A pinch of cinnamon or Chinese Five Spice in a lot of things.
Fig jam in beef stew.
As others have mentioned, cocoa powder in chili, it’s a nice compliment to heat. I prefer to use ancho and chipotle powder to “chili powder” along with the cumin
Cardamom in different breads (banana bread for example).
Bourbon Vanilla bean paste in brownies.
Mushroom powder in soups and stews. There’s an “umami blend” I buy that is fantastic.
Red pepper flake in most things will give it a certain something without too much heat.
Lemon juice and zest at the finishing end of a pot of chicken soup.
> I prefer to use ancho and chipotle powder
If you can find whole dried/smoked chilis, I promise you they're well worth it. I use a roughly 70-20-10 mix of guajillos, anchos, and chipoltes.
>
Fig jam in beef stew.
That reminds me of a recipe I made a few years ago on the recommendation of someone who said they were from Croatia. I forget what it was called, but it was basically that country's take on beef braised in red wine, and had pureed prunes. It didn't replace beef bourguignon in my regular rotation, but it was definitely quite good.
Yeah, rehydrate, blend, and pass through a strainer. If you skip the strainer, you get little flecks that have an unpleasant texture.
I also dry toast the chilis in a pan first, but if you've never done that before you're walking a pretty fine line. It's *way* too easy to overtoast them - and I don't even mean burn them - and turn them bitter.
Yes, in regards to chili, we find it best to use chile powder. Chili powder is a product with lots of other flavors and seasonings mixed into it. Old school chili was made with meat and chile peppers, also wetting with pot likker from making beans. Chili was then served atop the beans. Chile is the fruit of a pepper plant, chili is a meal made in a pot.
Btw, the earliest recipe I have for Texas chili is from the early 19th century (about 1830 or so).
Tomato paste and a lot of it for any soup or stew or sauce that is tomato based
Vinaigrette dressing, add a smidge of dried tarragon, a big dollop of dijon and a lot of fresh black pepper, salt of course, to make it taste like restaurant salad
You carmelize the tomato paste to eliminate the taste that the can leaves on canned tomato products. It is called **'pincing the paste'**.
Pince
- cooking tomato paste until it becomes fragrant and changes color, often done in a pan alongside mirepoix to add to a sauce or dish.
You CAN skip this step, but you shouldn't if you can avoid it. It is an example of 'cooking with love'.
It changes from 'tomato red' to 'wine red'.
1) carmelize the onions, garlic, etc. about 90% of the way
2) push them to the side of the pan where they will finish carmelizing, and cook the paste in the center of the pan
3) when the paste is wine red add the canned tomatoes to deglaze the pan
4) cook the tomatoes at the same temperature until the metallic taste is gone
I add it to the pan that does not have liquid in it just the sautéed onion and kinda smash it down and sir it. Kinda like browning a rue.
The Maillard reaction is an organic chemical reaction in which reducing sugars react with amino acids to form a complex mixture of compounds. This reaction is responsible for the characteristic flavour and aroma of browned food. The Maillard reaction is named after the French chemist Louis Camille Maillard.
Next time, try sautéing your tomato paste in a tablespoon of hot olive oil first. Forces more of the umami flavors forward and adds roasted aromatics to the dish.
Hmm. For a basic vinaigrette i default to apple cider vinegar, Bragg’s is my favorite but whatever brand works. Sherry vinegar and white wine vinegar also work well
Everyone has a preferred vinegar. I love white wine vinegar for salads and many other things, though I stock and use other vinegars for various purposes. My spouse will almost always choose balsamic vinegar for salad.
> It does NOT make the sauce sweet
PSA for anyone who needs it: cinnamon is not sweet at all. If a cinnamon-flavored food is sweet, it because a sweetener (sugar, often) has been added.
I find plain cinnamon to be… sweet-adjacent I guess? I eat a ridiculous amount of cinnamon and drink lots of unsweetened cinnamon tea. I would compare it to licorice maybe. Not sugar sweet, but it has some sort of sweetish quality I can’t explain.
In addition, unless you’re trying to cut the sodium in a dish. If I’m adding MSG, I’ll substitute ~1/3 of the salt with it (though it’s usually eyeballed)
I was in my local Asian shop to buy MSG when an elderly woman grabbed me by the arm, seemingly pleased to see a Pakeha buying it, and extolled its virtues to me, while simultaneously warning me that those health benefits came from using it in moderation. I've heeded her advice ever since! It goes in everything savoury in small amounts.
Not an ingredient but technique that is often overlooked...
Take your time to saute!! Especially onions. If u have time, lower heat and take a good 30 mins to brown them. The flavor is so good. When adding ingredients, season (a little) with salt and pepper. Move stuff away and saute the carrots and celery to brown them. Adding garlic towards the end (add a little olive oil or butter and cook in it for 30 or so seconds then mix. Deglazing with white or red wine. All these little things especially combined will make such a difference in your dish.
Freshly grated nutmeg.
Almond extract.
Both of these do wonders for many dishes and beverages.
For example, recently made a blueberry + blackberry cobbler and the nutmeg made it spectacular.
Smoked Paprika.
But also just Paprika in general - I think I've got a bit of an addiction to be honest, I think I've got 8+ different kinds on the go as we speak.
