Useless (or semi-useless) spices?

[Squanto Airi]

As far as the topic goes here's one that's kind of semi-useless: dry BBQ rubs. You're better off making your own (with the herbs and spices you have at home) in the long run but a premade mix is fine in a pinch.

Most spices in a barbecue rub are staple items, depending on what you're smoking. Plus you can control the flavors by making your own rub blends and what not. So you're right, they are completely useless.

 

[teriyakiburns]

I purchased a bottle of star anise over a year ago and still havent found anything I'd like to add it to.

Next time you're making rice, toss one in the pot, along with a couple of cardamom pods and some fennel.

 

[CallmeCicada]

Dill. Only used for pickles and pickley tuna salad or dips. I don't even own any.

You are broken and your food is broken if you don't taste parsley. Stop killing your taste buds with goyslop. Your sense of taste literally dulls from vitamin/mineral imbalances and overusing salt.

This is absolutely true. Most of the paprika sold in America is garbage. The only good paprika I've had from America was Penzeys smoked Hungarian paprika.
I theorize most good paprika peppers in the US are sold as is rather than turned in to spice. Probably not but I can't explain why paprika is so bland here otherwise.

Dill is very much used in Greek cooking. Its often used fresh to garnish lamb or in a sauce , in rice stuffed vegetables/grape leaves/cabbage rolls, in spinach/bitter green pies with philo dough and feta, on fresh salads, in tzatziki sauce etc.

 

[innocent jogger]

Dried dill is used in Greek cuisine a lot. I forgot about that. I have a love/hate appetite with Greek food: I love the meats and breads but don't care for the vegetables and sauces.

 

[WTBOnlineFather]

Dill. Only used for pickles and pickley tuna salad or dips. I don't even own any.

I know a lot of people have a hate boner for dill but I love it. It's used a lot in eastern euro cuisine. Dill sauce with beef and dumplings is one of my favorite love/hate kind of dishes, kulajda soup (dill, eggs, mushrooms, potatoes, cream) is also godly. In Germany I had goulash with dill, I'd never imagined that could work but I loved it, apparently it's a popular addition there.

 

[CallmeCicada]

Dried dill is used in Greek cuisine a lot.

No, it's usually fresh. Also you probably hate the sauces and vegetables because even the restaurants don't make right often. A lot of Greek food is comfort food and can often not be the most cost effective to serve in a restaurant because of either ingredients/labor. For example unless you have made them yourself you can't have stuffed grapes leaves that don't suck because every Greek restaurant outside of Greece just gets the canned ones because it's not worth paying someone to prepare it by hand.

 

[Death of an Ego]

Most spices in a barbecue rub are staple items, depending on what you're smoking. Plus you can control the flavors by making your own rub blends and what not. So you're right, they are completely useless.

The reason to use these is only convenience. They've been focus grouped and modified over time to appeal to the most people's palates. Most are actually very good, but once you have one on whatever you're cooking, it's not like McCormick is going to come cook it for you, you have to have cooking skills to not fuck it up by over or under cooking it. I personally prefer dry rubs for indirect (oven) cooking, because it's very easy to scorch the spices on a grill or pan. It's easy enough to make your own dry rubs, but it can take a few tries to tailor one to your tastes unless you already know what you want as far as type of protein and cooking method. If you've never tried it, you can make the same sort of marinade by just looking at what your typical dry marinade packet calls for and modifying the ingredients. Sometimes I make something better than the garlic herb and wine McCormick by using fresh pressed garlic, a small amount of diced ginger, a few herbs from a window garden, a small amount of salt, and some allspice, onion powder, black pepper, Hungarian paprika and turmeric.

 

[polar bear]

For me, it's sichuan pepper. I bought it to cook one dish, then I realized I don't really like chinese cuisine that much, and now I am considering throwing it away cause the smell and taste is too 'weird' and overpowering to include it in normal stuff I cook.

 

[GoPro]

The ones I am talking about are fresh (according to the sell-by date) but I have never noticed a discernible flavor when using bay leaves ever. Either my taste buds are broken or bay leaves are a long con.

I also agree with OP that I haven't found an adequate use for bayleaves.

