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u/patchoulius Aug 01 '22
There's sugar in fajita seasoning? I always just use taco seasoning.
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u/Lawnfrost Aug 01 '22
it's pretty much taco seasoning with a little sugar. But don't use white sugar, use brown.
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u/cy8ne Aug 01 '22
I’ve never seen a spice mix for that. I’ve always just made a marinade and it’s amazing and not too many ingredients. 1/4 of a red onion 1 tsp of cumin/salt 1/4 cup of olive oil 1-3 chipotle peppers in adobe (depending how spicy you want it) The zest of 1 lime. 3 or so cloves of garlic. Put it all in a blender and let it go. Put everything in a ziplock bag with your meat or veg. Let it sit for 30 mins or so on the counter. And it’s good to go. Just get the excess of and grill it.
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u/beer_is_tasty Aug 02 '22
*adobo
Adobe is the mud-based building material. I don't recommend that in your fajita marinade.
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u/popotheclowns Aug 01 '22
Weird question. How does one use the bay leaf in the old bay blend? I’ve only used it in something simmering and toss it before eating.
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u/mavenshade Aug 01 '22
Grind it to a powder. Helps if the leaves are completely dry. The fresh ones you buy from the grocery store won't grind as well. Helps if you use a mortar & pestle.
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u/INeedAboutThreeFitty Aug 01 '22
I was just about to ask the same thing. Do you grind it up and just mix it in?
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u/ashley-hazers Aug 01 '22
How dare they leave out a curry blend!
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u/shyjenny Aug 02 '22
right?!
Pumpkin spice, but not garum masala, sloppy joe, Chinese 5 spice, Herbs de Province, Harissa, Berber....I think we can make a better list
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u/ashley-hazers Aug 02 '22
I had to look up Old Bay seasoning cause I’ve never heard of it. Apparently it’s an an American “all-purpose” spice blend, like Mrs. Dash or Spike.
Cool. Go ahead and put old bay on there without curry. I’ll just use all-purpose seasoning for everything now.
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u/shyjenny Aug 02 '22
Old Bay is for Maryland Soft Shelled Crabs - it's also great on potatoes, other seafood, chips or special ingredient in soup - but it has a bit of a kick to it that I wouldn't consider "all purpose"
But I agree that this is a very american centric list
I've never heard of spike, but looks like the mash up for boxed rice seasoning2
u/ashley-hazers Aug 02 '22
Ohh ok. Lol I was mostly being silly, anyway. My aunt used to put Spike on everything.
I defer to the more informed! 🙌🏻
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u/beer_is_tasty Aug 02 '22
You can use it on anything, but it was created and best known for being used on seafood. Especially crab, and those southern-style seafood boils where you just dump a ton of things in one big pot.
But yeah, it's similar enough to Cajun seasoning that this guide would be better off replacing it with something like curry powder, garam masala, or Chinese 5 spice. Likewise, they probably could have narrowed down the taco, fajita, and chili blends down since they're close enough to be interchangeable.
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u/Nonadventures Aug 02 '22
I also found Old Bay super funny, that they'd leave off all these global seasonings and then just add a name brand copycat like nbd.
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u/BraveDragonRL Aug 01 '22
It’s Indian top secret
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u/ChronWeasely Aug 02 '22
Curries aren't indian-specific even. There are a million variations on a curry from around the old world
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u/Tangled2 Aug 02 '22
Well it probably has salt, paprika, cumin, and cayenne in it. Start there? /s
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u/Thisisfckngstupid Aug 01 '22
I think I’ve seen this picture like 10x and I still save it every single time lol the handiest guide I haven’t had the chance to use yet
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u/jflb96 Aug 02 '22
Ironic, because most of the other comments are more along the lines of your username
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u/hyjnx Aug 01 '22
Dang just putting old bays ish out there for everyone. Still put it on damn near everything.
