How to Cook Allspice

How to Cook Allspice

To garner the most fragrance and flavor, grind your allspice just before you begin to cook your meal and add it at the final stages of your recipe. If you cook it too long, the essential oils will evaporate. Allspice is a vital - if not the most vital - ingredient in Caribbean cuisine. It is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning (usually the wood is used for smoking but the spice makes a viable substitute), in mole sauces, and in pickling. You'll also find allspice in curry powders, sausages and barbecue sauces. And - shh - but allspice can be that special ingredient in your award-winning chili. Allspice can be used as a substitute, measure for measure, for cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg. Conversely, to make a substitution for allspice, combine one part nutmeg with two parts each of cinnamon and cloves.