....on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding
the liquids or after?
BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
questions
http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F..._tit_5_rdssss0

On Jan 31, 1:26*pm, Scott > wrote:
> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding
> the liquids or after?
> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
> questionshttp://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F...790830/ref=cm_...

It might matter. I prefer to put the spices in at a point where they
can
fry a bit in the oil, after the onions are sweated out (maybe about
the
time the garlic goes in). I feel it helps them release their flavor.
Dried
herbs go in with the liquid.

Of course, I'm a wee bit obsessive-compulsive. You can probably add
them
at any point and be perfectly happy.

Cindy Hamilton

"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding the
> liquids or after?
> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
> questions
> http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F..._tit_5_rdssss0

It depends upon the herb or spice. Basil is added near the end as is
marjoram. You will have to investigate individual spices to find out.
Janet

Sqwertz wrote:

> On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:26:31 -0600, Scott wrote:
>
> > ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and
> > herbs? For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat
> > before adding the liquids or after?

> It's best to add chile powders and seed spices (like cumin)
> before you add liquids so the spices will have a chance to fry in
> any oils in the pan. This releases their flavor.


What Steve said. If you don't have good vent system, be a little
careful at this stage as it can produce some powerful vapor if you're
using hot chiles.




Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

On Thu 31 Jan 2008 11:32:46a, Cindy Hamilton told us...

> On Jan 31, 1:26*pm, Scott > wrote:
>> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
>> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding
>> the liquids or after?
>> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
>> questionshttp://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F.../dp/1584790830
>> /r ef=cm_...
>
> It might matter. I prefer to put the spices in at a point where they
> can
> fry a bit in the oil, after the onions are sweated out (maybe about
> the
> time the garlic goes in). I feel it helps them release their flavor.
> Dried
> herbs go in with the liquid.
>
> Of course, I'm a wee bit obsessive-compulsive. You can probably add
> them
> at any point and be perfectly happy.

Of course we might both be OCD (I've been called worse), but I totally
agree. The spices in at a point when they can cook with the fat, the herbs
in with the liquid.

> Cindy Hamilton
>



--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Wednesday, 01(I)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
We're lost, but we're making good time.
*******************************************

Default User > wrote in message
...
> Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:26:31 -0600, Scott wrote:
>>
>> > ...on the timing or at what stage you should add
>> > your spices and herbs? For example with chili
>> > do you add the spices to the meat before adding
>> > the liquids or after?
>> >
>> It's best to add chile powders and seed spices (like
>> cumin) before you add liquids so the spices will have
>> a chance to fry in any oils in the pan. This releases
>> their flavor.
>>
> What Steve said. If you don't have good vent system,
> be a little careful at this stage as it can produce some
> powerful vapor if you're using hot chiles.

Is this the voice of experience giving this sound warning?

The "Vapored2" Ranger

The Ranger wrote:

> Default User > wrote in message
> ...
> > Sqwertz wrote:

> > > It's best to add chile powders and seed spices (like
> > > cumin) before you add liquids so the spices will have
> > > a chance to fry in any oils in the pan. This releases
> > > their flavor.
> > >
> > What Steve said. If you don't have good vent system,
> > be a little careful at this stage as it can produce some
> > powerful vapor if you're using hot chiles.
>
> Is this the voice of experience giving this sound warning?

Yes, yes it is. Not as the bad as the time I tried to make blackened
Cajun chicken without proper ventilation, where I actually had to leave
the house temporarily.




Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

In article >,
Scott > wrote:

> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding
> the liquids or after?

Dried herbs should be added early on; fresh ones late in the game.
AFA chili con carne, I read somewhere that adding the chili powder with
the browning meat is the way to go; that 'burning' it some (the powder)
is an okay thing.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; check the second note and
tell me if you knowwhat it is.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Default User > wrote:

>Sqwertz wrote:

>> On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:26:31 -0600, Scott wrote:

>> > ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and
>> > herbs? For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat
>> > before adding the liquids or after?

>> It's best to add chile powders and seed spices (like cumin)
>> before you add liquids so the spices will have a chance to fry in
>> any oils in the pan. This releases their flavor.

>What Steve said. If you don't have good vent system, be a little
>careful at this stage as it can produce some powerful vapor if you're
>using hot chiles.