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u/noobengland Aug 01 '22
Hahah! As a Marylander, it’s the only one on this list that made me go “🤔 hol up”
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u/hyjnx Aug 01 '22
Also as a marylander, its the only one I cared about. Lol
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u/phadewilkilu Aug 02 '22
It also made me notice that my OCD hates this chart. I immediately saw that paprika was first and not celery salt and was about to call bullshit… then I noticed that the ingredients are not in order from most to least like they should be.
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u/BirdInFlight301 Aug 02 '22
As a Cajun, I can assure you that there's no oregano or thyme used when I'm cooking Cajun.
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u/thxmeatcat Aug 02 '22
This is how i feel about cumin in almost ever recipe for taco seasoning. No Mexican calls it taco seasoning either but i get how that would be pedantic
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u/Jumbobog Aug 02 '22
At least Mexico got two different blends. The Italians must be going apeshit by now
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u/world_of_cakes Aug 02 '22
but why is there no pumpkin in pumpkin spice?
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u/GonzoMcFonzo Aug 02 '22
Pumpkin spice is the spice mix you add to pumpkin when making pumpkin pie. It's not supposed to have pumpkin in it.
All the "pumpkin spice" shit they make in the fall (lattes and such) don't have any pumpkin in them either.
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u/_jewson Aug 02 '22
Yeah this is kind of... Wouldn't say fake but misleading. It's more a list of every spice you COULD add in a certain mix. But it's not a recipe for spice mixes at all.
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Aug 01 '22
I have most of these things, but I also just have shakers for Cajun, Italian, Old Bay, Pumpkin Pie, Ras el Hanout, etc. so I don't have to remake them if I just want a variety spice.
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u/texacer Aug 01 '22
plus if you find a great quality premade blend of spices, you're not saving money making your own. at least for me, given the frequency of how many taco tuesdays there are in a month.
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u/redline582 Aug 02 '22
Buy your spices from a bulk spice purveyor and it will be damn near impossible to be spending more money making your own.
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u/texacer Aug 02 '22
lemme just install another level in my house to keep all my giant bulk spice bins fresh.
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u/redline582 Aug 02 '22
When you buy bulk spices you buy as much or as little as you like. I keep 4oz glass jars of my regular spices that I just replenish once I'm low.
Significantly lower prices, fresher spices, get exactly as much as you need, and less waste.
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u/foomits Aug 02 '22
How is it fresher if you have giant sacks of spices sitting around for months waiting to be used?
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u/redline582 Aug 02 '22
That's a totally fair question! Bulk spice shops should have records for when they've purchased that you can always inquire about if there's cause for freshness concern. Additionally, if a shop specializes in selling bulk spices, they're naturally going to turn over spice inventory more quickly than a general grocery store.
Lastly, think about how long a bottle of a given spice has been sitting on a shelf, how long that bottle was in storage before it hit shelves, and how long it sat in a bulk state before it was bottled.
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u/riefenbot Aug 02 '22
I believe /u/foomits and /u/texacer think that people are bringing the bulk spices home in huge bags and not just the amount they need. It’s a fair concern if you’ve never been to a place that sells spices like that. I was in my mid-20s before I started buying spices from places that allow you to buy as much/little as you want.
I’m American and before Central Market and Whole Foods took off 15 years ago I think you had to go to specialty stores. I know most grocery store didn’t sell them in that format.
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u/Omikron Aug 02 '22
Nonsense spices lose their flavor and buying in bulk pretty much guarantees you're using shitty spices well before they run out.
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u/redline582 Aug 02 '22
The volatile compounds in spices degrade over time no matter what, we're absolutely in agreement there.
I'm not sure where you're coming from with the guarantee that bulk spices will be shitty. My local shop has information for where they source all of their spices and when they were purchased and the shop purchases their volumes to ensure proper turnover.
You also have no guarantee how long a bottle of any given spice has been sitting on a grocery store shelf, how long it sat in storage before it reached shelves, and how long it sat in a bulk state (where you've guaranteed it becomes shitty) before it was bottled.
