsa and spaghetti sauce are the same thing.  They are not, even though both may be cooked or not and both are tomato based.

[Tscarborough]

And just to be clear, I only take exception to the cooked=spaghetti statement, that is simply wrong.  There is no "right" way to make pizza sauce, only the way you like.

[c0mpl3x]

And just to be clear, I only take exception to the cooked=spaghetti statement, that is simply wrong.  There is no "right" way to make pizza sauce, only the way you like.

for most american/deepdish/sicilian and non-neo styles, a cooked sauce is most accurate to the consistency of the nature of the beast, it seems.  i would assume that due to FDA regulations, that products have to be heated to a certain temperature to be sold but this could be speculation

[Tscarborough]

Possible, but since 99.9% of pizza sauce is cooked I would assume it was due to preference.