What to Know About Herbs and Spices

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When we’re talking about food ingredients, there’s probably nothing more transformative than herbs and spices. Whether used singly, in carefully orchestrated combinations, or as blends mixed at home or store-bought, they’ll take you far. They’ll even take you to far-flung lands, or at the very least, take your tastebuds there.

Herbs & Spices: What’s the Difference

First of all, both herbs and spices share similar functions. Herbs & spices are prized for their aromatic properties. They’re used for culinary purposes for seasoning and flavoring (although some herbs may be used as a “salad”) and/or for medicinal purposes and in some cases used as teas, whether medicinal or not. Some are used in fragrances and many lend their essence to essential oils.

Generally, herbs are plants harvested for their leaves, green stems, and in rare cases, roots.
Spices, on the other hand, are usually harvested from other parts of a plant. They’re the flowers, berries, seeds, bark, and roots.

While herbs can be used fresh or dried, typically most spices (although not all) are used in their dried form! Confused? Maybe it doesn’t really matter so much how herbs and spices are classified if you just want to make a recipe and add a teaspoon of this or that.

But if you cook more often, it will come up. You may see recipes that call for herbs of choice or herbs or spices you don’t have so you’ll want to learn enough about them to make informed decisions. It’s kind of nice to break them down into groups to understand how to buy, use, and store them.

Let’s Talk Myths Surrounding Herbs & Spices

First of all, there are two common myths about herbs and spices passed around continuously online, on TV, in magazines, and often by Chefs who should know better.

One myth is that fresh herbs are better than dried ones.

I saw a chef in Florida at The Food & Wine Festival addressing an audience (OK, it was Tyler Florence! I still love him!)
He asked who was still using dried herbs. No one raised their hands! Not one person in the crowd was able to admit using dried herbs! Neither fresh or dried is “better” than the other.

The other myth is that spices and herbs should be tossed out after six months or sometimes that myth states they should be tossed after a year.

This myth is usually nonsense. It falls into the category of the “oft-repeated lie.” Studies show that even with prior knowledge, people are apt to believe statements that are repeated often.
In reality, much is dependent on the herb or spice itself, how it is processed, and how it is stored. It’s all common sense but sometimes I feel like the boy in the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes.

Both fresh and dried herbs and spices have their place. Each of the forms brings sumpin’ special to the party. And some herbs and spices last longer than others, some for years!

Here are some rules of thumb for we lesser mortals who don’t feel compelled to do what they tell ya on TV, along with some basic information on buying and storing.

Using Fresh Herbs

The “rule:”

Fresh herbs, as a general rule, are used to garnish, enhance, or as a primary ingredient in a recipe, and to add flavor to non-cooked or quick-cooking recipes.

Parsley and cilantro as well as chiffonades or leaves of basil are common garnishes; there are others, to be sure!
Many fresh herbs are dropped in towards the end of the cooking process; an example is fresh basil dropped in this Quick Marinara.
Fresh basil in a Pesto recipe is a perfect example of an herb used as a primary ingredient. Parsley is a primary ingredient in Tabbouleh, like this one from Love & Lemons.

Breaking the “rule:”

Sometimes sprigs of herbs are bundled and tossed into longer cooking recipes to be fished out later. This doesn’t work well with every recipe; could you imagine fishing sprigs of herbs from a stand your spoon up in it Chili?

A sprig of thyme or two in soup is a great example. The leaves usually fall off and the bare stems are retrieved before serving.
Adding epazote to Frijoles (beans) is another circumstance. Epazote is an herb that is best in its fresh form and it’s easy to retrieve before the beans are turned into “refrieds.”

Converting Dry Measurements to Fresh: Generally, if fresh herbs are substituted for dried, use three times the amount. Precision is nearly impossible so go by taste if necessary.

Storing Fresh Herbs:

For immediate use, first remove any rubber bands or twist ties if they come from the store.

Trim the very end of stems and remove any foliage for an inch or two from the bottom. Place stems in a jar of water up to the point the leaves were removed and cover loosely with a plastic bag. Most can be kept on the counter for two to five days or so.
Some herbs do well if the stems are wrapped in a paper towel and stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Never do this with basil; it will turn black.
There are gadgets that can be bought that help prevent spillage.

Reviving Fresh Herbs:

If your herbs are wilted or starting to go, first remove any that are browned, damaged, or showing any unwholesomeness.

Trim the ends of the remaining herbs and soak the herbs briefly in ice water. Shake off and dry thoroughly and store as above.

Buying vs. Growing Fresh Herbs:

Fresh herbs from the store can be pricey and sometimes of iffy quality. If you have space in the yard, a garden, or a pot or two, grow your own.

A plant can often be purchased (often in the grocery store produce department) for less than a bunch of cut herbs at the store and for far less than any fresh herbs in little plastic packages. Worst case scenario? If you kill your herb, it can usually be dried and used in that form.