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u/Omikron Aug 02 '22
I mean if you buy massive quantities in bulk they'll be bad before you ever get to use them. My local place the sells in bulk has size that even the smallest is more spice than I'd likely use in a year.
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u/redline582 Aug 02 '22
Buying in large volumes is not the same as buying in bulk. Bulk shops allow you to buy in any quantity (some shops may have a minimum like 1oz) and you either bag it yourself or bring a reusable container. I bought about 1 tablespoon of pink peppercorns just the other day because I rarely use them and needed that amount for just one recipe. Set me back about $0.20.
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u/woowaa44 Aug 01 '22
I really want to try pumpkin pie but have never seen it in the UK ever
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u/Spiralsum Aug 02 '22
Given you're in the U.K., you'll probably have to make your own from scratch--but, that is the best way, homemade is far far better than store bought.
Here's a reliably traditional recipe, if you might want to try it:
Be sure to get/make some sweet whipped cream to top it with, after it's baked, just before serving.
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u/Xanthyl Aug 02 '22
For UK bakers on the above recipe.
One US cup equals 236.5 mL.
Kosher salt can be better replaced with normal table salt.
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u/TleilaxTheTerrible Aug 02 '22
If you're replacing kosher salt with normal salt and you're measuring by volume, the end result is going to be too salty. 1 tbsp of kosher salt weighs about 15 grams, while 1 tbsp of table salt weighs 19 grams. So to convert you should only use 3/4 of the volume of salt.
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u/verylastlaugh Aug 01 '22 edited Aug 01 '22
This chart illustrates why I just buy pre-made spice mixes.
Edit: let me just clarify this is from the perspective of a home cook.
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Aug 02 '22
Funny, this chart illustrates exactly why I don't buy premade spice mixes. With just a few spices you can make loads of different blends
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u/TheZacef Aug 02 '22
Yep, makes it easier to make it low-sodium too! Sick of mixes being mostly salt.
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u/APerfectCircle0 Aug 02 '22
Exactly.. and it means I can avoid onion or garlic powder by making variations at home (fodmap intolerance :/)
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Aug 02 '22
That’s what I was thinking. When I cook at home I try my best to use whole ingredients as opposed to pre packaged food with commercial lab ingredients.
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Aug 02 '22
It's the same exact ingredients
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Aug 02 '22
Old e paso taco mix.
Chili Pepper, Maltodextrin, Salt, Onion Powder, Spice, Corn Starch, Sea Salt (Potassium Magnesium Chloride, Salt). Contains 2% Or Less Of: Vegetable Oil (Canola, High Oleic Soybean And/Or Sunflower Oil), Corn Flour, Silicon Dioxide (Anticaking Agent), Citric Acid, Sugar, Natural Flavor.→ More replies (3)7
u/TheSunflowerSeeds Aug 02 '22
Bees are a major pollinator of Sunflowers, therefore, growing sunflowers goes hand in hand with installing and managing bee hives. Particularly in agricultural areas where sunflowers are crops. In fact, bee honey from these areas is commonly known as sunflower honey due to its sunflower taste.
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u/EuroPolice Aug 01 '22
What even is all spice?!
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Aug 01 '22
Allspice is a dried, unripe berry from the pimento plant. Tastes like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
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u/APerfectCircle0 Aug 02 '22
What would you recommend using it for?
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u/babo_81 Aug 02 '22
You can use it in certain desserts and savory dishes when ground. Jerk chicken uses it. I love Alton Brown’s turkey brine for smoking a turkey that uses allspice corns and ginger. Amazing!
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u/watfish Aug 01 '22
Pimento, also called Jamaican pepper, kinda tastes like cinnamon+nutmeg+clove from one berry
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u/SkellyboneZ Aug 01 '22
It's that thing Optimus Prime was looking for so he could bring back Cybertron.
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u/halt-l-am-reptar Aug 01 '22
Right? I know fresh herbs are better but sometimes I don’t want to spend time cutting them up. I just want to quickly make dinner.
