# Too much sugar in my pasta sauce....



## nubspeace (Oct 4, 2009)

*HELP...how can i tone done the too much sugar flavor i have created... ugh ???*

*Nubspeace*


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## Andy M. (Oct 4, 2009)

The best way is to add more of the other ingredients to cut down on the sweetness.  So, double up on the recipe amounts to cut the sweetness in half, for example.

I don't believe it's a good idea to add other ingredients to the sauce to counteract the sweetness.  That changes the taste of the sauce.


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## Wyogal (Oct 4, 2009)

If it's a tomato sauce, add more tomatoes.


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## victoriabc (Oct 11, 2009)

nubspeace said:


> *HELP...how can i tone done the too much sugar flavor i have created... ugh ???*
> 
> *Nubspeace*


You don't have to have sugar in your pasta sauce. Brown meat (if desired)  with onions,  green pepper(optional) and mushrooms (optional). Add 2 cans of Tomoto sauce, 1 can of canned diced tomatos (optional),  1 -2 tea  basil, 1/2 tb oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic or more, little cayenne, pinch of ground cloves, salt, pepper. Red Wine is good too. Simmer for 45 minutes. Feta cheese and parmesan on top.


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## andyquick (Oct 15, 2009)

Adding more ingredients may do the trick. I have had trouble with too much salt in my pasta sauce and was able to cut it with sugar. I have also had good results the other way (i.e. cut the sugar with a little salt).

However, as someone else said, this can throw the taste. I would try with just a little extra salt to see if that works. If not, agree to add more tomatoes (if it's tomato-based).


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## BreezyCooking (Oct 15, 2009)

Frankly, you can't. Toss it - which you probably have already.

Once, only ONCE, was I stupid enough to follow a pasta sauce recipe that called for sugar.  NEVER AGAIN.


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## GrillingFool (Oct 15, 2009)

Dunno for sugar, but if it's too salty, a cut potato will soak up some quite nicely.


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## BreezyCooking (Oct 15, 2009)

Actually, the potato thing is an old wive's tale.  A cut potato will definitely soak up some of the broth/sauce, but it won't differentiate between the broth/sauce & the salt.  Think about it.


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## GrillingFool (Oct 15, 2009)

Hmmm, it's an old wives tale that has worked here twice, once in soup and once
in tomato sauce.


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## Selkie (Oct 15, 2009)

Good tomatoes, whether fresh or in a can of a quality brand, are usually sweet enough, and no added sugar is ever needed. In some applications, chili or spaghetti sauce for instance, I substitute a small can of tomato paste for 1/2 of the diced or whole tomatoes called for in the recipe, just to keep the chili sauce from being too sweet.


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## bigdaddy3k (Oct 15, 2009)

This will sound crazy and sacreligious to some, potato flakes. Added directly to sauce will thicken and the blandness will tone down the sweetness.

The thickening will allow you to add a liquid to counter and that will also tone down the sweetness.


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## kadesma (Oct 15, 2009)

I've had this happen so I make sure to taste as I go. First if it is a little sweet I take out some of the sauce and add some anchovies to it along with some tomato frome a tube. Squeeze some of the tomato to the anchovie and tomatoe sauce this usually helps I often add a little veggie or beef broth as well.
I also cook it about 45 min more.at a low slow simmer
kadesma


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## TheMetalChef (Oct 15, 2009)

victoriabc said:


> You don't have to have sugar in your pasta sauce. Brown meat (if desired)  with onions,  green pepper(optional) and mushrooms (optional). Add 2 cans of Tomoto sauce, 1 can of canned diced tomatos (optional),  1 -2 tea  basil, 1/2 tb oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic or more, little cayenne, pinch of ground cloves, salt, pepper. Red Wine is good too. Simmer for 45 minutes. Feta cheese and parmesan on top.



<-- was thinking to himself "why would you put sugar in a pasta sauce?"

My base pasta sauce is a dozen fresh tomatoes (chopped) with a 750 mL bottle of Burgundy (or Cab Sav, if you prefer), three cans of tomato paste, couple of fine-chopped onions and green peppers, and a cup of what I like to call "semi-somme" - which is my super-concentrated beef stock, not quite clear enough to call consomme, but is a gel at 45 degrees or less. Season as desired, whatever your grandma taught you, but leave the sugar out.  Simmer for about, eh, all day.  Overnight is better.  If you like meat in your sauce, add that about 2 hours before you plan to serve.


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## Fix (Oct 16, 2009)

How much was too much? 

If it's just a wee bit, try this:-  Seive all the solids and keep to one side. Put the liquid back on the stove and reduce by half. Then add a tin of tomatoes and cook off again. Adjust seasoning then add the solids back to the pan. works for me. You may not have the original flavour you were looking for, but you will have an edible sauce.

BTW,  re. potatoes soaking up salt. This also works for me.


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## Bigjim68 (Oct 16, 2009)

I've never had much luck trying to reduce a flavor once the flavor is added to a dish.  My advice is to chuck the sauce and chalk it up to education.


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## Tuscan Chef (Jan 27, 2010)

First, sugar should not be used, sweetness comes from tomato. Some sicilian recepies uses sugar but it's a special dish (pasta con le sarde).
There is a rule about sugar, to reduce sweet (to a limit) use salt and vinagre. 
Theese are the three basic feeling of palat, sweetness, acidity and salt. 
Saying that, not always salt means salt, it could be something with a salty taste.


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## jennyema (Jan 27, 2010)

Tuscan Chef said:


> First, sugar should not be used, sweetness comes from tomato. Some sicilian recepies uses sugar but it's a special dish (pasta con le sarde).
> There is a rule about sugar, to reduce sweet (to a limit) use salt and vinagre.
> Theese are the three basic feeling of palat, sweetness, acidity and salt.
> Saying that, not always salt means salt, it could be something with a salty taste.


 
I agree that sugar is generally not needed in tomato sauce, but Americans are sort of used to jarred sauce that has added sugar.

There are 5 taste sensations detectable on your palate: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and savory (umami).


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## Tuscan Chef (Jan 27, 2010)

Yes sorry forgot the bitter and the umami (glutammic acid), being the sour what I called acid to relate to vinager.
Anyway as far as perception, bitter and unami are not compensated by anything, what is bitter remains bitter. While the other three are changing in perception of proportion when one increases the other decreases.


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## kcbowie (Jan 28, 2010)

nubspeace said:


> *HELP...how can i tone done the too much sugar flavor i have created... ugh ???*
> 
> *Nubspeace*



Add more of everything else to tone it down


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## sear (Jan 28, 2010)

i made some tomato sauce and gave a jar to my mom, who usually uses "ragu" or other store sauce. she said it was " too sweet" for her

i didnt add any sugar to it and to me it taste less sweet than a "sauce" like ragu and when i look at the label on ragu its got quite a bit of sugar in it


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## justplainbill (Jan 28, 2010)

Tuscan Chef said:


> First, sugar should not be used, sweetness comes from tomato. Some sicilian recepies uses sugar but it's a special dish (pasta con le sarde).
> There is a rule about sugar, to reduce sweet (to a limit) use salt and vinagre.
> Theese are the three basic feeling of palat, sweetness, acidity and salt.
> Saying that, not always salt means salt, it could be something with a salty taste.


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