How to Take the Heat Out of Hot Food

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Kitchen disasters happen to even the most accomplished chefs. One thing that separates a skilled chef is the ability to fix a mistake before it reaches the dining room table. There are several remedies that you can use to take some of the spice from a dish in progress that is turning out too hot. Even if the dish does make it to the dining room table, there are still options to salvage the meal.

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Step 1

Add a sweetener. If your sauce or chili recipe is coming out too hot, add some honey or crushed pineapple to the mix. The additive will dissolve to become unnoticeable, but will counteract some of the spice in your dish.

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Step 2

Add more of everything else. You can add more meat or any other ingredients to overwhelm the spice factor. The extra ingredients could also make more of the meal than you intended.

Step 3

Add a potato. Peel a potato and place it in your dish. Continue cooking until the potato is soft and then remove it. This keeps the potato from affecting the flavor of your food and the potato will absorb most flavors.

Tip

If none of these strategies work, you still have one last recourse. Dairy products help neutralize spices. A glass of milk or a side of sour cream on the table will do wonders to reduce the spiciness. Serving plain bread or rice will also counteract the bite of your meal.

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