How do I fix my mistake? (Chefs wanted)

rainbowbow

Why is it that every savory dish I try to make turns out SWEET? How do I keep this from happening?!?! If it does happen, what can I do to correct it?

Here's just two examples-
Tonight I made black beans, onions, bell pepper, garlic, salt pepper and cumin and sliced avocado over lentils. Pure sugar tasting.

In the past- stewed tomatoes, basil, salt pepper shredded carrot and Parmesan over grilled zucchini. Pure sugar!!!!

whierd

It may be your taste buds...

The black bean thing I can understand as they have a sort of natural sweetness, but the tomato dish? Nope.

rainbowbow

Bump! Just also wanted to say its super embarrassing that this happens anytime I cook something savory. "Did you put sugar in this Rain? BLECH!

I swear I could make scrambled eggs sweet!

rainbowbow

It may be your taste buds...

The black bean thing I can understand as they have a sort of natural sweetness, but the tomato dish? Nope.

This actually comes from others eating my food too. I seriously don't know what I could be doing wrong.

Sautéed onions too long? Cooked bell pepper too long? Too much carrot to balance acidity?

I mean what in the hell could I be doing?!?

gmallan

Seems incredibly odd with the ingredients you've listed, did you fill your salt shaker with sugar by mistake

MrsFowler1069

Yeah, sorry. I've got nothing on this either. Sure, onions and carrots definitely have some natural sweetness, especially depending on how they're cooked, but to this extent? Dunno....

rainbowbow

Seems incredibly odd with the ingredients you've listed, did you fill your salt shaker with sugar by mistake

Nope! =\

I wish it were that easy. It's to the point where I almost don't want to eat the food I make ... Although I'm excellent at making deserts (go figure!)

BeccaBollons

Add basil or oregano to tomato dishes. Add fish sauce to eastern-inspired dishes.

megan90272

If you are using canned beans and tomatoes,be sure and check the ingredients on the cans.

ChrisM8971

Onions can be very sweet if cooked until brown and sticky and peppers are also nice and sweet, but not enough to completely overtake the other flavours.

With tomatoes I tend to end up adding a little sugar to balance the tartness so not sure what is going on

Try to avoid the easy option of salt addition, maybe try adding a little lemon juice to bring out other flavours or even some wine vinegar to add tartness

BeccaBollons

Use concentrated tomato puree/paste as well- its so bitter I normally add sugar to counteract the bitterness.

PikaKnight

It's the vegetables, especially onions. A lot of veggies (a lot meaning both types and amounts) turn dishes sweet.

Edited to clarify - I know you listed all veggies but even if you had some meat in there, there is still a high possibility of it being sweet depending on vegetables used and the amount....onions and carrots especially in my experience. Tomatoes are tangy, but with the addition of a lot of other veggies - it'll not only sweeten, but in that case increase the tanginess too.

As some others have said - salt. Or maybe try cooking with different types of salt or even bouillons to try to counter the taste. Sour cream is also a good item that helps tone taste down.

darkrose20

Seems incredibly odd with the ingredients you've listed, did you fill your salt shaker with sugar by mistake

I'd thought about this. My gut instinct was to say "add salt." I notice when I skimp on the salt in recipes it tastes either sweet or bland...but not THAT sweet. Definitely check to see what exactly that white substance is in the salt shaker. :flowerforyou:

EDIT: Oh...lol...I see you already checked the shaker. Umm...yeah...I got nothin.:blushing:

SusanUW83

Maybe add something spicy, like chili or chipotle powder or fresh peppers (not bell), if you can tolerate spicy stuff. Lots of canned tomato has sugar added, look at the label.

rainbowbow

I definitely appreciate the input guys! I definitely think it. May have something to do with the fact that I don't use much salt or heat like cayenne or jalepeno etc.

I just always feel guilty going heavy handed on the salt when I'm feeding other people =\

Mr_Starr

i will take a wild guess it is because you add a sweet onion to the beans without caramalizing the onion first. Also... are you using a sweet onion... or a yellow?


This is how i make savory black beans or lentils.

-- first I caramelize the yellow onion.
-- toast and then add the cumin. toasting the cumin in a dry hot pan first brings out the flavors.
-- then add the beans. --- optional If you soaked dry beans (instead of using from a can) make sure you add some salt and some liquid. Water is ok, but for extra savory use some chicken stock (and home made chicken stalk is very low in calories).
-- then you can add the peppers... for sweet peppers add then right away. For hot peppers... add some at the beginning and then some more later on. By adding different hot peppers/ chilis at different times gives more of richness and full body of the chili/pepper taste.

-- other than that. I recommend searching for a good recipe and following exactly. Some of my favorite place to find good recipes on the web are Martha Stewart, America's home test kitchen recipes,

dbmata

If you are using canned beans and tomatoes,be sure and check the ingredients on the cans.

Canned tomatoes tend to be sweet.

This is really odd. At some point, you taking non-sweet items, putting them together and they come out sweet.

One of two reasons is causing this.
You are adding sugar.
You are starting with sweetened items.

For canned tomatoes, use the san marzano ones in the white and red/green pastel label. I know those aren't sweet. For beans, start with dry.

Check whatever it is that you are using for salt and make sure it is not sugar. That one is legit, I ruined a dish once that way, all the worse because it was alligator stuffed with crawfish.

dbmata

-- first I caramelize the yellow onion.

That makes onions sweet.

Mr_Starr

-- first I caramelize the yellow onion.

That makes onions sweet.

onions are naturally sweet anyway. But as you caramelize the natural sugars in the onion it brings out more complex and intensely wonderful flavors.

adding the onions without caramalizing will just be adding the sweet, but without the richness and depth of flavors that will truly enhance the flavors of the beans.

TruckersWifeTruckersLife

Just a suggestion if the dish allows it add some lemon juice to bring the sweetness down

astartig

how about a full list of ingredients as to what you used, including brands and spices.

maybe you could try making one of those things iwth ingredients scratch. nothing canned.