Bay leaves add depth and complexity to the dish you make. They work well for anything boiled; from rice to beans to sauces and soups. Difference between good chilli and alright one one is often the bay leaf. Same goes for soups.

Herb but still, curly parsley is pointless. They should only sell Italian parsley at stores, those who buy curly parsley are uninformed and corporations profit off of their stupidity in that way. Curly parsley is stupid people tax.

It's actually nice when freshly harvested. It's like a lighter and more floral version of flat leaf parsley. By the time it makes to stores most of flavor is gone. Still, it's good for dishes that need parsley but where flat leaf variety can overpower subtler flavors. And it's a nice looking garnish.

Dill. Only used for pickles and pickley tuna salad or dips. I don't even own any.

To add what others have said, dills is great when paired with potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggs, dairy, and fish. It's in general very good with vegetables, seafood, poultry, rice, and works well with other herbs. It's not exclusive to Greeks or Slavs either. Scandinavians, Germans, and Mediterranean cultures use it often. Italy and France are outliers in the region with their strong aversion to dill.

 

[Super Guido]

To add what others have said, dills is great when paired with potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggs, dairy, and fish. It's in general very good with vegetables, seafood, poultry, rice, and works well with other herbs. It's not exclusive to Greeks or Slavs either. Scandinavians, Germans, and Mediterranean cultures use it often. Italy and France are outliers in the region with their strong aversion to dill.

Oh shit, you reminded me that gravlax (salmon cured with dill, salt, and sugar) exists. Now I want some

 

[HairyBadger]

toast some pine nuts, light brown. Throw into basic steamed rice.

 

[Chongqing]

Bay leaves add depth and complexity to the dish you make. They work well for anything boiled

They seem like a pretty subtle flavor profile, right?

 

[Mordecai "3 Finger" Brown]

Cardamom. In powder form it tastes like nothing, but in pod form it tastes like shit.

I associate Cardamon with Finn pulla bread.



I believe it's traditionally made from the whole pods but ground is also used.

 

[latinlover]

Bay leaves add depth and complexity to the dish you make. They work well for anything boiled; from rice to beans to sauces and soups. Difference between good chilli and alright one one is often the bay leaf. Same goes for soups.

It's also indispensable to lentils, green beans, and really nice for sauces with beef and veal. Bay leaves are fucking amazing as a spice. Don't eat it though, just take it out after you're done cooking.

 

[Xarpho's Return]

Wanted to chime in on a few things.
Bay leaves - Useful in soups and marinades, but inedible.
Paprika - American paprika doesn't have much taste but it's very cheap.
Seasoned salt - It's just personal preference. Blacks love the stuff but you can do better with something like Tony Cachere's.

There's some adage like spices only really last two years. I'm not sure if that's universal or not, but keeping shit for 20+ years like my mother does is not recommended either.

 

[Mnutu]

I associate Cardamon with Finn pulla bread.

Ver archivo adjunto 6101605

I believe it's traditionally made from the whole pods but ground is also used.

There’s also extract which is the absolute best way to get the flavor.

 

[TETRABAX]

Cilantro. It tastes like fucking soap. I don't understand how people can put it on food

 

[innocent jogger]

Cilantro. It tastes like fucking soap. I don't understand how people can put it on food

That's a genetic trait you inherited. Cilantro has a very distinct, very good taste to many (like myself) but a lot of people can't taste it and report the soap flavor. Look it up, strange but true.

 

[HodgePodgeRogerDodger]

i do this too though. Cut potato in small cubes. Soak in salt water for an hour. Then deep fry using the "fry twice" method. After that toss in salt, paprika, black pepper and garlic powder.

Shit is absolutely amazing, especially with either maple syrup or hot sauce drizzled on to preference. Dish is called "home fries". Some people add onions and/or peppers too.

It's a southern thang, not necessarily a nigga thang

Patatas bravas are another good home fry method even without the mayo sauce.

 

[AbyssStarer]

Dill is very much used in Greek cooking. Its often used fresh to garnish lamb or in a sauce , in rice stuffed vegetables/grape leaves/cabbage rolls, in spinach/bitter green pies with philo dough and feta, on fresh salads, in tzatziki sauce etc.

No wonder I dislike Greek food so much, hate anything with olives anyway.