Food - Drink
The Best Way To Use Up Expired Spices
By STEPHANIE FRIEDMAN
When a spice goes bad, it will lose its color, flavor, or potency, making it seemingly useless. While the best way to avoid expired spices is to use them up on time, if you do find yourself with some jars that are too bland to add to your food, but you don't want to throw them all away, there is a way to repurpose them.
You can use expired spices to make spice-infused oils by placing your spices and neutral oil in a sealed container and letting the mixture sit for up to six weeks, then draining out the solids. If you’d like to use the infused oil right away, try heating up your aromatics in a pan with the oil until they sizzle and then drain out the spices.
If you don't want to deal with hot crackling oil, but still want your infused oil ASAP, place a jar of oil and spices in a simmering water bath until they infuse. Use your imagination when it comes to flavor combinations: try a mixture of herbs, spices, seasonings, or add extra flavor with cinnamon sticks and red pepper flakes.