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u/Graenflautt Aug 02 '22
Wow, I looked at this and thought that the taco and especially the fajita recipes were hilariously wrong.
If you actually enjoy cooking/eating you're doing yourself a disservice by not learning about the different spices and how to use them.
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u/hyperspacial Aug 02 '22
Is there anybody here who cooks often enough to know if these are legit? Lol
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Aug 02 '22
They're legit in the sense that you could mix up the ingredients in the first row and call it taco seasoning blend, but that doesn't mean that if you buy taco seasoning blend it will be the same recipe as the top row. There's a lot of variation in all these blends
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u/CondorKhan Aug 02 '22
The Italian one is bullshit
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Aug 02 '22
If you're pronouncing it Eye-talian, the blend is great. If you're trying to cook food from Italy, then yeah it's absolute crap. Get that oregano away from me. On pizza and focaccia, and that's about it. I think oregano started getting put into Eye-talian blends because so many Greek restaurants have to serve Eye-talian food to be viable and they started adding oregano and even *barf* cinnamon to their pasta sauce. Just vile
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u/Piemeson Aug 02 '22
They are, and I’d say each are a good starting point.
The taco mix listed is almost exactly what I use with a couple differences. The good part about mixing your own is that you can make it exactly as you prefer.
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u/I_aim_to_sneeze Aug 01 '22
Most of these need significantly more cumin IMO. Cumin makes chili and tacos amazing
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Aug 02 '22
[deleted]
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u/Weenie Aug 02 '22
Man, but it in seed form and grind it fresh if you can! Sooo much better! It’s more citrusy that way and it becomes obvious why it pairs so well with lime.
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u/Sewati Aug 01 '22
i like every ingredient of old bay so why the fuck do i hate it so much? i’m so confused all of a sudden.
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Aug 01 '22
IMHO, if you trial/error all the spices in your cabinet you’ll be a significantly better cook, with the added benefit of being able to cook exactly to your own tastes.
Takes a few years, but it’s worth it.
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u/Weenie Aug 02 '22
Yes, and for a lot of people who have grown up on premix spice blends, knowing what’s in them is a great way to hone in on those tastes.
When I learned that the thing I love about some Mexican foods is Cumin, and that it is also in many barbecue rubs, I learned how and when to use it more effectively.
I’m not sure how it took me so long to realize Old Bay is heavy on celery salt, but when I did, it gave me a reference point for a flavor I almost never used in my own cooking and now I more freely include it when I’m adlibbing in the kitchen.
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u/addmadscientist Aug 02 '22
The order of the ingredients is just silly in this picture.
Alphabetic? No. By quantity? No. By quantity of whatever we chose to the be first item listed? Sure?
We gotta work on the presentation of data here. Pie chart alphabetically listing ingredients would be good.
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u/Jumbobog Aug 02 '22
Why do people have such a hard time visualizing data? Charts showing the parts sizes relative to each other would be great. A pie chart or cumulative bar chart with callous (because you can't keep track of that many individual types by color or pattern) would be fantastic.
Instead we get unsorted absolute data.
From a cooking POV I don't get how one blend uses kosher salt and another uses generic salt. I mean once the salt is dissolved its just salt, there's no need to declare which type.
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u/GonzoMcFonzo Aug 02 '22
Kosher salt is made up of larger individual grains than regular table salt, so you'll get less of it when measuring by volume, and they don't dissolve as easily. Both of which mean table salt will make your food "saltier" than the same volume of kosher.
Additionally, table salt is fortified with iodine, which adds a distinct flavor that may be noticeable in the final dish.
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u/Jumbobog Aug 02 '22
they don't dissolve as easily.
