Electric Grinders Are Ruining Your Spices — Here's The Tool To Use Instead

Herbs and spices are essential to take any dish from dull to delightful. Sometimes, all it takes is just a pinch of thyme or toasted coriander seeds to level up a boring weeknight dish (for example, chefs insist on hitting their lamb with fresh rosemary). But the way you prep your spices can impact how they deliver flavor, and the taste can suffer if you do it the wrong way. We turned to Scott Thomas, owner of the foodie blog, The Grillin' Fools, for advice on how to treat the most flavorful ingredients you'll add to your cooking. He said it's best to avoid using kitchen gadgets to process whole spices and herbs. Instead, use tools powered by good old-fashioned muscle.

"While I love an electric grinder or food processor to save time, they can overdo it," Thomas said. "I don't want herb powder. I want recognizable pieces of herbs for both flavor and the look of the dish." Herbs and spices add more than flavor and aroma to a dish; they boost visual appeal. Splashes of vibrant color break up monotonous color and add extra pizzazz, like sprinkles from the garden on your plate. "A rough chop and a muddle in the mortar and pestle will quickly open up those flavors while still leaving the herbs intact enough to be visible in the finished dish," Thomas said.

A mortar and pestle might just be the most fun way to prepare any recipe. It's an ancient method to process spices, grinding them by hand in a small dish to break them down and create more flavor. All of the whole spices and herbs you're using can go into the bowl-shaped mortar together (only fill halfway to leave room for grinding). Use the pestle to mash spices on the sides and bottom of the mortar. Apply more or less pressure depending on how coarse or fine you want your spices and herbs. It can take a few minutes — and a little effort, Scott Thomas said.

If you're willing to put in the work, a mortar and pestle can deliver more flavorful spice blends and herb mixtures than electric grinders. Heat and oxidation from electric grinders can destroy delicate flavor notes in the spices, taking away some of their nuance.

Mortar and pestle sets come in many types of materials, like ceramic, wooden, stone, and steel. There are different designs as well — smooth, rough, or lined with ridges, like the Japanese suribachi-style that is best for seeds and nuts. On the other hand, a Mexican molcajete is great for seeds, delicate herbs, and guacamole because of its rough, volcanic basalt texture. Granite models are heavy and best suited for sturdy spices, while porcelain versions are great for oily herbs like basil. Material choice comes down to personal preference — just be sure to season your brand new mortar and pestle before use. Thomas said he couldn't settle for just one. "I have two," he said. "A stainless one and a granite one. I like steel and stone."