That's true -- the indigenous people of the Southwest used to
sometimes off their enemies by throwing flaming chili pods into their
underground kivas.

Steve

On Jan 31, 12:26*pm, Scott > wrote:
> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding
> the liquids or after?
> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
> questionshttp://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F...790830/ref=cm_...

Some herbs get bitter if they're in the mix too long, so those should
go in last. I don't recall which - just repeating something I saw on
TeeVee. ;-) I think I'd probably either follow the recipe's
directions, or experiment a little.

"Scott" wrote

> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding the
> liquids or after?

Depends on the cooking method and if you are willing to 're-spice' later
with more.

For example, I do a great deal of crockpot cooking. Timing of spicing makes
a huge difference there if added only at the start as some will totally
subsume due to the long slow cooking. Some say this means you should only
spice near the end, but you dont get the same rich depth of flavor if you do
it that way.
(Tactic that works best, spice at start, then re-spice at about 2 hours
before done, if leaving heated for days, be prepared to add some spices
again daily- A crockpot specific there).

> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
> questions
> http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F..._tit_5_rdssss0

Alton Brown! We've been enjoying him on TV. He does in fact have some
decent tips.

Scott > wrote:

> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?

Yes, it does matter a lot and the stage depends both on the spice/herb
and the dish or method of its preparation. It all depends. For
example, cloves generally should be put into marinades together with the
other ingredients; into dough or minced meat before cooking it; into
most other meat dishes about 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking;
into broths and soups about 3-5 minutes before the end of cooking. This
is just an example/suggestion.

Victor

Scott wrote:
> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?

Depends which spices, which herbs, and what's cookin'.

Some spices for particular dishes are best dry toasted or sauted in
oil. Some fresh herbs like garlic may be sauted first, or not. Dried
herbs really should be rehydrated in cold water prior to using,. they
won't fully rehydrate in acidic/hot liquids, especially tomato. With
many dishes I like to add spices and herbs in layers, that is add a
bit periodically throughout the cooking... especially with fresh herbs
like garlic and onion, for example a lot of the aroma/flavor or garlic
added at the beginning of a stew will disapate, so it's a good idea to
add more spaced out up until the last 20 minutes or so.. add a fat
clove towards the end that has been cross cut partially through so it
can release flavor and be easily fished out. Mostly how one uses
spices and herbs depends on how well one wants to cook... some just
dump everything in, walk away, and hope for the best... others
actually involve themselves intimately throughout the entire cooking
process. Books really won't make you a cook, in fact anyone who
relies on cook books can't cook, and never will. Using a cook book to
cook is like watching golf on TV and think they'll become Tiger Woods.

"Sheldon" wrote

> Depends which spices, which herbs, and what's cookin'.

Yes, that it does.

> Some spices for particular dishes are best dry toasted or sauted in
> oil. Some fresh herbs like garlic may be sauted first, or not. Dried
> herbs really should be rehydrated in cold water prior to using,. they
> won't fully rehydrate in acidic/hot liquids, especially tomato. With

I had never thought about that. But then I should have as I use many asian
additives like seaweeds and dried shiitake (or other dried shrooms).

> many dishes I like to add spices and herbs in layers, that is add a
> bit periodically throughout the cooking... especially with fresh herbs

Essential with crockpot cookery and one of the reasons why folks new to
crockpots often abandon them for anything 'fancy'. It's rarely mentioned in
any crockpot books or recipes that you re-spice as needed.

> like garlic and onion, for example a lot of the aroma/flavor or garlic
> added at the beginning of a stew will disapate, so it's a good idea to
> add more spaced out up until the last 20 minutes or so.. add a fat

For a crockpot, widen that spacing out but yes.

> clove towards the end that has been cross cut partially through so it
> can release flavor and be easily fished out. Mostly how one uses

Oddly thats one that doesnt seem to need to be readded if whole at the start
with a crockpot and I do not know why.

> spices and herbs depends on how well one wants to cook... some just
> dump everything in, walk away, and hope for the best... others

Hehehe many crockpot recipes are just like that and they do work that way
with *some* of them.

> actually involve themselves intimately throughout the entire cooking
> process. Books really won't make you a cook, in fact anyone who
> relies on cook books can't cook, and never will. Using a cook book to
> cook is like watching golf on TV and think they'll become Tiger Woods.

