How To

How to Fix an Overseasoned Dish

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(27 Ratings)

Ask professional chefs what the secret to good cooking is and they'll say, "Taste, taste, taste." Once you understand the special relationship between salty, sweet and sour flavors, you'll be able to fine-tune the taste of any dish until it's perfect. Try these steps on any dish that can use some salt, sugar or lemon juice mixed in or sprinkled over it.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Salt
  • Lemon Juice
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Salt
  1. Step 1

    Think of salt, sugar and acid as the trinity that holds up all other flavors. When these three are out of balance, the other flavors in a dish can also fail to come together.

  2. Step 2

    To fix a sauce or soup that has too much salt, for example, add a dash of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.

  3. Step 3

    If a sauce or soup is too sweet for you, add salt and lemon juice.

  4. Step 4

    If a sauce or soup is too sour, then adjust the flavor with a bit of salt and sugar.

  5. Step 5

    Adjust seasonings gradually, and stir well after each addition.

Tips & Warnings
  • Depending on the dish, you can use wine or vinegar in place of lemon juice.

Comments  

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tks734 said

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on 8/9/2009 I made homemade salsa, its way too salty. How can I fix this?

jesy138 said

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on 1/5/2009 I made a pot of beef stew and used canned tomates with chilies and it is too HOT? What can I do?

jesy138 said

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on 1/5/2009 I made a pot of beef stew and used a can of tomatoes with chilies and it is too HOT. What can I do?

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on 1/8/2008 Apologies for the double post.

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on 1/8/2008 Thank you for the sugar and lemon tip. It was greatly appreciated!
Although I did not add any salt to the Mussman Curry I was making I did use Fish Sauce which obviously has salt.
I was making a double amount and followed the recipe direction for the Fish Sauce and doubled it also. Shouldn't have done that!
The lemon juice has has toned it down somewhat. As the dish already has a reasonable amount of sugar I did not add any extra.
Like all things in life3 it's another learning curve.

Thanks for a great resource site.

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