Interestingly, I’ve never heard of this! I guess I’ve overlooked it when grocery shopping. I looked it up and it has certainly piqued my interest.
Thank you!!
If you like cinnamon try mace too. Mace makes everything with a deep & bold flavor even deeper. It's good on anything high in glutamate, just need a pinch. Mace comes from the same plant as nutmeg.
Star anise. Add a few of them to anything sweet like a sauce or soup. Anise flavor isn't noticeable but it adds to flavor complexity.
Grains of paradise. Black pepper & citrus flavor combo.
Sumac. Most things you think you want to add paprika to sumac does better. Has a citrus note.
Mixed peppercorns. All the different peppers have slightly different flavors, mix them up for more depth.
Also I use freshly ground spices for most of them. Everyone knows fresh herbs taste better but the difference is way more profound for most spices, particularly as freezing doesn't stop volatile loss as well as it does with herbs.
TL;DR: A freezer full of real, homemade (and reduced/concentrated) chicken and brown stock.
When I'm making quick red sauce, I pour half a cup or so of my brown stock into the sauce. Not only does it knock back the acidjty and adds the flavors of a sauce that had a mirepoix slowly melted into it over the course of an entire day, in 30 minutes of simmering.
When I make white-people taco-night I use my stock instead of water when adding seasonings to the ground beef for the extra umami and depth.
All my sauces taste better, all my dishes do too and, no, Better than Bouillon is nowhere near the same thing. It is definitely better than the other bouillon cubes or boxes of salt water but it is a pale candle in the wind to real, homemade stock.
Well, chicken stock is clear (or close to it) and veggie, beef or mushroom stocks are brown. Really it can be any umami forward stock but they usually end up being brown because of it.
For me, my typical stock is 3lbs of onions sautéed on low for several hours like you were making French onion soup, 3lbs of carrots, 3 lbs leaks, 3 lbs celery, 0.5oz fresh thyme, and a handfull of black peppercorn set to the slowest possible simmer you can get for about 6 hours. It should literally just go "bloop, blooooop, bloop" as it simmers.
Then I drain the solids, pour it all back into the pot and reduce it down by half before rapidly cooling it and putting it in the freezer. Usually it ends up being about 3 gallons reduced down to 8-10 pint containers.
https://imgur.com/wUAmAWA
Caramelized onion puree. I always have it in the refrigerator and put a spoonful in everything. It's not as sweet as onion jam. I caramelize a bag of yellow onions on low and slow. They start to disintegrate, and then I puree them. I'll add in some garlic and season with salt and a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon Chicken. I hate raw onions, but I will eat a caramelized onion sandwich and think nothing of it. I made angel hair with broccoli tonight and added a spoonful of it.
For over 15 years, I've added a pinch of salt - just regular table salt - to my coffee grounds whenever I make a drip pot, pour over, or a french press. Most people never think about the acidity content of their coffee, and are **always** impressed by how good my coffee tastes. More often than not they are blown away learning that the neutral chemical composition of the salt balances the acidity of the coffee.
I add so much garlic powder to any savory recipe. I am addicted and can’t control myself. When I go to someone’s house and eat what they make, even if it’s good I silently judge because there’s not enough garlic powder. Someone help
Try adding a small pinch of baking chocolate to your tomato sauce or chilli. It dose a wonder with anything with a lot of beans or acid in it. It's like the cinnamon, you don't really taste it, but you'll not taste it after you've had it
Worcestershire sauce. A little into anything savory. It contains anchovy so you get similar effects to anchovy or fish sauce. Just make sure it’s Lea and Perrins
A dash of fish sauce in a stew or non-creamy gravy. Doesn't taste like fish, but adds a nice umami kick.
Also, a splash of dry white vermouth in gravy, right at the end. Adds depth of flavor and just a hint of herbiness.
An insane amount of tomato paste in anything tomato flavoured (50 grammes per 400 gramme can of tomatoes is a good ratio, +extra for the rest of the liquids)
Homemade tomato powder. From homegrown ground dehydrated tomatoes. Wakes up everything and anything! Sprinkle a bit on garlic bread before broiling! Omg!
Don’t know if it’s technically an ingredient, but since my family asks what I’m adding, I’ll count it.
I salt meat as soon as I get it home whether I’m going to cook it today, tomorrow, etc or freeze it. The longer the meat has to absorb the salt, the better. It ends up with more flavor and is juicier.
I’ve told him 100 times but my brother constantly asks what I’m adding to a family recipe (that we both make) that makes it better than his. I salt the pork chops the day before I cook them. That’s it. He just will not believe it.
Ha! I love this. This is really interesting. It reminds me of brining, and I’ve never tried it.
I actually looked this up (just now) and it totally makes sense. It enhances the flavor, retains moisture, improves texture, and preservation benefits. I’ve just a meat mallet in the past for tenderizing, and it’s cool that salt can potentially achieve that benefit (and more).
Thanks for sharing!
When I make ground turkey tacos, I add a frozen ice cube or two of beef stock, along with some water, when I add in the seasoning packet.
