Best Tips for Cooking with Nutmeg

Nutmeg plant
Photo by Ian Yeo on Unsplash

Nutmeg is a powerful spice that can take your cooking to the next level. Its nuttiness and sweetness give a lot of dishes and baked goods a richer flavor and help elevate all the other ingredients. Just make sure you follow these tips when cooking with it.

Always Opt for Fresh Nutmeg

Just like all food ingredients, fresh nutmeg is a lot better than grated packs you can find on grocery store shelves. Nutmeg seeds are packed with oils that cause their flavor to be more pronounced. Grating fresh nutmeg just before using it in the dish will allow you to take advantage of this.

Store it Properly

Nutmeg is usually added to dishes in small quantities, meaning it will take a while before you use it all up. To make sure it does the same trick each time, you have to store the nutmeg properly. Your best bet is to put it in a glass container and store it in a cold and dark place.

Don’t Overdo It

Nutmeg is one spice that you don’t want to go overboard with. Due to its intense flavor, too much nutmeg can make the dish less pleasing than you planned. This is why you should always use the correct measure if it’s part of the recipe. If not, remember that less is more.

Experiment with Various Dishes

Nutmeg can improve more dishes than you would think. You can sprinkle it on grilled veggies, top cheesy dishes with it, mix it into mashed potatoes, use it in mulled wine, and add it to pies, muffins, and much more.