How do I fix my mistake? (Chefs wanted)

Mr_Starr

Try cutting back on how much onion you are using.

I just remembered... I had this problem a while back. My beans, my marinara sauces were also getting to increasingly sweeter. Then I realized my error with a particular unpalatably sweet batch of beans i made. I was using to TOO MUCH onion!

EvgeniZyntx

It depends on the TYPE of onions you are using and the duration.

Yellows become sweeter the longer you cook them.
Whites are sharper and pungent.
Red, good raw, or grilled - slow cooking tends to make them lose their color
Sweet (Wallas) - these really taste sweet, don't keep and are nice raw

If you want to cook without sweetness the smaller yellows are the best bet. Or shallots.

TavistockToad

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

this!

furrina

Add salt. It has a bad rap but it makes savory dishes more savory ; )

2013sk

You just have a sweet tooth that's all!!!!

Some people LOVE savoury, and some people LOVE sweet!!!

I LOVE CEREAL...........LOL!!!

neanderthin

Cooking time and salt.

The longer you cook beans and veg the sweeter they become and no salt, well that never works, seasoning is needed for balance.

bluestarlight19

Also, tomatoes can be sweet too even when fresh, it depends on the type of tomato you are using.
When I have made homemade tomato sauce from scratch, we add carrots for sweetness, so it could be that too. And there are definitely sweet varieties of onions on the market. Oh and the peppers. What kind of peppers are they? If they are colored peppers, those are usually sweeter than green ones. Not sure about hot peppers, can't eat hot peppers.

SoDamnHungry

Agreed that if you didn't fill your salt shaker with sugar, it probably has something to do with the onions.

sarahthin

A little bit of chili powder. I had forgotten how much difference a tablespoon if chili powder mad in 5 gal of vegetable soup. I was working for a caterer and the sop just wasn't tasting right. Finally remember I had made soup at home by recipe, which is something I had never done and the recipe called for chili powder. After many additions of salt and pepper, I tried the chili powder iand it knocked everyone's socks off. A very little bit goes a very long way.

stealthq

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 =\

What do you consider heavy-handed? Most recipes are not heavy-handed on salt IF you're not starting with canned ingredients.

Looking at your recipes, I'd agree with the others that it's probably the onions, carrots, and/or you're using ingredients with sugar added. If I were you, I check for that and fix it. I'd also add acid to your dishes. The black bean in particular sounds like it could use a squeeze of lime to finish.

LoraF83

I agree with those who are saying it's probably the type of onions and lack of salt.

I also had another thought - are you sautéing your food in butter? Is the butter "browning"? Browned butter turns very sweet. To prevent this, don't have the heat up too high while you are melting the butter (before adding your veg).

GorillaNJ

Try adding Thyme when dishes are too sweet... that is what i do when making a pot of gravy. Especially when fresh it adds a bitter quality that counters the sweet... a little extra salt is not a bad option either.

auntiebabs

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

YES! I'm finding it hard to avoid added sugar. I stopped buy pre-made pasta sauce and switch to buying canned tomato sauce and spicing it up myself. But now even most basic tomato sauces have some type of added sugar, HFCS or Corn Syrup or Corn Sweetener.

roxylola

What are you frying in? I use olive oil sometimes alone and sometimes with butter.

A little salt won't hurt, it brings out flavours and actually counteracts the bitterness of cooked tomatoes for instance better than sugar.

If you cook anything for very long it basically breaks down and releases sugars and starches so tastes sweeter. Possibly look at how you are chopping veg etc, if you are chopping very small the food with cook quicker and release sweetness sooner.

Definitely look at the onions you are using. I tend to use white onion for cooked dishes and red for salad, cook until it goes transparent then add the next ingredients. Or you could cook a little less and it will retain more taste and bite.

Try adding garlic to the dishes. A whole clove adds a hint of flavour, the more you break it down the stronger the flavour - so crushed would make the most impact.

So I would cook a little hotter and quicker and add a pinch of salt and maybe some pepper.

roxylola

YES! I'm finding it hard to avoid added sugar. I stopped buy pre-made pasta sauce and switch to buying canned tomato sauce and spicing it up myself. But now even most basic tomato sauces have some type of added sugar, HFCS or Corn Syrup or Corn Sweetener.

Tin of chopped tomatoes, some fresh basil, a chopped onion, a glug of red wine, a little seasoning or maybe a stock cube if you are feeling extravagant, some mushrooms or other veg you like (grated carrot is good).

Soften the onion in a little olive oil, add the veg, fry for a minute or two then throw everything else in and simmer for half an hour.

Whizz it in a blender and you have a tomato sauce you can freeze and would easily feed 4 (as a basis for spag bol or similar)

Tastier and cheaper than anything in a supermarket!

endoftheside

Grilling makes veggies super sweet. Cooking onions does the same thing. I have noticed my lentil veggie stew tasting sweet and usually add bacon (hello salt) or lemon pepper to it (salt and lemon). I also add a little cayenne but I have to be careful with that, a little goes a long way in vegetarian dishes. I also add garlic to taste on a lot of things to balance out the flavor on my taste buds and fresh ground pepper.