Should spices be used whole or ground? How to use spices better?

We all know that spices are a common condiment. There are many types of spices. Different spices have different functions and are suitable for making different foods. Many people use spices when cooking. The use of spices is also very particular. So is it better to crush the spices or use them whole? Let's take a closer look!

Is it better to crush the spices or use them whole?

First: crushed spices are suitable for adding to stir-fry base, such as: grilled fish base, roast beef, stewed meat, etc...

Second: Add oil and stir-fry all the spices over low heat to release the flavor! Adding green onions, onions, carrots and celery can extract compound spices, and the marinade is mainly based on compound spices.

Normally we don't crush them! We do need to crush them when there is a special cooking requirement. But this processing method has a prerequisite, that is, the spices must be clean and classified before crushing so that unnecessary ingredients can be removed in advance, such as some spice seeds. In addition, there is no need to crush spices that are too small without special requirements! Crushing spices naturally has its advantages, such as fast and strong aroma and easy mixing and use in quantity ratio! But it also has its shortcomings, such as the flavor of some broken spices will change, it is inconvenient to remove odors in advance, and the scope of use is relatively limited, and storage requires carefulness! So you have to choose according to the actual situation. There is no absolute answer, practicality is best!

Advantages and disadvantages of crushing spices

advantage:

1. Quick and uniform flavor

There are many large pieces of spices we use, such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, etc., and many small pieces, such as cloves, peppercorns, etc. If these spices are mixed together in proportion and put into the spice bag, the small pieces of spices will quickly release their fragrance when put into the brine, while the large pieces of raw materials must be braising for more than half an hour before they can release their flavor, so the fragrance is not so consistent. However, after the spices are broken into pieces, they can basically release their flavor at the same time and quickly.

2. Helps maintain flavor

After the spices are crushed, the fragrance will be released faster, but the fragrance will not last long, so crushed spices must be added every time the marinade is braised. This operation can keep the flavor of the marinade unchanged.

shortcoming:

1. The brine color tends to turn black

Many of the spices we use contain melanin, which are easier to dissolve in brine after being crushed. Long-term braising will make the brine darker and darker, which is not suitable for those who have high requirements for the color of the finished braised meat.

2. Not conducive to removing the odor of the spices themselves

Spices have many peculiar smells and bitter tastes, especially bitter spices, which usually need to be soaked for a long time or soaked in white wine to remove the peculiar smell in the spices. If they are crushed, it is not convenient to remove the peculiar smell, and the peculiar smell may be brought into the brine, causing the brine to turn black or bitter.

The pros and cons of using whole spices

Advantages: Keep the brine from turning black

This is exactly the disadvantage of crushing the spices. The spices can be soaked, cleaned and then packaged before use. This can not only remove the odor of the spices themselves to the greatest extent, but also prevent the brine from turning black.

Disadvantages: Not conducive to maintaining flavor

Break the large pieces of spices into small pieces to make them uniform in size, and use one spice bag two or three times to make use of the slow release of fragrance. If the quality of the spices is uneven, the fragrance will become weaker and weaker after two or three uses, and the flavor of the finished product will be slightly different.

To sum up, I think the effect of using whole or crushed spices is not much different. Instead of worrying about whether crushed spices are better or whole, it is better to say that the ratio of spices to brine is more important.

Many friends think that crushing spices will save spices, but I don’t think so. Although the amount of crushed spices used each time is small, they still need to be added every time the meat is braised. The amount of whole spices used is large, but they can be used two or three times. In comparison, the cost of the two methods of use is similar.