Shelf Life Of Spices

Love your spices and do not mind adding a bit of pepper here and there to fire up your fare. Well, there is little denying on how an extra dash of jalapeño can ‘pepper up’ your slaw and get your tongue wagging. Spices have been deemed as the essence of all cuisines and unless you hail from Middle America or Great Britain, you possibly cannot imagine your solid staples without turmeric, fenugreek, pepper and more. Spices not only boosts the flavor of any dish by tenfold, but also adds years to your life. There cannot be anything more delectable than spicy hot homemade meal, piquant enough to spice up your buds and hot enough to get the sweat bullets shooting down. All said and done, spices tends to lose their bite overtime and hence need to be stored and used in the right way to retain much of their flavor and flare. If you are wondering on the shelf life of your spice rack essentials, then surfing down this article should leave you with a better understanding of this. To know more on the shelf life of herbs and spices, read on.

 

 

Salt has served as a ubiquitous part of all culinary delights and has come to bill itself as the most indispensable ingredient on our spice racks. These salty crystals, essentially made of sodium chloride, thankfully come with no expiry date and can last you for eternity unless contaminated by dirt or chemicals.

 

If you love to gorge on hot and spicy food and can’t do without some hot pepper on your chicken vindaloo, then these spicy hot black corns are sure to find room on your spice rack. However, pepper normally tends to lose its strength after a couple of years and is best consumed within a year.

 

Can’t think of your black bean hummus, kebabs and koftas without a dash of highly aromatic cumin? Cumin is another very common kitchen rack basic and features in almost all yummy staples of Moroccan, Turkish, Indian and even Mediterranean cuisines. Cumin like most other spices does not get spoil but can lose its essence and perk over time. If stored in cool dry area, cumin can retain its vigor for six months.

 

Coriander is best relished for its earthy, pungent, strong taste and has been generously used for eons now to savor up sausages, curries, pickles and dishes. This musty spice, made of roasted coriander seeds, is better consumed within six months, as it tends to go low on its zest after that.

Your pork tenderloin, pies and pudding are almost bland without the bitter sweet, highly aromatic and mildly warm nutmeg that has ruled the palate of all gastrophiles for a long, long time. Technically, nutmeg never goes bad, but yes, the flavor does fade with time. Hence, it is good if you consume this spicy sweet spice within a year.

 

Whether you wish to whip up a Thai salad or try your hand in Caribbean cooking, you cannot really miss out on good old ginger. Feted for its spicy zest and warm flavor, ginger has been the delight of all Asian cuisines. Fresh ginger can last you up to a week or two, if stored properly while dried ginger can last you forever.

 

Love hellishly hot meals, spicy enough to burn a hole in your tummy? Then allspice is sure to feature among your spice jars. Ground allspice however tends to lose its potency after six months although whole spiceberries should last you uptil a year.

 

This earthy pungent leaf from laurel tree, with its tough and spiky build, has been an indispensable ingredient in bouillabaisse, kebabs, marinara sauces and beef stews and can last you up to 3-4 years if stored in airtight jars.

 

Cardamom is a chef’s most favorite spice and can be absolutely addictive with its sensational flavor. Cardamom pods can last you for a couple of years if stored in dry and dark places.

 

Shelf Life Of Herbs, Leaves, Whole And Ground Spices