When it comes to food, there are a lot of things you are going to think about, such as how you are going to prepare it, how long you have to cook it, and finally, how it is going to taste.
Taste is an especially important factor because it is what will decide if you are even going to like the food you are preparing. The same goes for using certain ingredients.
One ingredient people might wonder about is saffron. In this article, we’ll discover what it is, how much it tastes, if you can eat it raw, and finally, the best ways to eat it.
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What Is Saffron?
To know what saffron tastes like, you should first know actually what it is. Saffron is a spice that is thought to have originated originally in Greece.
Nowadays, it’s grown not only in Greece but also India, Morocco, and Iran. Speaking of Iran, this country is currently the country that is the largest producer of saffron.
This reddish-brown spice comes from a flower that is known as the saffron crocus. The saffron itself is some from the stigmas that are inside of the flower.
One of the biggest downsides to saffron is that it is on the expensive side. It can be expensive because there isn’t a lot of it to go around, and it does have to be hand harvested since it comes from the inside of a flower.
Still, despite how expensive it is, saffron does have a lot of benefits.
It has a decent amount of antioxidants and can even help with your mood (for example, it can help with anxiety and depression, premenstrual syndrome, and even help fight ready your body to fight cancer should it ever occur.
Isn’t that bad for such a small plant?
How Does Saffron Taste?
Now you know what Saffron tastes like, so we should figure out just how this spice tastes. If you are using fresh saffron, it tastes like the earth mixed with pepper.
Taste-wise, it also has an earthy scent with a mixture of honey and bitterness.
It’s an odd combination that can be hard to describe, so the best way to see how it tastes is to try it yourself if you ever get the chance.
When saffron is used in cooking, it’s used to flavor dishes and give them some sweetness.
It also can be used to dye things yellow, but this has no bearing on your food. Rather, it’s just an interesting tidbit to keep in mind when using saffron.
Can You Eat Saffron Raw?
Since saffron is often used as a spice, you might be wondering if it can even be eaten raw or not.
You’ll be happy to know that If you want, it can be eaten raw or put in a drink to be consumed that way. It is completely safe to consume raw, too, providing you have it in moderation, so don’t be afraid to try it that way.
If you are someone who would rather just cook with it, then you can go that route too.
An important thing to keep in mind is that if you use too much saffron, it can overpower the dish. The same can be said for overusing any kind of spice.
Plus, saffron is really expensive, so you don’t want to use it too much; otherwise, your wallet is going to be crying out for help.
Ways To Use Saffron
So, if you are in the camp of people who want to use saffron but are unsure of how to do it, we have you covered in this section right here.
You can use saffron in the following ways:
- Saffron Tea is a great idea for those people who love their tea. All you need to do is steep the tea however you usually do it. Once the water has boiled or gotten hot enough, you can go ahead and add some saffron to the tea. It’ll add a nice sweet, earthy taste to your tastebuds.
- Saffron Powder is saffron that has been ground into a powder. If you just have the stems, then you’ll want to ground them into some type of power for easy use. Remember the tea we mentioned above? This is a great recipe to use saffron powder in. It’s best to ground it with a mortar and pestle, which isn’t as difficult to get as you might think. From there, add some sugar to just help make the saffron powder even finer.
- Saffron spice for dishes is the most commonlyused for saffron. It doesn’t matter what type of dish you are making. Just sprinkle some saffron stems or some saffron powder if that is what you have on hand. Either way, it’s going to infuse your food and add some great flavors to your meal. Soup is one classic food you might consider livening up with saffron.
These are the top three ways for you to use saffron in your meals. As we said, this spice can be used in many ways, which even include tea, soup, etc., so don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen.
Final Thoughts
And there we go, all you saffron lovers out there! Now you know not only what saffron is but also how this food happens to taste.
We also covered if you could eat it raw along with ways to cook it, so you’ll be able to cover all your bases depending on your preferences.
Saffron is a great addition to certain meals and drinks you are having, so consider purchasing some.
Even better, keep your household stocked with saffron so you can easily use it whenever you feel the need to.
It’s available at most grocery stores, including Walmart, so chances are you’ve even come across it before and just weren’t aware of it.
So next time you are at the store, consider purchasing some saffron only if you have the money, of course, because saffron is expensive!
I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.