Is there any chance that a food processor will crush these things up, or just make them dizzy?
Is there any chance that a food processor will crush these things up, or just make them dizzy?
Hi K, I have never used a food processer for them, not even my mini one. I just use a morter and pestal and that works well for me. If you have a mini processor I think it might work better than a large one. Good luck.
I don't have a mortar and pestle, so it looks like a hammer and plastic bag or small cast iron skillet to crush them. That's pretty much what I figured but I thought I'd just send it out there anyway in case someone had had good luck with it...
K; are they not somewhat pliable? crush them with your rolling pin. Place the berries between sheets of wax paper, and press down firmly. Might need to use a small plastic bag instead. (sandwich?) Hammer might be 'over-kill".
Al dente, you are probably right in the over-kill. Plastic bag and rolling pin would be a good way to go. I love my mortar & pestle a lot and use it often. It is one of those things that I think every kitchen should have. If I have just a few nuts to chop fine that is what I use it for also.
No al dente' and BR, they are not pliable in the least little bit, despite their "berry" name--these little gems are just like peppercorns, hard and dry. Only bigger!
Where is that hammer, anyway.....
I know, thats why I use the motar & Pestle. It is better to have them whole like most spices they have a much longer pantry life. I actually use them in different brines, but then I just crush them a little and also whole.
Now that I've finally found them at a reasonable price I can't wait to brine something with them, that was my first thought after the Jamaican jerk chicken craving! What kind of mixes have you found particularly successful when brining?
I'm always on the lookout for new combinations, no chicken or pork dish stands un-brined around here!
K, I had to go downstairs and look into my spice tower to see what I use. I do not measure anything and I put in what ever I am feeling for that day. Here is what I use. 1 Tsp of pickling spice, 1/2 star anise, 3-4 coriander seeds, sml piece of cinnamon, 3-4 allspice berries, 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds, 3-4 whole black pepper corns, 1 bay leaf, 2-3 whole cloves, sml piece ginger or a couple of pieces of crystallized ginger, couple of crushed fenugreek seeds, couple Tbs of Turbinado sugar, 1 orange peel, 3/4 cup of pickling salt or kosher salt. This would go into probably 2 gal of water. You can adjust to taste, and sometimes I use just a big spoonful of chinese 5 spice and some pickling spice with the salt and sugar. I am always changing it up. I don't know if this is any help to you, as I said, I do not measure most of the time. Lots of these combo's go really well with salmon. Hope you try.
You have a spice TOWER??? Wow, I thought that my four shelves were out of control--please post a picture if you can! I'm just trying to imagine what a spice tower might look like...
I already use a lot of those mentioned, but you have also given me some new ideas, too. I won't touch salmon unless it's been done MY way--poached in pickling spice, salt, garlic, lemon, maybe some white wine if it's around....maybe the orange peel would be the new twist that I am looking for...
Thanks!
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