Silverton suggests stirring in a little sugar, a trick that works with any kind of sauce that tastes burnt or bitter. You can also use an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or even vinegar to help neutralize the burnt flavor.
Butter also works well. One of the quickest ways to fix a burned sauce without masking the taste or altering it with more flavorings is lemon juice. Lemon juice, with its acidity, helps to balance the sauce rather than simply covering up the bad taste. You can squeeze some fresh lemon juice or use bottled lemon juice.
Mask the burnt flavours
For example, vinegar, red wine or white wine. You could also try chilli or garlic, depending on the dish. If it's not that burnt, you could also try simply adding a small amount of water or liquid, similar to what you would do to deglaze a pan.
Add Baking Soda: A pinch of baking soda can neutralize acidity, which may help reduce bitterness. Be careful not to add too much, as it can alter the flavor. Incorporate Dairy: Stir in a bit of cream, milk, or cheese (like Parmesan) to soften the flavors and mask bitterness.
You can avoid a burned pasta sauce by keeping it on the lowest heat setting on the stove and stirring it often. Good tomato sauce simmers for hours, so all the flavors meld together. Still, even when you try your best, sometimes a tomato sauce burns. No need to panic.
Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce.
You can simmer with the cookware lid on or off, simply follow your recipe instructions. Keep in mind that when using a cover, you'll want to set your stovetop to a low setting as it can reach a simmer faster than without a cap. When you're not using a lid, adjust your stovetop setting to medium.
Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.
Add a little milk to tomato sauce for a sweeter taste to offset the acidity of the tomatoes. This is a well-kept secret amongst Italian grandmothers. In northern Italy, Bolognese sauce is never made without milk! It can be added at the beginning or end of cooking.
Sometimes, depending on the level of scorchness and the type of soup you can add peeled whole or halved russet potatoes. They can absorb some of the burnt flavor from the soup. If still not saved add strong flavors such as ham or bacon to the soup to help mask the burnt flavor.
Tip #2: Use a Sauce, Butter, or Something Sweet
The sweetness and spiciness of BBQ sauce help to offset the unpleasant flavor. Butter and other fats also work wonders for neutralizing the bitter flavor of smoked meat.
One tip though: If a sauce or stew is slightly burnt, you can save it by immediately pouring it into another pot or bowl/container — while leaving the burnt part behind. Do NOT stir the burnt part into the rest of the sauce/stew. Add some spices and wine to offset any lingering burnt odor/flavor.
Heat 1 cup of sauce with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (baking soda neutralizes acidity). Taste the sauce and add tiny amounts of baking soda to see if it mellows the acidity. If there is still an edge, swirl in a teaspoon of butter, letting it melt until creamy. Usually this does the job.
Add Some Baking Soda
If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.
“You could add a pinch of sugar and keep tasting and adding until the flavor really starts to brighten and become more well-rounded,” says Taste of Home Deputy Editor James Schend. When I'm making spaghetti from scratch, I start small with ¼ teaspoon and adjust as needed.
blend completely 3 large carrots, an onion, as much garlic as you like, half a small pepper, 2 stalks of celery. Adding more carrot will make the sauce sweeter and less tomato tasting. Don't go over board with the pepper (particularly if using poblanos) or celery, unless you really love those flavors.
Prepared tomato sauce is the secret to getting meals on the table fast. To boost flavor, add a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter just before serving. It's the simple one-ingredient upgrade you need to try.
Time Is a Valuable Ingredient
But you should consider simmering for three or more hours, letting it lazily cook away, no more than a few straggling bubbles surfacing at a time. Time plus low heat and fresh ingredients make for a great sauce.
A little brown sugar! Absolutely!! Yes it neutralizes the acid, you don't have to put enough to make it actually taste sweet, just enough so you don't get hit with the sharp acid tomato flavor, which makes it hard to taste the other ingredients in your sauce!
For spaghetti and Bolognese sauces, simmering with the lid off ensures rich, concentrated results. While most soups benefit from lid-off simmering for flavor balance, some delicate broths may need partial coverage. Keep lids off for the best results.
Stirring with a wooden or stainless steel spoon can bring down the temperature of your dish and help prevent simmering from progressing to a boil. You can avoid overheating your dish by periodically removing the pot from the stovetop, then slightly lowering the heat before returning it to the stovetop to simmer.
When to Keep the Lid Off. Cooking a soup, stew, or sauce uncovered allows water to evaporate, so if your goal is to reduce a sauce or thicken a soup, skip the lid. The longer you cook your dish, the more water that will evaporate and the thicker the liquid becomes—that means the flavors become more concentrated, too.