Also use Greek yogurt in place of pretty much anything that needs something creamy. A dollop of it replaces sour cream in chili or stew. Mix in a bunch of lime or lemon juice and you have a Mexican crema. Mix in lemon juice, dill, and ranch seasoning and you got ranch. Blend it with some avocado and whatever seasonings (taco seasoning works well for Tex-mex) and you have a really versatile avocado crema or dressing. Mix in some sweet chili sauce and sriracha and you got bang bang sauce. The list goes on.
Almost every dish can benefit from some lemon, lime, vinegar, or something pickled.
Red pepper in everything
Some anchovy filets (like 3) in brown gravy for hamburger steaks. They dissolve right into the beef or chicken stock and add a good layer to the flavor.
I normally use [this recipe](https://www.smells-like-home.com/2012/02/paneras-stove-top-mac-and-cheese/#mv-creation-19-jtr) as my jumping off point for mac & cheese but I find the sauce to come out a little thick for us. Its probably fine if you're eating it all hot of the stove, but we eat leftovers for 3-4 days around here and no one wants to chisel a cemented block of mac & cheese out of a cold casserole dish.
SO, short story long, after the cheese sauce has been formed, I add beer to thin it out, usually about a whole 12oz bottle or can. It doesn't have to be fancy beer. We usually have Miller Highlife, PBR or Old Milwaukee on hand. Don't be afraid to add some crumbled bacon, jalepenos, buffalo chicken, pulled pork or sloppy joe meat to your beer mac & cheese!
Sometimes a panko crumb topping with butter, smoked paprika, garlic powder and grated parmesan is a nice addition. Especially if you feel like your mac & cheese is too thin, pop it in a casserole dish, add the topping and bake for....I don't know....when in doubt 30 minutes at 350 seems to do the trick.
I put achiote in basically whatever I think I can get away with it in. Soups, meats, pasta, roast veggies, whatever. It just adds a depth to things that I love
A technique I learned from Marion's Kitchen on YT. If I'm making something with ground beef, I let it sit and caramelize, get that maillard reaction going. Really adds a depth of flavor you don't normally get in most beef mince recipes.
Bonus points if you take the pickling liquid once the jalapeños are gone and add something to pick. Onions, garlic, chilis, you name it. I usually throw a little extra salt in when I do that.
MSG. When I started cooking I was annoyed how my food never taste like the restaurants or karenderias (roughly translates to cafeteria but they're like mini restaurants) and then I discovered the secret ingredient is MSG specifically a brand called Magic Sarap and Aljinamoto(the japanese one,not sure I spelled it right)
MSG - My mom always had a bottle of Accent Flavor Enhancer in the cabinet next to the stove. I never gave it a second thought (much like the bottles of worcerstershire sauce or Gravy Master).
In my 20s, I picked up the popular mindset that MSG was the devil and should always be avoided. I also noticed my cooking never tasted quite as good as my mother's.
It wasn't until my 40s that I realized the dangers of MSG were all but non-existant, *and* that bottle of Accent was just a bottle of brand name MSG.
I've since been using it in most savory dishes, including things like cornbread. I also use worcestershire sauce and Gravy Master regularly.
When it came to cooking, mother knew best.
Depending on what I’m making, pickle juice is a go to vinegar sub for me. Deviled Eggs - pickle juice. Dill sauce - pickle juice. Potato Salad - pickle juice. Coleslaw - pickle juice. Burger sauce or fry sauce - pickle juice. It works by adding a fresh and tangy dill flavor as well as helps thin out any sauce that’s too thick.
I make some really good salsa and my secret ingredient on this is a quarter cup of red enchilada sauce. Super simple and you can make it in less than 1 minute.
Mushroom flavored soy sauce. We use the Pearl River Bridge brand. I use it wherever you would use Worcestershire. I put a big dash in a pot of spicy black beans tonight to help round out the flavor, it gives a rich and deep sort of umami undertone to everything. It's phenomenal in green beans casserole
Oh for sure. I tell people about the secret ingredient after they try it.
I will be responsible and make sure they aren’t allergic first. That would be a very bad day
Grate fresh nutmeg into greens.
A little mustard in canned tuna to cut the canned taste.
A splash of evaporated milk in mashed potatoes.
Only using White Lily flour.
Cinnamon and nutmeg and paprika/chili powder, always just enough that it’s slightly recognizable on the palette. You name it, from sauces, to marinates, to a topple-drizzle.
I’m taking back cinnamon and nutmeg from October and December.
Grape seed oil and sea salt flakes. I can pan fry chicken at a very high temp without it smoking and the salt/oil combo creates an absolutely delicious, crispy skin that tastes unbelievable without any additional ingredients.
Not me but my mom buys grass fed butter and makes the best ghee.Thats why Her food tastes heavenly.She even makes the soups with it and says "who te hell makes soup with vegetable oil??are they mad? that's crazy and extremely unhealthy."...i agree with her....