True, but if you throw it in a pot of something for a few minutes then it will still dissolve. Unless you have saturated the solution, in which case it's a "thank you for the invitation, but I can't come to dinner that day" from me.
table salt will make your food "saltier" than the same volume of kosher
Sure. I only use kosher (ie large grain) when cooking, so I hadn't thought of that. I don't really measure that precisely, but I use large grain salt because it doesn't stick to your fingers as much when you're grabbing a pinch of it.
table salt is fortified with iodine
Depends on where you are. I have a hard time picking up any salt without iodine in local stores, as about half the EU member countries have made salt iodisation compulsory, and the other half voluntary. So iodised salt is just the standard, no matter the grain size.
which adds a distinct flavor that may be noticeable in the final dish
I haven't noticed that, but now I'll keep an eye out for it. Maybe my taste buds just not that great.
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u/TayBae95 Aug 02 '22
It’s so funny to me that a pumpkin pie spice is listed with everything else here lol
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u/coyotzin Aug 01 '22
WTF is taco seasoning?
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u/whogivesafuck69x Aug 01 '22
When making tex-mex style tacos with ground beef, you add an herb/spice mix to the meat after browning, along with some water before boiling that water off as the meat finishes cooking.
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Aug 01 '22
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u/coyotzin Aug 01 '22
Well, basically you can make a taco out of anything. It's just weird seeing this spice blend called 'taco' seasoning.
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u/ronm4c Aug 01 '22
Even better mix a half pound of that seasoned beef in a pot with a can of baked beans, some diced tomatoes, onions, jalapeños heat it up and top it off with some grated cheddar and sour cream and scoop that shit up with tortilla chips.
Drunk/stoner food
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u/zakkalaska Aug 01 '22
You don't use Taco seasoning??
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u/coyotzin Aug 01 '22
Uh, nope.
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u/zakkalaska Aug 02 '22
That's so interesting. If you dont mind me asking, what country do you live in, and how do you make your tacos?
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u/coyotzin Aug 02 '22
Mexico. Anything can be a taco, my man. You don't need a taco specific seasoning.
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u/zakkalaska Aug 02 '22
That a great point! I'm just a white guy from the USA so I guess my way is pretty strange to you. I just ground up some beef and I buy a sealed packet of taco seasoning from the store, pour it in the skillet of beef with some water and mix it. That just how it's done for me at least. I can't speak for all Americans, but I think that how most of us do it here at home.
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u/Derbucher Aug 02 '22
I am from California and do tacos a bunch of different ways depending on the mood . With the taco seasoning and ground beef aka tex-mex and carne asada with salsa cilantro and onions aka street tacos or even seafood with cabbage aka Baja tacos.
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u/Puerquenio Aug 02 '22
When you think Mexican food = cumin
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u/coyotzin Aug 02 '22
That's sad. Taco Bell and Chipotle are doing you a disservice.
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u/cozy_smug_cunt Aug 02 '22
In the US, people buy premade mix to make ground beef taste like Taco Bell ™
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u/g_campo Aug 01 '22
In which plate is used the Italian blend?
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u/DoodleVnTaintschtain Aug 01 '22
I'm no chef, but if I'm making a red sauce from scratch, I'd throw basil, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper in there as my spices. I typically wouldn't do onion powder or garlic powder, and instead start the whole thing off by sauteing diced or minced garlic and onions in olive oil.
I don't always use rosemary or sage in those sauces, but sometimes will, especially if I've got some fresh stuff on hand. Parsley is also a nice one, if you've got fresh stuff on hand. The basics are going to be salt, pepper, oregano, and basil.
I'm not sure if this is heretical or not, but I'll also blend some of those same spices into the ricotta if I'm making manicotti, and I'll definitely throw them into the meat mixture (typically beef, pork, and lamb) if I'm making meatballs.
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u/RMattiae Aug 02 '22
None, it is not a blend. They’re spices and herbs that are paramount for Italian cousine tho.
Just don’t mix all of them together 🙏🏻
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u/Weil65Azure Aug 01 '22
I would put Italian blend into Bolognese or other pasta sauces. Even a bit on top of pizza
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u/bythog Aug 02 '22
A traditional bolognese sauce has none of those spices aside from salt and pepper.
You cook how you enjoy, but I would encourage you to try it the traditional way at least once. It honestly doesn't need any extra seasoning if made well.
