I just finished making ganache in the microwave and I think I got a little ahead of myself. After I stirred the mixture it was still lumpy and I put it in the microwave again. When I took it out the mixture was bubbly sort of like boiling. The ganache consistency seems normal but has a sort of burnt chocolate smell. I don't know if that smell is because I used cheap chocolate or I burnt it. Is there any other ways you can tell if you burned the ganache like consistency?

It more than likely burned in the microwave. I always boil my cream and pour it over the chopped chocolate and then cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit a bit then whisk. I also use my food processor and chop the chocolate finely and add the boiling cream and mix in that. Hope that helps.

Oh yes, it is burnt. Microwaving chocolate is tricky. The good news is that you may be able to save it.

Let it cool. Taste to see that it hasn't developed any hard crystals. It may have separated. If you stick it in the fridge & get streaks of fat or fat on top it has separated, but you can still use it. Unless it has the crystals, I still use it for filling. I don't use it for decoration. It won't ever be right for that.

I hate microwaving chocolate personally, some people dont have a problem . When I make ganache I boil the cream and just pour it on the chocolate and than stir. Hasnt failed me yet

If you can smell burning, it is not salvageable. That taste will permeate the whole thing. If it was simply hot, then DeliciousDesserts' advice would be correct. But burned is burned.

In the future, yes boil the cream and pour it over the chocolate.

Thanks guys! I ended up not using it after all but I have some very useful information for next time.