Questions tagged [seasoning]

Questions about the use of spices, herbs, salt and other flavorings to create the desired flavor in the final dish. See also the [salt] tag. For questions about seasoning cookware (e.g. cast iron) please use the tag [seasoning-pans]. Note that questions on flavor combinations (as in, "how should I season X", or "what seasoning goes with X") are off topic. This is a general site rule that goes beyond this tag.

There is no universal definition of "seasoning", the word means different things to different people. The answers to "Is there a difference between seasoning and flavouring?" are divided, but the combined answers do give the reader a basis for communication, and this tag is intended to broadly cover the ways people use the term, rather than trying to mandate a particular definition.

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When to add seasoning to oven-baked french fries?

When baking French fries in the oven, either from a frozen package, or made from cut potatoes, is it better to add seasoning, such as salt, pepper, paprika, etc., before placing the fries in the oven or after? When should one add vinegar or lime…
Village
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What's the secret to well-seasoned pulled pork?

When I make pulled pork, the seasoning stays on the outside. I know it's possible to get the seasoning to permeate the whole piece of meat, but I don't know how. I follow this recipe, but cook for one hour in an Instant Pot. Am I supposed to shred…
Dan R.
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Is there a difference between seasoning and flavouring?

I find the meaning of the word 'seasoning' slightly elusive. Before I started to take cooking seriously, I'd have said that any herb or spice used in cooking could be called a seasoning. Without having had it spelled out to me, I'm now under the…
Chris Steinbach
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How to keep seasonings from separating in soup

I’m cooking soup that consists of chicken broth, water, creme, butter, and puréed vegetables. When we add the seasonings (sage, creole, etc), after a while the seasonings all float to the top. I was wondering if there was anything I could add that…
Creoix
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What ingredient(s) available in the UK would make a passable alternative to epazote?

I'm following a recipe for Sopa Azteca de Tortilla that calls for Epazote, which I haven't heard of before, let alone tasted (to my knowledge!). Wikipedia mentions: Raw, it has a resinous, medicinal pungency, similar to oregano, anise, fennel, or…
anotherdave
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Are arborvitae branches safe to use as a seasoning?

Back in old times (really old times), when people would get scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) on long voyages, Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) was used as a treatment/cure to help folks recover from scurvy. That shows that it is useful in some amounts,…
J. Musser
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Are MSG and Accent (Seasoning) the same thing?

Can the seasoning Accent be substituted for MSG, for example in General Tso's Chicken?
Andrew
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Why "Yeast Extract"

I'm having dinner at a popular burger joint, and the have their house seasoning on the table. It includes "Yeast Extract". What would be the reason to include this in a season?
Cos Callis
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Roasted chicken ends up only salty outside

I tried to make roasted whole-chicken yesterday, by patting dry inside out with paper towel and salting it inside out followed by roasting for 1 hour at 465 F. It was nice overall except that it's tasteless in the meat and rather just salty on the…
dresden
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When is MSG suitable and when is it not?

Does adding msg to any recipe or dish always make it taste better? It doesn't seem to have much of a taste on its own. EDIT I'm not asking HOW it makes things taste better, I'm asking which dishes it would work well with, and which dishes it won't.…
Dr C
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Is there a secret to flavouring with herbs

I am a strictly amateur cook. Most of my output is OK, certainly edible, but I seem to lack the ability to impart flavour through herbs. I can throw in an inordinate amount, but still no flavour (not even an overpowering one). Yet, I have a simple…
itj
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Does salt-seasoned pasta and starchy water in my sauce have to yield a salty sauce?

When cooking pasta, there are a couple of techniques that I like to follow--individually they yield great results, but when combined they interfere with one another to produce an inferior product. Salting the pasta water. I've learned this trick…
Ray
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What's the best way to learn what each seasoning is?

For example, Iike cayenne pepper is spicy and marjorum has a smoky flavor. I just want to learn the different flavors of each seasoning, so I can know exactly what seasonings to use for the different types of food. Trying to educate myself, I want…
Nicole
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When seasoning a cast-iron pan, should you let the oil smoke?

I've looked at seasoning guides online, and they all say that to season, you need to heat the pan to 350 degrees Farenheit. However, some oils have vastly different smoke points. If my oil starts smoking at 350, should I use a lower temperature? Is…
Ovi
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What does "season it to taste" mean?

I hear chefs like Gordon Ramsay say this and many, many others. When a chef has boiled potatos or bacon or spinach... Be it my family or Betty Crocker ... What are the "seasons" they are talking about???? [Please note] I am not asking "How much"…
chrips
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