How to Get Rid of Pork Smell in Soup: 12 Tips for Neutralizing Odors

Pork can add great flavor to soups and stews. However, the distinct smell of pork isn’t always desirable, especially in lighter broths. luckily, there are easy ways to neutralize or prevent pork odors from your homemade soups.

In this article, I’ll share 12 clever tricks to help get rid of pork smell in soup stock, ramen, pho, and other recipes. With the right ingredients and techniques, you can enjoy pork dishes without the bothersome smells.

Why Does Pork Smell?

Pork has a reputation for having a strong, gamey odor. This is mainly caused by compounds formed when pigs eat certain foods:

• Androstenone – A pheromone in boar saliva
• Skatole – Formed during tryptophan digestion
• Indole – Produced by gut bacteria

These substances accumulate in fatty tissue and are released when pork is cooked causing unpleasant smells and flavors.

12 Tips for Neutralizing Pork Smells in Soup

Here are my top tips for getting rid of or preventing pork odors in your soups:

1. Soak in Vinegar Water

Cover pork in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water before adding to soup, The acid helps draw out impurities,

2. Blanch the Pork

Quickly plunging pork into boiling water for 1 minute then shocking in ice water helps reduce odors.

3. Use Aromatic Vegetables

Cook pork with lots of onions, leeks, scallions, garlic, ginger or fennel. Their aromas help mask pork smells.

4. Add Acidic Ingredients

Tomatoes, wine, lemon juice, vinegar, tamarind, and other souring agents balance pork’s odor profile.

5. Use Bold Spices

Liberally season soup with pepper, coriander, cumin, cloves and other pungent spices. Their aromas cover up pork smells.

6. Include Herbs

Herbs like cilantro, parsley, basil, mint, thyme and sage provide fresh, strong scents that override pork odors.

7. Simmer with Coffee

Adding a few teaspoons of coffee when simmering pork soup provides an intense flavor that camouflages smells.

8. Smoke the Pork

Smoking pork first gives it a charred, grilled aroma that is more pleasant than raw pork smells.

9. Saute Aromatics First

Brown onions, garlic, ginger etc. in the pot before adding pork. This infuses the cooking liquid with their aromas.

10. Use Chicken or Vegetable Broth

For a lighter soup, cook pork in chicken or veggie broth instead of pork stock. They have milder smells.

11. Skim Impurities

As soup simmers, skim off and discard fat, scum and impurities that rise to the top. This removes odor sources.

12. Let Soup Rest

After cooking, refrigerate soup overnight. This allows smells to mellow out and fuse together more harmoniously.

Enjoy Deliciously Scented Pork Soup

With the right blend of ingredients and cooking techniques, you can make pork soup that smells as delicious as it tastes. Strategically using vegetables, spices, broths and acids neutralizes unpleasant odors from the pork.

Next time you notice bothersome smells in your pork soup, try adding a splash of vinegar or searing aromatics first. Soon you’ll be enjoying bowls of ramen, pho and stew with all the flavor but none of the funky smells.