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.
When a flavor is highly concentrated in a dish, the best solution to fixing the dish is to reduce that concentration to the point where the dish becomes palatable again. When you have added too much sage to a dish, you can dilute the flavor by making more of the dish. Make a second batch without sage and add it to the first. The result will be that you cut the strength of the sage in half.
If you have added more than twice the amount of sage than was necessary, you may have to make the second batch even larger than the first. Obviously, this can result in waste and will take time.
Adding sugar (or sweet ingredients).
Lengthen the cooking time
Sage is one of those herbs that tend to get more intense the longer it is cooked; however, it does fade eventually. If your dish can stand up to a long cooking time and you added the sage at the start of the cooking process, you may be able to neutralize the sage by braising it for an extra long time. Like the dilution step, this is only an option if you are cooking well ahead of the time you plan to serve the meal.
Fresh sage sprigs can be removed easily and should be taken out as soon as you realize that you have used too much. Remove sage sprigs before attempting any of the other rescue measures on this list. If you don’t, they will continue cooking and release flavor. If you are using ground sage applied as a rub for a turkey or other food, you may be able to wash it from the surface of the food. After which you can reapply other herbs and spices minus the sage.
in a bag, added 1-1/2 tea. of poultry seasoning, forgetting that there was already seasoning in the toasted breadcrumbs. I use giblets and chicken livers. When tasting….I tasted a lot of sage or poultry seasoning. What to do at this point to lessen that taste?
The Benefits of Sage | The Frugal Chef
FAQ
How do you get rid of the taste of sage?
What happens if you use too much sage?
What does sage taste like in cooking?
What can I use instead of Sage?
For example, garlic offers a pungent note that many people can tolerate in excess. Increase the amount of garlic and add it towards the end of cooking. Its savory notes may overpower the intensity of sage. Green onions and celery may also be able to serve the same purpose.
What are the benefits of having sage tea?
Tea made from Sage leaves, the leaves are rich in ellagic acid which exhibits antioxidant properties. This tea is mostly used in the treatment of loss of appetite, gastritis, indigestion, diarrhea, heart burn. This tea also has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Excess dosage of sage tea will cause nausea, irritability and kidney damage.
Can Sage be used to flavor meat?
Do use sage to flavor fatty meats. The pine and citrus notes of sage are good at cutting through the richness of meats like pork and lamb. Sage is also beneficial in these dishes because of its ability to improve digestion. Do add complementary flavors to dishes that contain sage.
What does Sage taste like?
Many Americans recognize sage as the herb that shows up in most recipes for Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing. It is a member of the mint family and has a unique flavor that can be described as minty and earthy with light piney and citrus notes. While it is familiar to many, it has some unique characteristics and should be used carefully.