Growing Fresh Herbs:

Many fresh herbs grow well in pots or a garden during the growing season of almost any climate. Herbs usually thrive on a little neglect and a lot of sunshine and other than watering during dry spells, they’re low maintenance.

You will want to snip to encourage branching, snip to use the fresh herbs, and snip to remove flowers; when an herb flowers the plant puts its energy into the reproductive process, future growth is stunted and the plant may go to seed.

In cold climates, many herbs can be brought inside over the winter & replanted or set out in the spring although. Your experience might vary, but most herbs don’t thrive inside; my goal is to just keep them alive until the weather warms up! Some herbs will overwinter outside depending on how cold the winters are and how well-protected or shielded the plants are.

Dried Herbs

The “rule:”

A rule of thumb (which, again, is not always true) is that dried herbs go in towards the beginning of a recipe and are often used for their intensity or used in a quantity not able to be replicated by fresh herbs. Here are a couple of examples:

Dried herbs can have more culinary bang for the buck than fresh, and since dried can take longer to infuse a dish with flavor, long, slow recipes are a perfect place to use them. A long simmering tomato sauce is a perfect example. Check out My Dad’s Spaghetti Sauce.
Dried herbs are fabulous for spice blends, rubs and/or flavor packets, See some on this page. Obviously, fresh herbs would not work in those. Dried herbs also do well in marinades, especially longer ones.
Dried herbs are sometimes used for their deeper, earthy, and more concentrated flavor and intensity. You’ll often see this with salad dressings. This one for Tortellini Pasta Salad uses dried herbs for an intense infusion that flavors the whole dish.

Breaking the “rule:”

Although dried herbs cannot always substitute for fresh, sometimes you’ll see dried herbs used in “finishing” a dish.

Pizza parlors often have a mixture of dried spices and herbs to sprinkle on top, sometimes mixed with Parmesan or Romano.
You may see dried herbs combined in butter to top garlic bread, or to make compound butter to melt atop steaks.

Converting Fresh to Dried: As much as you’d use three times the amount of fresh for dried, you’ll want to shoot for about a third of the called for amount of fresh herbs when subbing in dried. Again, taste matters more than a particular measurement. Use good judgment.

Storing Dried Herbs:

If you want your herbs to last longer:

All dried herbs should be stored in sealed glass jars in a cool, dark, and dry cupboard. If you want your herbs to last longer, that means not on the back of an oven, the wall near an oven, a drawer next to it, or a cupboard over it. Forget over the fridge, sink, or dishwasher, too. And it’s a no-go to hang an herb rack on a wall, set them on open shelves, or leave spices and herbs on the counter; they should be protected from light.
In many kitchens, properly storing herbs can put them in an inconvenient spot. An easy solution is to have larger jars of herbs and spices stored away while smaller working jars of often-used herbs are kept handy. Refill the smaller working jars as necessary. If an herb or spice is not used often, it’s best to keep it stored away as well.

Shelf Life:

One to three years. The shelf life depends on what kind of herb it is, the way in which an herb is stored, and how it is used.

Herbs can be divided into two categories, fine herbs and resinous ones.

The fine herbs (not to be confused with the French mixture of fines herbes,) are usually tender and have a lower concentration of volatile oils. Some common ones are basil, chervile, chives, dill, mint, parsley, and tarragon. Not only do they not store as well as resinous herbs, they will quickly lose flavor in a long cooking dish.
Resinous herbs have a higher concentration of volatile oils and will not only last longer in a dried form but can be added in at the beginning of a recipe and their flavors not only hold up but need time for their oils to be extracted. A few common resinous herbs are bay leaves, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Cilantro falls under resinous but is only very slightly so.

Storing was mentioned above, but how an herb is used is paramount to how long it lasts.

It usually saves money to buy your most commonly used herbs in larger jars or jugs. Leave the bulk of them properly stored away where the jar is only opened to refill your “working” jar. That’s not just for saving money or convenience; it’s also because the jars stored away will be opened less often.
An herb that is rarely used or opened might last longer, if properly stored, than herbs you frequently open and use.
It’s also part of the reason not to panic if you realize your sage or poultry seasoning, very seldom used, is old enough to be called “vintage” as you are making your Thanksgiving dressing.

Reviving Dried Herbs:

Should your dried herbs not be at their peak, try using more of them, and try crushing them in your hand before using and/or blooming them by toasting them carefully in a dry pan.

A quick trick is to add them along with the oil in a recipe so they can “bloom” or adding earlier to a recipe so they have more time to infuse the recipe.