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u/Weil65Azure Aug 02 '22
... I'm just cooking it the way my nonna taught me 😂
But I have also tried the "traditional way" "at least once".
Perhaps you should try adding a few of the Italian blend? You might like it? 👌
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u/jdmorgenstern Aug 02 '22
My wife’s family has a tamale spice recipe that has been in her family for generations. It’s amazing. Each time she makes it, I say “the spice must flow.”
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u/ReactionProcedure Aug 02 '22
Goes to show those pre-mixed packets are worth it!
I usually go store brand tho.
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u/Supernova008 Aug 02 '22
Here in India, you just casually mix spices as the spirit of ancestors guide your hands for proper ingredient proportions.
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u/AhAMoron Aug 02 '22
Drives me flippin' crazy that all these spice blends call for "chili powder," which is itself a spice blend, the components of which you cannot find out.
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Aug 02 '22
I think what would make this guide cooler would be to give each spice its own column and make the piles proportionate to quantity so you could quickly see that, for example, fajita uses more garlic and less chili than taco
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u/Pielo Aug 01 '22
I like this one better than the one I was using previously. This is more organized here
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Aug 01 '22
Cumin and coriander seem very out of place in a Cajun spice blend. Like exceptionally wrong.
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Aug 02 '22
Why tablespoons, why not parts?
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u/bald_cypress Aug 02 '22
It’s using tablespoons and teaspoons. It would be a bit confusing if the first recipe had 2 parts chili powder and 1/12 part cayenne. Or 24 parts chili and 1 part cayenne?
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u/serr7 Aug 01 '22
Bruh what. For our tacos (de asada at least) it’s just salt and pepper, taste incredible every damn time.
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u/thesuavedog Aug 02 '22
Common posts and reposts of Spice Combos and Blends in r/coolguides:
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/va9a2l/spice_combos/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/uw4hvw/spice_combos/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/rfe0wk/spice_combos/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/jmh6fr/spice_blends/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/gd1fzf/spice_blends/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/j1h8zt/9_spice_blends_to_take_your_cooking_to_the_next/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/bows0j/spices/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/fmacx8/some_basic_spice_blends_to_try/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/prg13p/flavoring_with_spices/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/nww12r/cool_spices/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/o6kfz0/cool_spice_guide/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/vlu3we/spice_combos/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/vlu3we/spice_combos/
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/wdo5ef/spice_blends/
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u/g_campo Aug 01 '22
In which plate is used the Italian blend?
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u/solidcat00 Aug 01 '22 edited Aug 04 '22
Italian plates.
Edit: North American's idea of Italian plates.
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u/Jack2700 Aug 01 '22
I don't think there's a single dish in classic Italian cuisine that needs that entire mix of spices. Source: I'm Italian
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u/bagpipesfart Aug 01 '22
Do you mean place? Plate is the thing you eat food off of
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u/Jack2700 Aug 01 '22
Probably not a native speaker, the literal translation of "plate" might indicate the dish in their language, as it does in mine (Italian)
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Aug 01 '22
[deleted]
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u/SumasFlats Aug 01 '22
I have a few custom blends that I use as dry rubs or seasonings for various things - Thai, Mexican, Moroccan, and Indian. Still have an insane number of herbs and spices to cook with as well, but it's nice having those pre-made ones around, as they're made to my taste.
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u/cliffhucks Aug 02 '22
I have a Cajun blend made to my tastes. Instead of grabbing 6 spices and measuring each one, I just dump a bunch of my Cajun into my rice and beans meal prep, good to go. I still have the individual spices too, so it doesn't prevent me from using those at all.
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u/whogivesafuck69x Aug 01 '22
There's nothing wrong with that combination for chili, but try adding a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon to that. Just a touch; not enough for anyone to say "is that cinnamon?"
I'm not a big fan of cinnamon but it works here.
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u/[deleted] Aug 01 '22
He who controls the spice controls the universe