Tomato sauce - kinda sour/bitter - any suggestions?

Booberry85 · #21 08/06/14, 02:20 PM

To help get rid of the bitter taste, you can try adding a spoon or two of grape jelly or grape jam. Just stir it in until it dissolves.

SLFarmMI · #22 08/06/14, 03:00 PM

My grandmother (who made the best sauce on the planet btw) always put a very small handful of sugar into her sauce (I have no more exact measurements to give you because she never measured anything) and some baking soda(she would coat a wooden mixing spoon in the baking soda).

Yvonne's hubby · #23 08/06/14, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrettyPaisley

Interesting.
Is there a trick to keep it from being so sweet? We grew something small but not as small as a cherry tomato and the sauce is just way too sweet. And I didn't add anything to it - just the flesh of the fruit.

Keep your fingers out of it!

Bellyman · #24 08/06/14, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Booberry85

To help get rid of the bitter taste, you can try adding a spoon or two of grape jelly or grape jam. Just stir it in until it dissolves.

I've heard that said on a couple of websites but I have no idea what it really does. I've also heard of using some wine, maybe it has similar effects.

Might have to give this one a try when we open the next jar.

Thanks!

Bellyman · #25 08/06/14, 07:54 PM

UPDATE:

First of all, thanks to all of you who replied to my post! I truly appreciate the feedback on possible causes.

We've been working on more sauce today and we think we've figured out what gave it the bitter taste. It was the fresh oregano. It made something else bitter that shouldn't have been and we've narrowed it down to that.

More sauce today, without the oregano, is WONDERFUL!!

We did try some things different. We roasted the tomatoes in the oven before processing. We used yellow onions. And so far, we're really liking the flavors that are going on.

Figured I should update the thread just so you'd all know what was happening. I didn't quite expect it from the oregano but hey, the fingers are pointed seriously in that direction. If we find any different, I'll update again.

Thanks again for all of the feedback! I appreciate it.

Maura · #26 08/07/14, 04:14 PM

I always taste the sauce before putting anything in. It should taste fresh and summery. I may not add anything. If it tastes ‘wrong’, you know right away that it could be a bad tomato. I rarely add sugar, only if it is very acidic. If I add anything, it will be sautéed onions, and I have not noticed a bad taste whether the onions are white or yellow, sautéed celery, garlic, marjoram (a miler form of oregano), ginger.