Spice & Herb Blends

Using Spice Blends:

There are so many blends of herbs and spices out there! Some basics are found in the spice aisle among the regular spices and in most stores, it takes just a glance down to see jars of blends from smaller companies to the mega giants. Of course, all the spice houses have their own.
Don’t forget all the packets you’ll find all over the store for making everything from tacos to Indian food. I’m a fan of making my own Spice Blend & Packet Substitutes to control quality and ingredients, customize flavors, and to save money.
Many blends and packets can be great shortcuts, whether commercial or homemade. Watch for additives, especially in the packets. One drawback of using commercial packets can be a generic flavor but you can always add an herb or spice or two to tweak.

Substituting Blends for Spices & Herbs:

In most cases, if using a particular recipe, just add up the number of teaspoons of the herbs and spices in a recipe and add the same amount of your particular blend. Watch for salt and include it in the numbers if it’s already in the blend.
If making a portion of a recipe, use the blend or packet as directed. This is a simple example, but in my recipe for Restaurant Style Mexican Ground Beef there are some killer looking nachos. Let’s say you want to make the Nachos but don’t need that much beef and want to use a packet. Just follow the packet directions and make the nachos with the called for one pound of ground beef.

Storing Spice & Herb Blends:

All the same rules apply as storing your regular spices and herbs.
Blends for some reason seem to fade in flavor faster than individual spices, although that’s my personal opinion and I don’t know if it’s backed up in science! They can be prone to clumping and drying. There may be anti-clumping agents in some blends which can help. Sugar or salts can dry and/or draw out or add moisture. Don’t let them languish.

Shelf Life: One to three years.

Reviving Spice & Herb Blends:

If the blend has hardened, in a pinch, some can be crushed (add to a Ziploc first) or pulsed in the blender. This works well if used in a dry application, for instance as a rub or to sprinkle over an item.
If used in wet application, such as adding to a recipe with liquid, they might be able to be added just as is. In this case, you’re counting on the liquid to revive them.

Spices, Whole & Ground

Using Spices:

It used to be that in the States we’d think of spices as being ether spices used for baking and/or desserts or those used in savory dishes but as the world of cooking (and eating) has opened up, so has the way we use spices. And we use them these days not only in traditional dishes but in various fusion recipes. These days spices are in almost everything!

Be open to “new to us” spices & flavor combinations but if in doubt, try a little and increase next time. And if in doubt as to whether you want to buy a spice or not, consider purchasing a smaller amount if your store has that set up and giving it a try.

Whole vs Crushed or Ground Spices:

There are many spices that can be purchased in a whole form, whether seeds, berries, roots or other parts of the plant or already ground. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and some you’ll want in both forms.

Ground spices will have a shorter shelf life than most spices purchased in a whole form. They are also usually consistently ground which is nice for baking, especially and easy to use.
Whole spices will often keep for a much longer period of time, sometimes years without losing their intense flavor. Most can be crushed or ground as needed usually using a spice or coffee grinder, a blender, two pans or a mortar and pestle. If a spice will be only used every now and then it may be wise to purchase in a whole form and process as needed.
The exception to the above is roots like turmeric or ginger, which are normally grated, sliced or minced and keep best in the freezer.

Substituting Whole for Crushed or Ground: In most cases, a 1 to 1 ratio of a crushed or whole spice pretty well with one caveat! Crushed or ground spices in some cases will add more flavor than you may be used to. Be very careful, especially when baking and especially using nutmeg.

Storing Spices:

Again, the same rules apply for spices as for dried herbs & blends. Whether ground or whole, they should be stored in sealed jars in a cool, dark, and dry cupboard. That means not on the back of an oven, the wall near an oven, a drawer next to it or a cupboard over it. Forget over the fridge, too. And it’s a no go to hang on a wall in open shelves or leave on the counter if you want your spices to last longer.
Have Working Jars: In many kitchens, properly storing herbs can put them in an inconvenient spot. If you have a large collection of herbs use smaller “working” jars of the herbs you often use. Keep the rest closed up tightly and seldom opened in an appropriate place where they’ll last longer. Storing in glass is best if possible, old jelly jars or saved spice jars washed and cleaned.
Red herbs like paprika and cayenne can be stored in the refrigerator to preserve the flavors.
One exception is non-dried roots, like ginger or turmeric. They’ll wilt or rot at room temperature and grow in the refrigerator. The best bet is the freezer. Keep in a heavy ziploc. They may get frosty but that won’t affect the flavor. When ready to use they can be usually grated from frozen. If just too hard, leave on the counter for a minute to grate or slice. When finished replace and toss back in the freezer.
Another exception is spices that are seeds, which may fade and may turn rancid. Keep in a heavy Ziploc in the freezer.

Shelf Life: Ground, one to three years, seeds up to two years, whole spices up to 4 years. Roots are a variable.

Reviving Spices: There’s very little to be done to revive ground spices other than to just use more. Dried spices that are in a whole form may seem spent but once grated or crushed may come back to life. It’s just a judgment call. Try using in applications where heat is involved, like teas or mulled ciders or wines.