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Savory Experiments

  • Recipe Index
  • Cooking Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • BBQ
    • Casserole
    • Cast Iron
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Kid-Friendly
    • No-Bake
    • No-Cook
    • One-Dish
    • Slow Cooker
    • Under 30 Minutes
  • Cuisine
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    • Creole
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    • International Cuisine
    • Irish
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    • Spanish
    • Thai
  • Holiday
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Savory Experiments

Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are an herb that comes from the laurel bush and can be used fresh, dried, or ground in your cooking. They are a staple in any spice cabinet.

How to make garlic confit: a condiment that every kitchen needs. Super versatile in recipes or eaten by itself, garlic confit is a

This herb can sometimes be a hard sell. You use one or two in a recipe, and may think, are these really worth it? I can tell you unequivocally, yes, they are worth it. Don’t skip them if they are in a recipe.

It wasn’t until a trip to Italy that I really understood bay leaf. At the end of a dinner, they served you a few tastes of herbal liqueurs made on the property from ingredients in the garden. I chose three and one of them was, “alloro”.

That was my favorite taste, but I didn’t know what alloro was. Naturally, I had to google it. To my shock and surprise, it was bay laurel aka the plant the leaves I use in my cooking come from.

Whether dry, fresh, or ground (or distilled into a gorgeous liqueur) they have a pungent flavor and an herbaceous and floral fragrance. Most people would liken them to a mix of oregano and thyme.

Here are some great recipes using bay leaves:

  • Garlic Confit
  • Red Beans and Rice
  • Pickling Spice (How to Make Your Own Pickling Spice)
  • Slow Cooker Beef Stew
  • Apple French Onion Soup

Can they kill you?

The type sold for culinary purposes cannot kill you. I wouldn’t recommend eating them, but if you get a mouthful of one when you are eating, don’t sweat it.

Do bay leaves really do anything?

Absolutely, without a doubt, they do a lot. They are often added to heavy and bold dishes and stocks to give a hint of herbal, almost minty bitterness when added to a hot liquid that helps to round out the flavor.

And while that flavor isn’t going to smack you in the face and say, “Hey, I’m bay leaf,” it is essential for layering flavor.

Where can I get bay leaves?

Fresh bay laurel might be available at your local farmers market, but these are fewer and farther between. I know some friends with kind neighbors who have gardens and like to share their resources. If you happen to be one of those lucky people, they will last about a week in the fridge.

Thankfully, dried bay leaves are easily found in the spice aisle of the grocery store.

How long do bay leaves last in your pantry?

You can bank on these being potent for cooking for at least two years in your spice cabinet.

What can you substitute bay leaves for?

If you are fresh out, simply substitute ¼ tsp of dried thyme or oregano for each bay leaf the recipe calls for.

            straight on shot of slow cooker beef stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Soups
            buttermilk fried chicken on wire rack with hot sauce tilted

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Dinners + Entrees
            overhead of 15 bean soup in a bowl with bread and cheese

Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup

Soups
            How to Brine a Turkey- a step-by-step guide for brining turkey, tips for a better turkey, how to brown turkey skin and a recipe for juicy turkey. #turkeybrinerecipe #thanksgivingturkeyrecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

How to Brine a Turkey

Dinners + Entrees
            angle view of pork pozole

Instant Pot Pork Pozole

Dinners + Entrees · Soups
            close up of barbacoa tacos

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos

Tacos + Nachos
            whole turkey on a serving platter

Honey Herb Brined Turkey

Dinners + Entrees
            overhead of pickling spice recipe

Homemade Pickling Spice

Seasonings & Spices
            Turkey Stock is the base to great gravy, sauce and stuffing. Make your own for robust flavor and maximum health benefits.

Turkey Stock

Soups
            angle view of red beans and rice in a white bowl

Red Beans and Rice

Dinners + Entrees
            glass jar of garlic confit

Garlic Confit

Dips, Dressings, + Sauces
            overhead of crockpot jambalaya in a serving dish

Crockpot Chicken Jambalaya

Dinners + Entrees
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Jessica is an author, blog coach, photographer, recipe creator and spokesperson, TV personality, globetrotter and contributor to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Mashed and The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more! Let her help you create restaurant quality family meals using the four S's.
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