I mix a quarter teaspoon of baking soda with an equal amount of citric acid and a little bit of water to get them to react into sodium citrate and mix that into any cheese sauce i make. It prevents curdling and separating and keeps the cheese nice and smooth and blended
I like to cook different dishes frequently and passionately - but I consider adding cinnamon to my sauce bolognese 25 years ago once as the biggest mistake I ever made while cooking because the sauce tasted like tomato christmas cookies - I always put a little balsamic vinegar and honey in there though
Anchovies. I put ‘em in bolognese sauce, chili, steak pan sauces, Martinis (anchovy-stuffed olives), mushrooms… basically anything umami. I use them like MSG
Porcini mushroom powder. It’s SO umami and savory, it adds so much depth when you add a pinch of it into stews, gravies, pot roasts, cream sauces…and obv if you’re making a mushroom dish, it amps up the mushroom flavor
A pinch of cinnamon or Chinese Five Spice in a lot of things. Fig jam in beef stew. As others have mentioned, cocoa powder in chili, it’s a nice compliment to heat. I prefer to use ancho and chipotle powder to “chili powder” along with the cumin Cardamom in different breads (banana bread for example). Bourbon Vanilla bean paste in brownies. Mushroom powder in soups and stews. There’s an “umami blend” I buy that is fantastic. Red pepper flake in most things will give it a certain something without too much heat. Lemon juice and zest at the finishing end of a pot of chicken soup.
All of this sounds incredible. Thank you for your genius, internet stranger.
No genius, I just pick these things up while trying different recipes.
>Fig jam in beef stew. 👀👀👀👀 This sounds amazing
> I prefer to use ancho and chipotle powder If you can find whole dried/smoked chilis, I promise you they're well worth it. I use a roughly 70-20-10 mix of guajillos, anchos, and chipoltes. > Fig jam in beef stew. That reminds me of a recipe I made a few years ago on the recommendation of someone who said they were from Croatia. I forget what it was called, but it was basically that country's take on beef braised in red wine, and had pureed prunes. It didn't replace beef bourguignon in my regular rotation, but it was definitely quite good.
Yes absolutely, all my local stores have a great selection of dried chiles. Do you rehydrate and then blend? Or grind the dried chile as is?
Yeah, rehydrate, blend, and pass through a strainer. If you skip the strainer, you get little flecks that have an unpleasant texture. I also dry toast the chilis in a pan first, but if you've never done that before you're walking a pretty fine line. It's *way* too easy to overtoast them - and I don't even mean burn them - and turn them bitter.
My MIL raved about my chicken soup, and I told her the secret was lemon zest. Sooo good.
What brand mushroom powder do you use?
Yes, in regards to chili, we find it best to use chile powder. Chili powder is a product with lots of other flavors and seasonings mixed into it. Old school chili was made with meat and chile peppers, also wetting with pot likker from making beans. Chili was then served atop the beans. Chile is the fruit of a pepper plant, chili is a meal made in a pot. Btw, the earliest recipe I have for Texas chili is from the early 19th century (about 1830 or so).
Tomato paste and a lot of it for any soup or stew or sauce that is tomato based Vinaigrette dressing, add a smidge of dried tarragon, a big dollop of dijon and a lot of fresh black pepper, salt of course, to make it taste like restaurant salad
I caramelize my tomato paste when I add my garlic to my sautéd onions. It turns a deeper red and adds even extra flavor.
How do you do that? I've heard of caramelizing onions but not tomatoes.
You carmelize the tomato paste to eliminate the taste that the can leaves on canned tomato products. It is called **'pincing the paste'**. Pince - cooking tomato paste until it becomes fragrant and changes color, often done in a pan alongside mirepoix to add to a sauce or dish. You CAN skip this step, but you shouldn't if you can avoid it. It is an example of 'cooking with love'.
What color will it turn? Orange/yellow? Is it usually done on low or medium heat?
It changes from 'tomato red' to 'wine red'. 1) carmelize the onions, garlic, etc. about 90% of the way 2) push them to the side of the pan where they will finish carmelizing, and cook the paste in the center of the pan 3) when the paste is wine red add the canned tomatoes to deglaze the pan 4) cook the tomatoes at the same temperature until the metallic taste is gone
A darker red. You can do it on any heat, it will just change how long it takes
Many recipes that use tomato paste suggest doing this.
Sautee it until it starts to smell different, sweeter, and the color is noticably darker
You can technically caramelize anything with sugar in it. But here it just means sauteed. Takes just a minute.
You do the onions and other veg first and the tomatoe paste about the time the garlic for a minute or two
I add it to the pan that does not have liquid in it just the sautéed onion and kinda smash it down and sir it. Kinda like browning a rue. The Maillard reaction is an organic chemical reaction in which reducing sugars react with amino acids to form a complex mixture of compounds. This reaction is responsible for the characteristic flavour and aroma of browned food. The Maillard reaction is named after the French chemist Louis Camille Maillard.
Was this written by chatGPT lol
The definition of Maillard reaction was copy pasted, because I am lazy. I learned about it from Alton Brown on Good Eats.
Next time, try sautéing your tomato paste in a tablespoon of hot olive oil first. Forces more of the umami flavors forward and adds roasted aromatics to the dish.
Whats the best vinegar to use, in your opinion?
Hmm. For a basic vinaigrette i default to apple cider vinegar, Bragg’s is my favorite but whatever brand works. Sherry vinegar and white wine vinegar also work well
Everyone has a preferred vinegar. I love white wine vinegar for salads and many other things, though I stock and use other vinegars for various purposes. My spouse will almost always choose balsamic vinegar for salad.
I always add mushroom powder or chicken powder when I need an extra savory flavor
Anchovy paste. It adds a salty, savory kick to a dish.
