weird flavor in jarred eggplant stuff
August 31, 2022 5:03 PM Subscribe
What's this weird (to me) taste in many eggplant-based imported jarred products?
The subject of inquiry: vegetarian condiments/spreads that are very loosely in the ajvar and/or "eggplant caviar" family, usually made partly or mostly with eggplant, sold in glass jars (NOT canned), imported from places like Russia, elsewhere in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, or the Caucasus.
Many (but not all) of these have a certain taste that I find off-putting. It's kind of... savory? But in a slightly chemical-like way? The closest food flavor I can compare it to is that it tastes almost chickeny, but I'm not worried that there's unlisted chicken because it really doesn't taste quite like that. It tastes a little like a cousin of the "canned" flavor that you get with canned products, but it's not quite the same. It also tastes vaguely umami-ish, but not in the good way of, say, MSG.
These products usually have a very simple ingredient list, often not even any preservatives nor a generic "spices" item. For example, the item that inspired this question contains simply: eggplant, green pepper, red pepper, bulb onion, tomato paste, sunflower oil, hot pepper, garlic, salt, sugar.
Is there such thing as a "glass jar" flavor akin to the particular "canned" flavor that canned foods get? Or, could it be sunflower oil? I think a lot of these products are made with sunflower oil, which I don't knowingly encounter in a lot of other contexts. But googling about it makes it seem like just another neutral vegetable oil that nobody finds too obtrusive.
Any ideas? Or at least someone else who can attest to this and make me feel less nuts?
The subject of inquiry: vegetarian condiments/spreads that are very loosely in the ajvar and/or "eggplant caviar" family, usually made partly or mostly with eggplant, sold in glass jars (NOT canned), imported from places like Russia, elsewhere in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, or the Caucasus.
Many (but not all) of these have a certain taste that I find off-putting. It's kind of... savory? But in a slightly chemical-like way? The closest food flavor I can compare it to is that it tastes almost chickeny, but I'm not worried that there's unlisted chicken because it really doesn't taste quite like that. It tastes a little like a cousin of the "canned" flavor that you get with canned products, but it's not quite the same. It also tastes vaguely umami-ish, but not in the good way of, say, MSG.
These products usually have a very simple ingredient list, often not even any preservatives nor a generic "spices" item. For example, the item that inspired this question contains simply: eggplant, green pepper, red pepper, bulb onion, tomato paste, sunflower oil, hot pepper, garlic, salt, sugar.
Is there such thing as a "glass jar" flavor akin to the particular "canned" flavor that canned foods get? Or, could it be sunflower oil? I think a lot of these products are made with sunflower oil, which I don't knowingly encounter in a lot of other contexts. But googling about it makes it seem like just another neutral vegetable oil that nobody finds too obtrusive.
Any ideas? Or at least someone else who can attest to this and make me feel less nuts?
Are these eggplants grilled, smoked, or roasted to a char and you’re tasting the burn?
posted by kapers at 8:34 PM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by kapers at 8:34 PM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
The inner lid of a glass jar usually has some kind of plasticy lining- maybe give that a sniff in case you're tasting it?
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:09 PM on August 31, 2022
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:09 PM on August 31, 2022
I like ajvar but I would say it has a bitter, burnt taste. I think this could be partly from the type of eggplant, but is mainly from the vegetables (such as the peppers) being charred.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:52 AM on September 1, 2022
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:52 AM on September 1, 2022
I think the eggplants are usually charred before being blended up for these things and I wouldnt be surprised if some pumpkin flavor is also getting in there because there's a lot of pumpkin puree type "caviar" products sold by the same manufacturers.
posted by WeekendJen at 6:46 AM on September 2, 2022
posted by WeekendJen at 6:46 AM on September 2, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by derrinyet at 5:17 PM on August 31, 2022 [5 favorites]