Removing Gamey Odor

Removing gamey odor is a step in the cooking process.

It refers to the removal of gamey or fishy odors from foods such as meat and seafood through various methods, including but not limited to adding seasonings and blanching.

Gamey or fishy odors are part of the flavor profile of certain foods; excessive removal may cause the food to lose its flavor.

There are various methods for removing gamey odors, and they should be chosen flexibly during the cooking process.

Methods

Adding Seasonings

Adding seasonings to ingredients is the simplest method for removing gamey odors. For example, for most dishes using egg mixture (such as Steamed Egg Custard and Tomato and Egg Stir-fry), you can add salt, cooking wine, or vinegar to the egg mixture to reduce the odor.

When cooking certain meats, you can add spices such as Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and chili peppers to the broth to remove the odor.

Commercially prepared spicy hot pot base has an extremely rich aroma. Adding an appropriate amount of it during cooking is sufficient to cover the gamey odor of most meats.

Dipping Sauces

Some foods still have a strong gamey odor after cooking. You can prepare dipping sauces to mask the odor while eating.

Common ingredients for dipping sauces include: vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, broad bean paste, sweet bean paste, sesame paste, peanut paste, fermented bean curd, salt, garlic, and ginger.

Combinations of dipping sauces vary by personal preference, so examples are not provided here.

Sautéing Aromatics

During stir-frying, you can use aromatics such as scallions, ginger, garlic, and dried chili peppers to sauté the pan. The aromatic compounds in these ingredients volatilize under high heat, which can help mask the gamey odor and enhance the flavor of the dish.

Blanching in Cold Water

Some animal-based ingredients retain blood, such as chicken, pork trotters, and pork ribs. If the residual blood is not removed, it can impart a gamey odor to the finished dish.

When starting with cold water, the residual blood disperses into the water. As the temperature rises, the proteins in the blood coagulate, causing the dispersed blood to form scum that floats to the surface. At this point, you can simply skim off the scum with a spoon to complete the odor removal. The remaining clear broth can be used as a base for simmering other dishes.

Precautions

• When blanching, it is common to add seasonings such as Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cooking wine, and scallions to the pot to further enhance the odor-removing effect.
• Star anise has a strong aroma and should be added in moderation.
• Sichuan peppercorns and Zanthoxylum armatum (Sichuan pepper) are small in volume but often added in large quantities. They may remain in the pot or even in the finished dish. You can wrap them in a cheesecloth bag or use a food-grade stainless steel spice container to make it easier to remove them before serving.