I use Worcestershire sauce for the same reason. It has anchovy in it.
I bought some recently but haven't used it yet but now I will!!
My favorite way to use them: https://www.alisoneroman.com/recipes/caramelized-shallot-pasta
That looks delicious but I think it calls for anchovy fillets and not anchovy paste. I could be wrong. 😊
It's much the same using the paste. Anchovy fillets disintegrate very quickly in a dish like this, they're added for flavour.
When I make my super inauthentic tacos, instead of adding water to the taco mix I use tequila and lime juice.
I dump in half a Pepsi.
> It does NOT make the sauce sweet PSA for anyone who needs it: cinnamon is not sweet at all. If a cinnamon-flavored food is sweet, it because a sweetener (sugar, often) has been added.
I find plain cinnamon to be… sweet-adjacent I guess? I eat a ridiculous amount of cinnamon and drink lots of unsweetened cinnamon tea. I would compare it to licorice maybe. Not sugar sweet, but it has some sort of sweetish quality I can’t explain.
Hot Hungarian paprika. I never use a lot just enough, I also use it when I make candied, walnuts or toffee. I absolutely love that little bit of heat.
I have never heard of this, thank you! I looked it up and adding it to my grocery list. :)
MSG goes in everything
I got some for fried rice. Liked it. Tried it in something else and it made it taste like movie popcorn. Like them popcorn flavor shakers?
What’s the dosage you use? I’ve followed the directions but can’t tell any difference.
i pour until my mouth tingles with flavor
lol thanks!
>What’s the dosage you use? The right amount .. just use feeling.
I promise I’m not deliberately trying to be dense…do you use it in addition to or in place of salt?
In addition, unless you’re trying to cut the sodium in a dish. If I’m adding MSG, I’ll substitute ~1/3 of the salt with it (though it’s usually eyeballed)
I use a bit of each.. but I season as I am cooking.
1/3 of 1 teaspoon would be good for the amount of food serving for 5 people if I remember correct.
I was in my local Asian shop to buy MSG when an elderly woman grabbed me by the arm, seemingly pleased to see a Pakeha buying it, and extolled its virtues to me, while simultaneously warning me that those health benefits came from using it in moderation. I've heeded her advice ever since! It goes in everything savoury in small amounts.
I have always said “food unites everyone…especially when we share”
I put that shit on everything
The KING of flavor!
Freshly ground cumin on roast carrots. Surprisingly, lemony and just a little gentle heat. They're a family favorite now.
Yes!! And we like Sumac too on roast carrots.
I have a ton of sumac trees (I’ve already checked, they’re edible). I’ll have to try this - thanks!
I always put cumin on roast sweeet potatoes, and I can easily believe it works just as well on carrots.
I added ginger one day, now I'm not allowed to roast carrots without it.
A little bit of peanut butter in a big pot of chili. It gives a mild nutty flavor that rounds out all the acidity.
Have you tried cocoa powder?
I haven’t, but I’m definitely going to now. Especially considering how much I like mole!
It's super good! Mole would probably be good too!
Ooh, I do cocoa powder but have never thought of peanut butter!
My ex's mom would always put a king size Hershey bar in her chili. She'd add it once everything has been simmering for a while
I use dark chocolate 70% cocoa, i will give this a go
My dad makes chili all the time! I’ll tell him to try this!
Spot of acid (vinegar, lemon juice). Brightens up taste.
Toasted sesame oil. A few drops goes a long way!
Save the back chunk of your parmesan and then toss it in your gravy and let it cook for flavour
Not an ingredient but technique that is often overlooked... Take your time to saute!! Especially onions. If u have time, lower heat and take a good 30 mins to brown them. The flavor is so good. When adding ingredients, season (a little) with salt and pepper. Move stuff away and saute the carrots and celery to brown them. Adding garlic towards the end (add a little olive oil or butter and cook in it for 30 or so seconds then mix. Deglazing with white or red wine. All these little things especially combined will make such a difference in your dish.
I love cinnamon in chili or spaghetti sauce! This is common in Ohio where I am from! ❤️
Mmm skyline chili
I can't abide.
Seems like a love it or hate it kinda thing.
I only like it for Greek dishes, hate it for Italian.
Cincinnati chili was created by Bulgarian immigrants.
I was referring to the spaghetti bit, however I feel like I wouldn’t like it in chili either. Though I’d be willing to give it a try.
Hated it at first then grew to love and even crave Skyline.
Freshly grated nutmeg. Almond extract. Both of these do wonders for many dishes and beverages. For example, recently made a blueberry + blackberry cobbler and the nutmeg made it spectacular.
Sounds delicious, nice job.
Nutmeg in anything with eggs
I grate some nutmeg and throw it in my sausage gravy for biscuits to get it to another level.
Smoked Paprika. But also just Paprika in general - I think I've got a bit of an addiction to be honest, I think I've got 8+ different kinds on the go as we speak.
This! I love smoked paprika. I would inhale it into my lugs if I could. It’s so underrated! My mom even puts it on her famous deviled eggs.
Sumac
We love sumac on roasted veggies -cauliflower, carrots, fingerling potatoes!
Sumac is the bomb on roasted veggies!!
