Allspice Berries, Whole

Product Information

Also known as a Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, or pimento, allspice is the unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica, an evergreen tree in the Myrtle family native to the West Indies, Southern Mexico, and Central America. As such, it may trick your body into believing that its estrogen levels are up, thus helping manage symptoms ( 1, 8). Still, you may find cloves leave a stronger impression than allspice—so try adding them gradually, if possible. Meanwhile, other desserts like gingerbread, cookies, pumpkin mousse, or sweet potato pie are all enhanced by allspice. But because it’s not a spice that you reach for often, it’s easy to run out of allspice and forget to replace it.

Swoosh this Spiced Labneh under fried eggs, smear it on toast, or use it as a dip for crudités and pita bread.Ground allspice lasts 2-4 years while whole allspice has no defined spoil date, although the potency will decrease over time. It adds a unique depth of flavor to various recipes, and is loved by many home cooks and professional chefs alike. It is all-around, coming with two forms as whole or ground, making it very easy for you to choose what type should be used in different recipes.

However, anecdotal evidence indicates a potentially negative effect when large amounts of allspice are consumed while taking blood clotting medication. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology: “Microbicide activity of clove essential oil (Eugenia caryophyllata). However, it might not be as common as some other spices out there, and so sometimes you might come across a recipe that needs it but you realize you don’t have any there.If you’re more of a baker and plan to make something sweet like cookies or pumpkin pie, choose ground. Pumpkin pie spice usually contains allspice in combination with other warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. There isn’t really an exact substitute for allspice, whether that’s a single spice or a spice blend. Given the flavor profile of allspice, it is likely that there may even be some allspice in your pumpkin spice mix! The measurements below come from a combination of our experts’ guidelines as well as our own in-house measurements.

Since eugenol is both warming and anti-microbial, Russian soldiers in the Napoleonic War of 1812 put allspice in their boots to help keep their feet warm and alleviate odour. This seasoning is a mainstay in Caribbean cuisine, and pairs well with dishes that are sweet (think breads, cakes, and pies), savory, and spicy. You might have a jar of whole allspice berries and a container of ground allspice, and also a few Allspice leaves in your kitchen right now. As my colleague and food editor Shilpa Uskokovic explains, allspice is “picked unripe and then fermented and dried before being packaged and sold. Once dried, the fruits look like peppercorns but fresh and unripe, the green berries more closely resemble olives.Cloves are strong in flavor, so start with a 1:2 ratio of ground cloves to ground allspice, and add more to suit your taste so that the flavor doesn’t overpower your dish. If you are making a savory recipe, you may also want to add in a quarter of a teaspoon of ground black pepper. This spice is mainly featured in Caribbean cuisine and has a special place in Middle Eastern, Arab, and some parts of European cuisines.

You can use a pepper or spice grinder to quickly grind whole allspice berries when you’re ready to use them. Furthermore, ground allspice can also be sprinkled on top of your bowl of yogurt, oatmeal, roasted vegetables, or cup of coffee for added flavor. However, the name “allspice” comes from the British, who said that its flavor resembles that of cloves, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg combined ( 1). To do this, place the berries in a spice pack made from cheesecloth or in a metal tea infuser; once the berries have infused the liquid, discard. Used in everything from fiery jerk chicken to spiced squash, allspice has long been a pantry staple.You will certainly have better success using the ground version in desserts, such as pumpkin cake or pie, spice cakes, and gingerbread. You should use the same ratio as in a sweet recipe, but also add in a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper for every half a teaspoon of nutmeg. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.