Eli5: Why are bay leaves used whole, when every other spice is chopped or ground up?
In: 4471
Because Bay Leaves are very potent. If you chopped it up, they would imbue too much of their flavor into what you were cooking and it would be impossible to remove it. So you use a whole leave that gives a little flavor and is easier to remove.
Because you shouldn’t eat them. They are removed at the end of the cooking process, after they’ve released their flavour. It’s way easier when they’re whole 😀
Dried out bay leaves are super tough – they’re unpleasant to eat and they can actually be a bit of an irritant on the digestive tract – and run the risk of hurting your throat on the way down. Fresh bay leaves are less tough (though still a little bit), but still do have that irritant effect. And powdered bay leaf loses a lot of the flavor, because the oils that are inside seep out. And in my experience store-bought powdered spices tend to be less powerful than the fresh version, and bay is no exception, though you’ll sometimes find spice mixes that include a bit of it – powdered poultry seasoning usually contains bay.
At the end of the day, it just winds up being easiest to use whole leaves and pull them out of whatever they’re flavoring once the job’s done, so that nobody’s eating the actual fibrous leaf. Other “hard herbs” like rosemary, sage, thyme, etc. (the ones with woody stems or fibrous leaves) are often used the same way. Sure, we can use the finely ground versions or tear off the small leaves (depending on the herb), but it’s often more convenient in soups, sauces, braises, etc. just to tie a little bouquet of the herb, drop it in a simmering pot, and pull it out at the end.
EDIT: corrected my thing about powdered spices, cause I phrased that part poorly.
Bay leaves aren’t the only whole ones. If a seasoning is put in whole, it is because you are meant to remove it before eating. If you chop it up or grind it, then it is meant to become part of the food and be eaten.
Bay leaves add a nice flavor but are unpleasant to eat because they are tough and hard.
Think about a tea bag – You dunk it in water but you don’t drink the bag or the tea leaves. You just let the water get the flavoring. Bay leaves work the same way.
You don’t eat bay leaves, and usually take them out of whatever you’re going to eat once it’s done. Leaving them whole makes that easier.
A similar method is used for lots of herbs actually, you just have to prep them a bit differently. If they are dried, you put them in a little pouch and throw them into the food to be taken out later. Called a satchet. The same idea with fresh herbs is a bouquet garni.
Basically just imparting the flavor nd removing the ingredient.
Also if we keep them whole it allows us in the restaurant business the joy of making fun of stupid people who complain about a leaf being in their food.
Dried bayleaves aren’t edible. If you ate them they’d tear at your throat.
They’re left whole so you can fish em out easier
Ground bay leaf is strong – quite an amazing aroma compared to the dried leaves. It’s easy enough to buy online and it’s included in some “Old Bay” seasoning recipes, and that’s why I ground up some bay leaves.
If you want to grind your own spices, it’s easy with a coffee grinder but you’ll want to buy one only for spice grinding and keep it separate so the spices don’t affect your coffee.
Haven’t eaten much Indian have you?
Never had the joy of biting into a cardamom pod or a clove before. Its an experience every curry eater needs to do at least once.
Plenty of things are left whole in recipes.
Eg star anise, all spice berries, peppercorns, cloves, etc. all used whole to spice corned beef / salt beef and other recipes. Pho uses a similar mix, also whole.
Indian food often has whole cardamom seeds, mustard leaves.
Cinnamon sticks are often used whole in a range of cuisines.
It all depends on the flavor profile and cooking method used.
Latest Answers