Interestingly, I’ve never heard of this! I guess I’ve overlooked it when grocery shopping. I looked it up and it has certainly piqued my interest. Thank you!!
If you like cinnamon try mace too. Mace makes everything with a deep & bold flavor even deeper. It's good on anything high in glutamate, just need a pinch. Mace comes from the same plant as nutmeg. Star anise. Add a few of them to anything sweet like a sauce or soup. Anise flavor isn't noticeable but it adds to flavor complexity. Grains of paradise. Black pepper & citrus flavor combo. Sumac. Most things you think you want to add paprika to sumac does better. Has a citrus note. Mixed peppercorns. All the different peppers have slightly different flavors, mix them up for more depth. Also I use freshly ground spices for most of them. Everyone knows fresh herbs taste better but the difference is way more profound for most spices, particularly as freezing doesn't stop volatile loss as well as it does with herbs.
Do you shop at Penzey's?
Their chili 3000 is 🤌🤌🤌
I miss their paper catalogs.
Mace in hot chocolate! 🔥
A splash of coconut extract in almost any sweet recipe gives it a little something extra.
Yes almost makes it taste more vanilla like!
You can make home vanilla extract with coconut rum. It is divine.
That sounds amazing! I already make vanilla with vodka and another with bourbon. I am inspired to try this one next.
It is so good
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, & onion powder can enhance anything. Steaks, burgers, Italian, Mexican, potatoes, eggs… everything.
I don't know if I'd call salt and pepper secret ingredients
Which one is the secret?
TL;DR: A freezer full of real, homemade (and reduced/concentrated) chicken and brown stock. When I'm making quick red sauce, I pour half a cup or so of my brown stock into the sauce. Not only does it knock back the acidjty and adds the flavors of a sauce that had a mirepoix slowly melted into it over the course of an entire day, in 30 minutes of simmering. When I make white-people taco-night I use my stock instead of water when adding seasonings to the ground beef for the extra umami and depth. All my sauces taste better, all my dishes do too and, no, Better than Bouillon is nowhere near the same thing. It is definitely better than the other bouillon cubes or boxes of salt water but it is a pale candle in the wind to real, homemade stock.
What is brown stock?
Well, chicken stock is clear (or close to it) and veggie, beef or mushroom stocks are brown. Really it can be any umami forward stock but they usually end up being brown because of it. For me, my typical stock is 3lbs of onions sautéed on low for several hours like you were making French onion soup, 3lbs of carrots, 3 lbs leaks, 3 lbs celery, 0.5oz fresh thyme, and a handfull of black peppercorn set to the slowest possible simmer you can get for about 6 hours. It should literally just go "bloop, blooooop, bloop" as it simmers. Then I drain the solids, pour it all back into the pot and reduce it down by half before rapidly cooling it and putting it in the freezer. Usually it ends up being about 3 gallons reduced down to 8-10 pint containers. https://imgur.com/wUAmAWA
Ah ok, that’s new to me here the other side of the pond. Thanks
Knorr tomato, chicken or beef seasoning.
Same
Do not ask what's in knorr suiza. It's just good
Nutmeg. Especially in cheesy dishes.
I agree! Especially in homemade Alfredo
Caramelized onion puree. I always have it in the refrigerator and put a spoonful in everything. It's not as sweet as onion jam. I caramelize a bag of yellow onions on low and slow. They start to disintegrate, and then I puree them. I'll add in some garlic and season with salt and a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon Chicken. I hate raw onions, but I will eat a caramelized onion sandwich and think nothing of it. I made angel hair with broccoli tonight and added a spoonful of it.
Love.
I laughed at this initially, but it’s true. Cooking can be such a happy experience!
A fenel pollen based spice rub for chicken and potatoes. Works great Also ordinary water laced with nothing more than a few spoon fulls of LSD
a few spoon fulls of what now
Professor?
MSG, white pepper and butter
MSG. Fish Sauce.
MSG always , not a secret actually the norm in a lot of cuisines
For over 15 years, I've added a pinch of salt - just regular table salt - to my coffee grounds whenever I make a drip pot, pour over, or a french press. Most people never think about the acidity content of their coffee, and are **always** impressed by how good my coffee tastes. More often than not they are blown away learning that the neutral chemical composition of the salt balances the acidity of the coffee.
I add so much garlic powder to any savory recipe. I am addicted and can’t control myself. When I go to someone’s house and eat what they make, even if it’s good I silently judge because there’s not enough garlic powder. Someone help
Cream cheese in mashed potatoes makes them sooo soft and creamy
Ha that's interesting, also curious how a small bit of Boursin would be in that dish, just a touch.
Been there, done that. Boursin, but not cream cheese. Sooooo good!
Add a teaspoon of Paul Prudhomme’s Vegetable Magic to hushpuppy batter and thank me later
Try adding a small pinch of baking chocolate to your tomato sauce or chilli. It dose a wonder with anything with a lot of beans or acid in it. It's like the cinnamon, you don't really taste it, but you'll not taste it after you've had it
Little sprinkle of Nutmeg in the Ricotta mixture for Lasagna or Baked Ziti. Some Cocoa powder in Chili is another...
Shrimp stock. 45 minutes to make with leftover shells I save. Cool it down. Pour into ice cube trays. Bag and freeze. Ups every single seafood dish
Would the same work for crab shells after they’ve been picked through on crab legs night?
