Spices?

[smiley]

So, now that I have joined this forum, I have been firing my smoker every chance I get. This means trying different recipes every smoke.
Where is the best place to buy larger quantities of spices for my rubs?
Thanks, Smiley

 

[jarjarchef]

Really depends on how big of batch you are looking to make. I can find most of what I use at walmarts, Sam's, Costco, Asian Markets, Hespanic Markets or Reasturat Supply places that sell bulk foods.

 

[smoke happens]

I was in the same boat as you when I started really getting into it. Penzy's was suggested by a lot of folks on this forum and I gave them a try, used them ever since. Great selection, good prices and excellent quality. Order it online and it's on the doorstep a few days later, but they have retail stores too if you're lucky enough to have one by you.

 

[smiley]

Thanks. I'll give them a try.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Smiley , hello .

 If you have a reputable Spice shop/store/purveyor in your vicinity , that is your best bet as the Spices will be fresher. Don't get too much and not use but a little bit  now and then or it will go stale , lose it's potency and foul=up your recipe. I am lucky and we have a nice little shop close that has a very good turn-over of her Spices . Always fresh and potent. Otherwise , check the sell by dates in the stores Spice Isle .

If you can find Whole Spices like Cumin seed , Cloves , Nutmeg . . .etc. , get them and grind fresh in your Coffee grinder (dedicated to Spice "only" ) . A pre-ground Spice is good for 1 yr. at best and IMHO , 3 months is enough time to be ground and  sitting around losing it's 'bite'.

I have  found  bags of N.Mex. Chiles and Ancho Chiles  at Wally World . They cost about $7 , but they are as close to fresh as you can get  , except right out of the fields . Wally also has fresh, green (hothouse grown) Anahiem and Pablanos too.

Oh, yes

 A note to those that buy Spice blends and Rubs to cook with from a grocer , they typically contain more Salt than needed , make your own , you know what's in the mix.

 just saying . . .

Have fun and . . .

 

[dish]

Costco or if you're lucky enough to have a GFS nearby.  They sell seasoning and spices by the gallon.

 

[smoking b]

I'm lucky & have an amish store not far from me that always has fresh spices. As has already been stated - don't buy way more than you can use in a reasonable amount of time only to have them lose their potency...

 

[jarjarchef]

Yes buy what you can use in a couple months. More then that they will get stale and not a good quality.

 

[daveomak]

Second generation of the Penzey family.... We've used them for several years....

http://www.thespicehouse.com/info/owners

 

[wade]

 
I am lucky and we have a nice little shop close that has a very good turn-over of her Spices . Always fresh and potent. Otherwise , check the sell by dates in the stores Spice Isle .

If you can find Whole Spices like Cumin seed , Cloves , Nutmeg . . .etc. , get them and grind fresh in your Coffee grinder (dedicated to Spice "only" ) . A pre-ground Spice is good for 1 yr. at best and IMHO , 3 months is enough time to be ground and  sitting around losing it's 'bite'.

Oh, yes

 A note to those that buy Spice blends and Rubs to cook with from a grocer , they typically contain more Salt than needed , make your own , you know what's in the mix.

 just saying . . .

 Yes always buy fresh un-ground herbs and spices if you can and grind them fresh as you need them. It takes seconds to do and so there is no point making batches larger than you are likely to use in a few days. There are many quality spice wholesalers that sell online in reasonable quantities and although there is no guarantee of the age of the herbs/spices they supply they are usually cheaper and more likely to be fresher than many supermarket packs. It is also a good idea to store them vac packed in a cool place if you can.

I also agree with the advice about branded spice blends. Yes they are quick and easy, however be sure to look at the ingredients. Many are bulked out with either salt or sugar and many of the cheaper ones contain flavour enhancers or extra heat to mask their lack of herb/spice content. Some commercial mixes are very good though and if you find one you like then great use it - however you don't know how long they have been ground when you buy them and then it is so easy to leave them in the cupboard for months/years before actually using them.

Until you get into the habit of mixing and grinding your own from fresh then it is can be easy to just assume that salty, sweet, hot blandness is the norm.

 

[smiley]

Thanks. I never thought of grinding my own spices. I will have to see what I can find. Practice makes perfect. Always a good day to fire up the smoker.

 

[Dutch]

A friend of mine buys his coffee in bean form and grinds his own and he also buys his spices whole and grinds those as well. He uses the Mr. Coffee grinder- Black for the coffee and white for the spices.

His daughter came home from for the holidays and got up early one morning to suprise mom and dad with breakfast. Well- she found the coffee beans but didn't know the coffee grinder code and thought it strange that they would have 2 coffee grinders. She grabbed the white grinder and proceded to make coffee along with the rest of the breakfast.

Now the weekend before his daughter came home, he and I spent the better part of a Saturday grinding chiles into powder and the last thing we ground were chipotles- He later told me that the coffee had a real nice kick to it but he was the only one that could drink the stuff. Needless to say, wife and daughter made a fresh pot of coffee using the black grinder. :biggrin:

 

[frog1369]

 
I was in the same boat as you when I started really getting into it. Penzy's was suggested by a lot of folks on this forum and I gave them a try, used them ever since. Great selection, good prices and excellent quality. Order it online and it's on the doorstep a few days later, but they have retail stores too if you're lucky enough to have one by you.

  Penzey's ..... I'm one of the lucky ones, have a Penzey's an hour south of me and about 1/2 hour north of me.  Even so, I do a lot of mail order with them so I don't even have to make the trip.  Free shipping on orders over $30.  Plus they usually have some freebie, last time I got a coffee mug, time before they had spice samples.  Definitely worth a look .....

http://www.penzeys.com/

 

[smoke happens]

Same here, about an hour or so south of me there is one but it is much easier to order online. Got an order in yesterday and had free pizza seasoning and a sample of a BBQ rub too, one of the small ones that I can throw in the RV and use if I'm in a pinch.

Smiley - be sure not to order too much in bulk, as others have stated you don't want a ton sitting around for long as they lose their potency. I normally order at the beginning of the season (spring for me up here in WA) and try to be sure I'm all but out by the end of the season so I can reorder again in the spring. Salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, etc. I normally get from Costco as they are more shelf stable over time.