topic Re: Experiment in Recipes

Experiment

bmorechick — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 18:31:30 GMT

Ok...so I'm on vacation this week and am cooking more a little during the week since I have time. Tonight is homemade meatballs and spaghetti. Several folks here have commented on Rao's spaghetti sauce being very good. So I thought instead of making my own sauce I am going to try it. Now when I don't make my own, I just go with Acme signature brand or Newmans own. To see if Rao's really was better than any on the shelf, I bought and popped open Rao's marinara and acme Signature marinara. I called in hubs and told him pour a little sauce in two tiny bowls while I turn around (he thought I was nuts but hey...). I tasted each one, sipping water in between. My result was I truly could not taste the difference between the acme brand and the very expensive Rao's. Because hubs knows nothing about sauces, I asked him to taste each one. He came to same conclusion. Both were good. So to save $4 a jar, for me acme signature brand it is.

Re: Experiment

Group 5 minus 1 — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 18:34:41 GMT

When Mom made meatballs she always put a hard boiled egg in the sauce w/the mbs.

Re: Experiment

bmorechick — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 18:35:37 GMT

@Group 5 minus 1 hmmm interesting

Re: Experiment

PA Mom-mom — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 19:44:55 GMT

@bmorechick To me, Rao's tastes like old school, red gravy Italian Philly, NJ, NYC restaurants. I buy it at Costco and usually save it for when I'm making mussels marinara fra diavolo. You have inspired me to do my own taste test the next time I crack open a jar. Is it just the idea of Rao's, or is it the flavor? Hmmm....

Re: Experiment

781Florist — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 19:52:13 GMT

I like Rao's alright, but I absolutely LOVE Victoria Marinara. They even have a low sodium version which is (to me, anyway) delicious because I sometimes find the regular too salty--but that may be because I seldom eat much salty stuff.

The Victoria is also much more friendly to someone who likes to add their own touches to the sauce. It has less stuff in it to begin with.

Re: Experiment

GenXmuse — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 20:11:55 GMT

@781Florist wrote:
I like Rao's alright, but I absolutely LOVE Victoria Marinara. They even have a low sodium version which is (to me, anyway) delicious because I sometimes find the regular too salty--but that may be because I seldom eat much salty stuff.
The Victoria is also much more friendly to someone who likes to add their own touches to the sauce. It has less stuff in it to begin with.

I use this too since I'm trying to eat less sodium and I'd eat it even if I weren't. It's really pretty amazing for a jarred sauce. It's my favorite.

Re: Experiment

cindyNC — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 02:22:19 GMT

@bmorechick Because of the BF's diabetes, I switched from Bertoli to Rao's after reading the ingredients labels and seeing how his gluocosed spiked. But a few weeks ago, I noticed my grocery store selling Silver Palate spaghetti sauce at 2 for $6. Nutritional label the same as Rao's and just a very small tad less tasty but it's a win for me until I see Rao's on sale somewhere.

The diabetes educator also recommended, and we use, Barilla Protein + pasta. Makes pasta a meal in rotation at our house, rather than a very very occasional treat.

Re: Experiment

ECBG — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 03:00:16 GMT

@781Florist wrote:
I like Rao's alright, but I absolutely LOVE Victoria Marinara. They even have a low sodium version which is (to me, anyway) delicious because I sometimes find the regular too salty--but that may be because I seldom eat much salty stuff.
The Victoria is also much more friendly to someone who likes to add their own touches to the sauce. It has less stuff in it to begin with.

@781Florist

I have never seen Victoria Marinara. Is it in your regular grocery store please?

We have a hometown grocery store, Publix, and Fresh Market.

Thank you.

Re: Experiment

781Florist — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 04:44:06 GMT

@ECBG I tried to look up Victoria at Publix and it brings me to a Publix site that says to enter your store's location, so maybe some stores have it and some don't. You can type in Victoria Marinara at Publix and enter your store.

Do you have Target in your area? They have it listed as a product they carry. Also, Costco has a variety of Victoria sauce called White Linen. Usually 2 48oz jars for about $9 to $12.00 depending on whether they have it on sale. The White Linen is just a bit chunkier than the original, but is still good....although it is the one I find the saltiest tasting. The Original Marinara is the best one as far as my taste buds are concerned!

Re: Experiment

phoenixbrd — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 10:23:54 GMT

We rarely eat processed food and less so pasta, but I do buy Rao's usually at Costco. I make a cauliflower crust topped with fresh mushrooms, kalamata olives, and veg cheese...use the Rao's as my pizza sauce. @781Florist yes, Victoria is very good also.

Re: Experiment

ECBG — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 11:12:39 GMT

@781Florist

We have Target and Publix.

Re: Experiment

Sooner — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:09:25 GMT

We like Rao's and always keep a jar or two, but our go-to is Yo Mama's. Whole Foods 365 Four Cheese is great but so salty you don't want much.

We often do roasted eggplant and zucchini served over brown rice rather than pasta. We might add chicken or ground beef too, or for a quick meal we'd top with cottage cheese.

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goldensrbest — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 14:19:19 GMT

I really do not care for Rao's sauces, i have 3 brand names i like, Lidia's,Cucina antica, michaels of new york.

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mamaslittlepotato — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 02:55:37 GMT

I tried Rao’s but don’t like it very much. Victoria’s is very good. It’s a bit pricey but good to stock up on when on sale.

Re: Experiment

Icegoddess — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 03:50:00 GMT

I keep seeing Rao's at Publix and wondered if it was any good. I don't make meatballs; I do a meat sauce. I use Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic and then add some red wine to it. I use a combination of ground beef, sweet Italian sausage, mushrooms, black olives, and green olives.

What I really would like to find is a GOOD Alfredo sauce. I have tried a few jarred varieties and don't like them at all. Recently, I picked up a RANA chicken Alfredo meal and my husband really liked their sauce. It was better than any of the jarred sauces I've tried, and I see you can get just their sauce in the same refrgerated case where the meal is, so I could do that. But, still, I'm hoping for something better. I can't say what it was, but it just wasn't truly Alfredo to me. Not that I'm an expert or anything, just picky.

Re: Experiment

jannabelle1 — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 21:54:25 GMT

I did a similar test some months ago, but I knew which one I was tasting. For the price, I don't think that Rao's is better. I much prefer some of the sauces from several of our local Italian restaurants. I also rely on good old Prego, especially as a dipping sauce for toasted ravioli.

I know Rao's is popular, but it's not for me, especially considering how expensive it is.

Re: Experiment

wagirl — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:49:17 GMT

In my opinion---the best red sauce in a jar is Pregos, Farmers Market red sauce---at around $4 a jar. Have tried Raos and other higher price ones and the Pregos by far tastes better to me. I am another person who cannot make a decent red sauce to save my soul----I get it from AMZ fresh but have gotten it at the usual places----comes in a few different combos--and I add to it as well with more herbs and such.