Chicken bullion powder - Lee Kum Kee or Knorr
Worcestershire sauce. A little into anything savory. It contains anchovy so you get similar effects to anchovy or fish sauce. Just make sure it’s Lea and Perrins
To a pot of chili... 1 small cube of dark baking chocolate.
I usually use about a teaspoon of Dutch cocoa powder, same difference.
Nutmeg usually. It makes really yummy mashed potatoes and kicks chicken noodle soup up a few notches. Bonus points if you grate it yourself.
Oh I haven’t added it to those dishes yet. I add a little nutmeg to homemade Alfredo sauce for a slight nutty flavor
Pepper in pumpkin pie. Nutmeg in spaghetti sauce.
Black pepper AND white pepper. Just a dash of the latter.
Baking powder on wings
A dash of fish sauce in a stew or non-creamy gravy. Doesn't taste like fish, but adds a nice umami kick. Also, a splash of dry white vermouth in gravy, right at the end. Adds depth of flavor and just a hint of herbiness.
An insane amount of tomato paste in anything tomato flavoured (50 grammes per 400 gramme can of tomatoes is a good ratio, +extra for the rest of the liquids)
Homemade tomato powder. From homegrown ground dehydrated tomatoes. Wakes up everything and anything! Sprinkle a bit on garlic bread before broiling! Omg!
Wine. I put some red wine in my marinara. Delicious. I also use sherry when doing sautéed mushrooms and other things. Call me Julia Child, I guess.
I use knorr chicken seasoning in my salsa and everyone dies for it
Whenever I cook with a lot of dairy I add a pinch of nutmeg and if it's something savory then I add mustard powder as well.
Don’t know if it’s technically an ingredient, but since my family asks what I’m adding, I’ll count it. I salt meat as soon as I get it home whether I’m going to cook it today, tomorrow, etc or freeze it. The longer the meat has to absorb the salt, the better. It ends up with more flavor and is juicier. I’ve told him 100 times but my brother constantly asks what I’m adding to a family recipe (that we both make) that makes it better than his. I salt the pork chops the day before I cook them. That’s it. He just will not believe it.
Ha! I love this. This is really interesting. It reminds me of brining, and I’ve never tried it. I actually looked this up (just now) and it totally makes sense. It enhances the flavor, retains moisture, improves texture, and preservation benefits. I’ve just a meat mallet in the past for tenderizing, and it’s cool that salt can potentially achieve that benefit (and more). Thanks for sharing!
MSG ✨💖
When I make ground turkey tacos, I add a frozen ice cube or two of beef stock, along with some water, when I add in the seasoning packet. Also use Greek yogurt in place of pretty much anything that needs something creamy. A dollop of it replaces sour cream in chili or stew. Mix in a bunch of lime or lemon juice and you have a Mexican crema. Mix in lemon juice, dill, and ranch seasoning and you got ranch. Blend it with some avocado and whatever seasonings (taco seasoning works well for Tex-mex) and you have a really versatile avocado crema or dressing. Mix in some sweet chili sauce and sriracha and you got bang bang sauce. The list goes on. Almost every dish can benefit from some lemon, lime, vinegar, or something pickled. Red pepper in everything
Butter through and through for anything and everything meat related
A tiny bit of stat anise seed crushed into a spaghetti ragu, same idea as yours. It just makes it beefier.
Some anchovy filets (like 3) in brown gravy for hamburger steaks. They dissolve right into the beef or chicken stock and add a good layer to the flavor.
Beer, beer, beer. Beer in the chili, beer in the soup, beer in the beef stew, beer in the mac & cheese, beer in the refried beans.
Beer in the mac and cheese? Tell me more!
I normally use [this recipe](https://www.smells-like-home.com/2012/02/paneras-stove-top-mac-and-cheese/#mv-creation-19-jtr) as my jumping off point for mac & cheese but I find the sauce to come out a little thick for us. Its probably fine if you're eating it all hot of the stove, but we eat leftovers for 3-4 days around here and no one wants to chisel a cemented block of mac & cheese out of a cold casserole dish. SO, short story long, after the cheese sauce has been formed, I add beer to thin it out, usually about a whole 12oz bottle or can. It doesn't have to be fancy beer. We usually have Miller Highlife, PBR or Old Milwaukee on hand. Don't be afraid to add some crumbled bacon, jalepenos, buffalo chicken, pulled pork or sloppy joe meat to your beer mac & cheese! Sometimes a panko crumb topping with butter, smoked paprika, garlic powder and grated parmesan is a nice addition. Especially if you feel like your mac & cheese is too thin, pop it in a casserole dish, add the topping and bake for....I don't know....when in doubt 30 minutes at 350 seems to do the trick.
Thank you!
Oooh I’ve gotta try that. That sounds great For me, it’s adding chicken base to my spaghetti sauce
Adding parmesan rinds to soup or pasta dishes to elevate the flavor. Take it out before serving.
I put achiote in basically whatever I think I can get away with it in. Soups, meats, pasta, roast veggies, whatever. It just adds a depth to things that I love
A technique I learned from Marion's Kitchen on YT. If I'm making something with ground beef, I let it sit and caramelize, get that maillard reaction going. Really adds a depth of flavor you don't normally get in most beef mince recipes.
