While dishes like jerk pork can benefit from extreme levels of allspice, most cannot. Allspice is one of those spices that works best when combined with other strong flavors. If it is used in excess, it can easily outshine other flavors and make a dish one-dimensional or even bitter to the point of being inedible. If you have accidentally used too much allspice, consider the following tips for toning it down.
Spice Fixes
Used Too Much Sage? Here Are Some Solutions
Sage is a potent herb that has applications in a range of savory dishes. Most people know it as the Thanksgiving turkey herb as it is traditionally used as a part of poultry seasoning blends and in stuffing. It is very easy to go too far with this herb and while it can be a pleasant background note to other seasonings, it can have an acrid note when used in excess. Below are some of the best ways to counteract too much sage and rescue a meal.
Added Too Much Oregano? Counteract It With These Tips
Oregano’s characteristic pungency makes it an easy herb to overdo. It is a versatile herb that can be used to enhance a range of savory dishes including meats, pasta sauce, and soups; however, it becomes a drawback if used in excess. If you have accidentally added too much oregano, consider the following tips for counteracting the flavor and saving the meal.
Too Much Dill? Here’s How To Fix It
Dill works best as the background note in many popular dishes. When used judiciously, it can complement the flavors in many meat and vegetable dishes. Too much dill has the opposite effect and can make dishes bitter and downright unpalatable. As with most flavorful ingredients, there are fixes if you use too much of it. Below are several ways that you can rescue a dish if you have added more dill to it than you really needed.
Too Much Sugar? Use These Tricks To Balance The Sweetness
Sugar provides what is arguably the most popular flavor, but it will also ruin a dish if used in excess. While most people can tolerate dishes that are just a little too sweet, using too much sugar makes some dishes cloying to the point of being unpalatable. Too much sugar is not just bad for the taste of food, it is bad for your health as well. If you have added a cup of sugar when you meant to add only a ½ cup, one of the solutions below may help.
Added Too Much Saffron? Here’s What To Do
Saffron is a spice that is known for its ability to provide an attractive color and an appealing flavor to various dishes including Spanish paella and Indian biryani. You can buy it in powder form or you can buy saffron threads. It is important to note the difference between these forms as you will need to use less powder than you would threads.
Saffron has a taste that many people enjoy when it is used precisely; it is not one of those spices where a little more of it makes the dish even better. The flavor of excess saffron has been described as bitter, metallic, and even likened to the taste of chlorine; however, all is not lost if you have made a dish that contains too much saffron. Consider a few of your options for rescuing the meal.
Too Much Clove? Follow These Tips to Tone It Down
Cloves are pungent and versatile enough to be used in both savory and sweet dishes. This spice shows up in many spice blends including ras el hanout and pumpkin pie spice. Even a small amount of excess cloves can easily overwhelm all the other flavors in a dish, making that dish taste of cloves and nothing else. However, do not give up and discard your dish if you wind up going overboard and using too much clove. There are a few tricks that you can try to balance the flavors and save the meal.
Too Much Cardamom? Here Are Some Tips For Saving Your Dish
The floral, minty notes of cardamom quickly become unpleasantly medicinal if you use too much of it. Failing to exercise moderation with this spice can make your dish inedible. Cardamom works best when it is used as a background note for other flavors, not when it is the only thing that you can taste. While you may be tempted to throw out a dish with too much cardamom in it, don’t give up. There are several options for rescuing your meal.