Perhaps, but there's nothing wrong with having a cookbook to spark an idea
to grow off from for something even better. Following them to the pedantic
letter of the recipe is what is wrong with the idea of a cookbook. Only
with a breadmaker, am I all that exact and even then, I vary things a bit to
suit myself on the spicing etc.

I think of cookbooks as a springboard to better ideas.

Steve Pope wrote:

> Default User > wrote:
>
> >Sqwertz wrote:
>
> >> On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:26:31 -0600, Scott wrote:
>
> >> > ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and
> >> > herbs? For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat
> >> > before adding the liquids or after?
>
> >> It's best to add chile powders and seed spices (like cumin)
> >> before you add liquids so the spices will have a chance to fry in
> >> any oils in the pan. This releases their flavor.
>
> >What Steve said. If you don't have good vent system, be a little
> >careful at this stage as it can produce some powerful vapor if you're
> >using hot chiles.
>
> That's true -- the indigenous people of the Southwest used to
> sometimes off their enemies by throwing flaming chili pods into their
> underground kivas.


Wow, now that's cool - death by chili pepper...!!!


--
Best
Greg

"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding the
> liquids or after?
> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
> questions
> http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F..._tit_5_rdssss0

It could matter. If you are cooking in a crockpot, the spices tend to
dissipate and you may need to add more at the end of cooking. Certain
things like garlic can burn easily so you'd want to make sure they didn't
cook for too long.

Default User > wrote:

>Yes, yes it is. Not as the bad as the time I tried to make blackened
>Cajun chicken without proper ventilation, where I actually had to leave
>the house temporarily.

The times I have had to clear the house were when I simply
forgot that the New Mexico chiles in the toaster oven had
toasted enough, and they started totally fuming. This has
happened about three times. It is an amazing waste of chiles
and also you cannot breath at all.

Steve

On 31 Jan 2008 21:22:26 GMT, Default User > wrote:
> The Ranger wrote:
>> Is this the voice of experience giving this sound warning?
>
> Yes, yes it is. Not as the bad as the time I tried to make blackened
> Cajun chicken without proper ventilation, where I actually had to leave
> the house temporarily.

Oh yes.. Try chopping fresh habaneros in a food processor for hot sauce without
an *exceptional* ventilation system. A whole new definition of tear gas...

--
Jerry Gaiser in North Plains, Oregon USA - 45.6933N 123.0418W
"Seize the moment. Think of all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off
the dessert cart." - Erma Bombeck

Sqwertz wrote:
> On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:26:31 -0600, Scott wrote:
>
>> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and herbs?
>> For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before adding
>> the liquids or after?
>> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
>> questions
>> http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F..._tit_5_rdssss0
>
> It's best to add chile powders and seed spices (like cumin)
> before you add liquids so the spices will have a chance to fry in
> any oils in the pan. This releases their flavor.
>
> -sw

That explains a couple of recipes I seen for lasagna that saute crushed
red peppers along with the meat. Thanks...your OK, I don't care what
other people post about you here.

Nancy2 wrote:
I think I'd probably either follow the recipe's
> directions, or experiment a little.

Something tells me that I lot of recipes are written by unskilled cooks.

On Fri 01 Feb 2008 07:16:06a, Scott told us...

> Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:26:31 -0600, Scott wrote:
>>
>>> ...on the timing or at what stage you should add your spices and
>>> herbs? For example with chili do you add the spices to the meat before
>>> adding the liquids or after?
>>> BTW I just ordered this book so I don't have to ask any more stupid
>>> questions
>>> http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-F...0830/ref=cm_lm
>>> f_tit_5_rdssss0
>>
>> It's best to add chile powders and seed spices (like cumin)
>> before you add liquids so the spices will have a chance to fry in
>> any oils in the pan. This releases their flavor.
>>
>> -sw
>
> That explains a couple of recipes I seen for lasagna that saute crushed
> red peppers along with the meat. Thanks...your OK, I don't care what
> other people post about you here.

Heh, Steve's not a bad sort. Ya just have to get to know him.

--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Wednesday, 01(I)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
We're lost, but we're making good time.
*******************************************