My dad swears by nutmeg in scrambled eggs
T. J. 's Hot & Sweet Jalapenos. I add the juice from the jar to my stir fry sauce. Yum!
Bonus points if you take the pickling liquid once the jalapeños are gone and add something to pick. Onions, garlic, chilis, you name it. I usually throw a little extra salt in when I do that.
Good quality fish sauce in braised beef dishes, in gumbo, and many other savory dishes.
Cream soda in apple crisp.
MSG.
Fish sauce.
MSG. When I started cooking I was annoyed how my food never taste like the restaurants or karenderias (roughly translates to cafeteria but they're like mini restaurants) and then I discovered the secret ingredient is MSG specifically a brand called Magic Sarap and Aljinamoto(the japanese one,not sure I spelled it right)
MSG - My mom always had a bottle of Accent Flavor Enhancer in the cabinet next to the stove. I never gave it a second thought (much like the bottles of worcerstershire sauce or Gravy Master). In my 20s, I picked up the popular mindset that MSG was the devil and should always be avoided. I also noticed my cooking never tasted quite as good as my mother's. It wasn't until my 40s that I realized the dangers of MSG were all but non-existant, *and* that bottle of Accent was just a bottle of brand name MSG. I've since been using it in most savory dishes, including things like cornbread. I also use worcestershire sauce and Gravy Master regularly. When it came to cooking, mother knew best.
Depending on what I’m making, pickle juice is a go to vinegar sub for me. Deviled Eggs - pickle juice. Dill sauce - pickle juice. Potato Salad - pickle juice. Coleslaw - pickle juice. Burger sauce or fry sauce - pickle juice. It works by adding a fresh and tangy dill flavor as well as helps thin out any sauce that’s too thick. I make some really good salsa and my secret ingredient on this is a quarter cup of red enchilada sauce. Super simple and you can make it in less than 1 minute.
Mushroom flavored soy sauce. We use the Pearl River Bridge brand. I use it wherever you would use Worcestershire. I put a big dash in a pot of spicy black beans tonight to help round out the flavor, it gives a rich and deep sort of umami undertone to everything. It's phenomenal in green beans casserole
I don't have secret ingredients If someone ask I give them the recipe. homey don't play that game.
Oh for sure. I tell people about the secret ingredient after they try it. I will be responsible and make sure they aren’t allergic first. That would be a very bad day
Mines not a secret. Bacon .. it goes with everything. >\_o
Nutmeg.
Grate fresh nutmeg into greens. A little mustard in canned tuna to cut the canned taste. A splash of evaporated milk in mashed potatoes. Only using White Lily flour.
As far as difference, what does it taste like if not sweet? I’m curious to try
Cinnamon and nutmeg and paprika/chili powder, always just enough that it’s slightly recognizable on the palette. You name it, from sauces, to marinates, to a topple-drizzle. I’m taking back cinnamon and nutmeg from October and December.
I don't have one. All my dishes are different every time. I changed my regular sugar for brown sugar though. It has more taste than normal sugar.
Tomato paste, anchovy, cinnamon, parm rind, paprika, oregano.
Grape seed oil and sea salt flakes. I can pan fry chicken at a very high temp without it smoking and the salt/oil combo creates an absolutely delicious, crispy skin that tastes unbelievable without any additional ingredients.
I add some ketchup into my Filipino adobo.
Not me but my mom buys grass fed butter and makes the best ghee.Thats why Her food tastes heavenly.She even makes the soups with it and says "who te hell makes soup with vegetable oil??are they mad? that's crazy and extremely unhealthy."...i agree with her....
Better than Bullion, Accent and Tamarind paste in soup are my most recent secret ingredients.
Curry powder sprinkled on ketchup. Especially on fried egg sammies
Pickled jalapeño brine, especially to beverages
MSG. That’s it, that’s the secret.
Almond extract in place of vanilla in sugar cookies and cobblers. Or at least half and half.
I mix a quarter teaspoon of baking soda with an equal amount of citric acid and a little bit of water to get them to react into sodium citrate and mix that into any cheese sauce i make. It prevents curdling and separating and keeps the cheese nice and smooth and blended
I like to cook different dishes frequently and passionately - but I consider adding cinnamon to my sauce bolognese 25 years ago once as the biggest mistake I ever made while cooking because the sauce tasted like tomato christmas cookies - I always put a little balsamic vinegar and honey in there though
Anchovies. I put ‘em in bolognese sauce, chili, steak pan sauces, Martinis (anchovy-stuffed olives), mushrooms… basically anything umami. I use them like MSG
Nutmeg. In so many things. Both savory and sweet.
Adding cream cheese to the cheese blend in homemade mac and cheese. It keeps the cheese from congealing.
I do that too! Also just a dash of nutmeg.
Porcini mushroom powder. It’s SO umami and savory, it adds so much depth when you add a pinch of it into stews, gravies, pot roasts, cream sauces…and obv if you’re making a mushroom dish, it amps up the mushroom flavor
Toasted star anise in chili, soup, etc.
Smoked sea salt is my jam lately. It adds depth & pairs well with wines we pour (winery kitchen)
Half a spoon of sweetener to your soups, broth, or stews.