Eight Easy Tips for Cooking with Spices and Herbs

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Eight Easy Tips for Cooking with Spices and Herbs

1. Ground spices release their flavor more quickly than whole spices. Ground spices, such as ground thyme or ground cumin, can be used in recipes with short cooking times or can be added near the end of cooking for recipes with longer cooking times.
2. Whole spices need a longer time to release their flavor. They work well in longer-cooking recipes like soups and stews.
3. Robust herbs such as sage, thyme and bay leaves stand up well over long cooking times, while milder herbs like basil, marjoram and parsley should be added at the last minute for best results. This is especially true for fresh herbs.
4. Rub leafy herbs in the palm of your hand to release the flavor and aroma. To double a recipe, increase spices and herbs by one-and-a-half times to start. Taste, and add more seasonings if necessary.
5. Spices and seeds such as fennel, cumin, sesame seeds and white peppercorns may be toasted to intensify their flavors. Simply add the spice to a dry, heated skillet and toast until aromatic, stirring occasionally.
6. The best way to grind whole spices and seeds is with a small electric coffee grinder or spice mill. A pepper mill or mortar and pestle may also be used.
7. Avoid sprinkling spices and herbs directly from the bottle into a steaming pot. Repeated exposure to heat and moisture will hasten flavor loss and could result in caking. Instead, measure them into a cup, measuring spoon or bowl and then add them.
8. Use a completely dry measuring spoon when dipping it into a spice or herb.
By: Allrecipes Staff Content provided by McCormick®
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