Spices & Herbs
Keeping food fresh by drying it is simple if you live in an area with year-round sunlight. This may be the best option for those who reside abroad or prefer the convenience of a home food dehydrator. Spices may be preserved for a long time by dehydrating them. You may utilize them all year round by crushing or grinding them into powders. Using a dehydrator simplifies the process tremendously.
Keep spices as a whole and use them as you use sun-dried vegetables and fruits or grind them up to create your spice powder (similar to cayenne powder). With hot water, they may be rehydrated and used in many recipes.
Herb Harvesting and Preparation
Nearly all herbs may be dried in a dehydrator, but some, including basil, oregano, tarragon, lemon balm, and mint, work exceptionally well. They will mould if you don't use a dehydrator, dryer, or some other fast-drying technique on these herbs.
When the buds are complete, the ideal time to pick herbs is right before the first flowers bloom. Collect them as soon as the dew has dried in the morning. To eliminate moisture, gently shake the spices after rinsing them in cold water. Avoid rubbing the leaves dry to avoid bruising them. Discard any leaves that have blemishes or other irregularities.
Remove any long stems or bruised leaves from the spice before putting it in the dehydrator. It's okay to dehydrate the leaves with a bit of the amount of branch still attached.
It's a time saver if you're attempting to go through your whole autumn garden before the end of the season. When the leaves are dried, they lose some of their quality if they are bruised or damaged. Before storage, remove the leaves from the stem once dehydration is complete.
The Recipe And Method To Dehydrate Spices
To begin, thoroughly clean and dry all of your herbs. Don't use anything except fresh herbs. Throw them away if they start to rot or exhibit any other symptoms of decay.
After that, remove the stems while wearing gloves and cut the thicker portion of the herb in half. If you'd like, you can dehydrate them whole, but they'll take longer. Working with peppers necessitates gloves since the oils in the peppers may burn your hands and leave a lasting impression.
Place the sliced or cut spices on the dehydrator trays and let them dry for several hours or overnight. To ensure an equal distribution of heat, spread them out evenly.
Set the dehydrator to a temperature of 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit or the setting recommended by your dehydrator.
Precautionary Measures:
I prefer to keep my dehydrator in the garage since it emits smells that you will notice over time. Allow the dehydrator to rest for anything from 5 to 24 hours. It'll almost certainly take more than 5 hours, depending on the stiffness of the herbs and the quantity you're dealing with. I set mine to turn on before going to bed and check it in the morning. The wet herbs should be dry by morning but keep them in longer if they aren't. When dealing with peppers, gloves are essential since the peppers' oils may burn your skin and create long-term discomfort. Also, since the powder of certain spices is very fine, they may seep into the air if you aren't working in a well-ventilated area, so you should wear a mask and goggles. Chilli peppers are said to be "extra spicy" for a reason. So, cover yourself completely, and also work in a ventilated or completely closed room.
How To Store Dry Ground Spices?
Dried Herbs should be kept in a cool, dry place. If feasible, it's usually preferable to keep dried herbs as entire leaves since this maintains their fragrance and tastes the best. You may then crush them right away before utilizing them. The only exception is when the herbs will be blended for use in teas; in this case, crushing the herbs right after drying before storing them is more practical.
Keep your spices and herbs in a sealed jar in a cold, dark, and dry place. Any sunlight or warmth can hasten the degradation of dried herbs, so resist the temptation to leave them out in the open. Use the herbs within six months to a year for the most incredible taste.
Use the spice powder right once or store it in baggies or containers. Please keep it in a dark location, such as your pantry, to keep it fresh.
How Much Amount Of Spice Powder Will You Receive?
One pound of fresh chilli peppers yields about 4 ounces of dried pods. It should produce 3/4 cup spice powder when ground down.
It depends upon the kind of spice or herb you are using. dry spices or herbs yield a slightly high amount of powder as compared to wet spices or herbs.
What Is The Best Way To Make Cinnamon Powder At Home?
Ingredients
1 cup cinnamon sticks, broken
1 tbsp sugar (brown)
Directions
What is the best way to produce cinnamon powder at home?
1. Roasting whole cinnamon and then grinding it into a fine powder may be used to make this. 1 tbsp brown sugar, (for one cup cinnamon sticks).
2. Dry roast cinnamon in a pan over low heat for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and place the toasted cinnamon on a large dish. Allow it to cool thoroughly before using.
1 tbsp brown sugar + 1 tbsp roasted cinnamon sticks = 1 tbsp roasted cinnamon sticks
Cinnamon powder prepared at home is ready to use.
What is the best way to stock it?
Keep in a cold, dry location in an airtight container.
You can manufacture it in large quantities. A small amount may be kept in a bottle for daily usage, while the remainder should be stored in the refrigerator.
It's ideal if you utilize it within three months after receiving it.
Tasty Tip:
If you want a very fine powder, this is the way to go. The mixture should be sieved.
Cinnamon may also be ground without sugar. Sugar is used for crushing cinnamon into a fine powder because it generates friction. If you desire to make cinnamon sugar add 2 cups cinnamon and 1 Tbsp (Tablespoons) monk fruit sweetener or preferred choice sugar.
How to Make Spice for Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin season has here, which makes me very pleased. I adore all things pumpkin! I usually create my pumpkin pie spice before starting my fall-winter baking marathon. It's effortless to create. To make your batch, all you need is 5 minutes and five spices. Making your own is less expensive than purchasing a jar from the shop. I'm sure you already have ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground cloves in your spice cupboard. All you have to do now is fit them together! Making my own also allows me to create smaller quantities, which aids the spices to retain their taste.
Ingredients
cinnamon powder, three tablespoons
2 tbsp ginger powder
2 tbsp nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon allspice powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground
1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground
Directions
1. Whisk together cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and cloves in a small basin until thoroughly mixed. Place in a small jar or container to store.
Spice up your favourite autumn pies, muffins, pastries, and cakes with pumpkin pie spice. It's also great with whipped cream, yogurt, lattes, porridge, and roasted autumn vegetables. It's a wonderful spice to keep on hand throughout the colder months of the year.
It's also a present great idea! I like to package the spice mixture in a beautiful jar and present it to my friends and family. A loaf of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread or Pumpkin Pie is typically included. It's always a good time to spread the pumpkin love!
Happy baking!
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