To remove a burnt smell from food, quickly separate the unburnt portion and transfer it to a clean container. Adding ingredients that may absorb odors can also help. If food remains in a scorched pot, the smell can spread further, so act promptly. The odor comes from volatile compounds formed when food at the bottom of the pot chars in direct heat. These compounds can rise with steam and affect the rest of the dish. The sooner you separate the burnt portion, the less chance the odor has to spread.
How can you reduce a burnt smell?
Try these steps:
• Without scraping or disturbing the burnt layer at the bottom of the pot, transfer the food above it to a clean container.
• Add a few sprigs of fresh parsley or a few slices of bread and leave them in the food for a few minutes. They may help absorb some of the odor.
• Transfer the food to a clean pot, warm it over low heat for a few minutes, and let steam escape.
• A small amount of fresh lemon juice or vinegar may help balance a mildly burnt taste.
• If the smell remains noticeable, a fresh sauce or seasoning may help rebalance the flavor.
Common mistakes
Stirring food in a scorched pot can mix burnt bits into the dish. Leaving food in the pot allows the odor to spread further. Adding too much seasoning may overwhelm the dish's original flavor, and leaving strongly burnt food sitting for a long time can make the odor linger.
Which dishes are easier to save?
In soups and other liquid-based dishes, transferring the food to a clean container is relatively easy and may help because the liquid portion tends to retain less of the burnt smell. In sautés and other dishes with little liquid, the smell can be more noticeable. If a large portion has burnt, making the dish again may be the more reliable choice. A mild odor may improve with a few simple steps, while a strong, sharp odor can permanently affect the flavor. In that case, preparing a fresh dish may be a better choice than trying to salvage the burnt one.
To keep the odor from spreading through the kitchen, open a window and turn on the range hood. Use a clean pot for the transfer so burnt residue does not get into the food. Quick action—separating the unburnt food, trying an odor-absorbing ingredient, and gently balancing the flavor—can help limit how far a burnt smell spreads.