Now that apple cider and pumpkin spice season is here, it’s time to use some of those leftover spices for all of your cooking needs. Ground cloves are one spice that you may not have used much, but it does so much more than just add a zing to your apple cider or mulled wine recipes.
Ground cloves have a sweet yet spicy flavor with a touch of bitterness. They blend well with other spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and can add a great depth to many dishes from meat rubs to baked goods.
Here are 10 ways you can use ground cloves in many everyday cooking applications:
1) Make your own barbecue rub.
2) Add a dash of ground cloves while making homemade applesauce.
3) Use ground cloves in your favorite fall recipes like apple crumble or pumpkin pie.
4) Add them to any homemade tomato-based sauce or stew.
5) Put a teaspoon into your next pot of beef stew or chili for an added kick.
Ground cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum). Cloves have a rich, sweet, and spicy flavor that enhances many foods including baked goods, soups, sauces, and curries.
While they are typically used to flavor baked goods and desserts, ground cloves have many other uses too. Here are 10 surprising ways you can use this spice as well as some tips for storing it.
1. Add to marinades for meat
2. Make clove-scented sugar by adding a tablespoon of ground cloves to a cup of sugar. Store in an airtight container for several weeks before using so that the flavors blend together. Use this spiced sugar in coffee or tea or in baked goods that call for sugar.
3. Add to apple cider or wassail for a rich, spicy flavor; use about 1/8 teaspoon per cup of liquid.
4. Spice up your barbecue sauce by adding 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves per cup of sauce.
5. Add ground cloves to soups or stews that contain meat; try 1/2 teaspoon per quart of broth or water used in the recipe
6. Make clove-scented vinegar
Ground cloves are one of the most versatile spices in the kitchen. Keep them on hand so you can add a dash to your cooking as needed. Here are some surprising uses for ground cloves:
Add them to homemade spice rubs.
Use them in pumpkin or apple pie.
Sprinkle them on oatmeal, yogurt or custard.
Add them to warm cider, tea or hot chocolate.
Make mulled wine with whole cloves.
Use them in marinades.
Incorporate them into a breading mix for meat and poultry.
Use them in homemade barbecue sauces and ketchup.
Make your own pumpkin spice latte mix by combining ground cloves with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Stir a pinch of ground cloves into tomato sauce, chili or stew for a sweet, spicy flavor boost.
Ground cloves are a spice that you probably don’t use very often. They might be sitting in your pantry, collecting dust. But you should put them to good use! Ground cloves are great for adding flavor to recipes.
Some of my favorite uses for cloves is in meatloaf, chili, and apple desserts (like apple pie). Here are 10 other ideas for using ground cloves:
1. Add to applesauce. It’s like apple pie in a bowl!
2. Add to stewed tomatoes. A little clove will add a kick to your homemade spaghetti sauce.
3. Add to marinades or marinate meat before grilling. Cloves pair well with garlic and ginger, so they’re great with steak, chicken or pork chops.
4. Flavor hot chocolate or coffee by adding some ground cloves to the mix when you’re heating it up on the stove top or in the microwave. You can also stir it into whipped cream!
5. Make mulled cider by simmering apple cider with some ground cloves, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg for about 15 minutes (this recipe from Allrecipes calls for 2 tbsp of ground cloves!). Serve warm in mugs and garnish with whipped cream or cinnamon sticks if desired.
Ground cloves are used in baking, such as gingerbread, pumpkin pie and apple pie. In savory dishes, it goes well with meat, especially pork. Use a recipe that calls for this spice or try it in yours. A little bit goes a long way because of its strong flavor. The pungent taste is due to eugenol, an essential oil.
Ground cloves can be an ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder and garam masala. Or use ground cloves as a substitute for whole cloves if you don’t have any on hand. You can use them in the same amount called for in the recipe.
Ground cloves are great for mulled cider or mulled wine. Add other spices such as cinnamon sticks and allspice berries to enhance the flavor of your holiday beverages. Cloves go with oranges too; try them in tea or punch made with orange juice and other spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.
Add ground cloves to homemade pickles or barbecue sauces to give them extra zest.
If you’re looking for a way to add sweetness to your smoothie without using sugar, try adding some ground cloves along with some nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla extract. It’s also great sprinkled on oatmeal or hot cereal
Ground cloves are a common ingredient in many recipes. Cloves can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, although they are more often used in savory dishes. Cloves are commonly used in Indian cuisine, especially in spice mixes like curry powder and garam masala. Most people consider cloves to be a holiday spice only, but why limit yourself to just the holidays? Discover how to use ground cloves in all kinds of ways!
One of the best uses for ground cloves is for spiced cider. A classic hot cider drink is made with apple cider or apple juice, oranges and cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon. Add some ground cloves to really bring out the spices in the cider.
Ground cloves are also great for baking cookies! Mix them together with ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg for a classic fall cookie. You can also make your own gingerbread mix by mixing together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, along with all the fall spices you love. Then just add butter or margarine, eggs and molasses to make gingerbread cookies!
Ground cloves are perfect for adding flavor to meat dishes. In particular, they work well with pork chops or pork tenderloin. They also work well with ham glazes; mix them with
Ground cloves are a common ingredient in many desserts. The flavor of cloves is strong, so you can use ground cloves to add flavor to baked goods like muffins, gingerbread and cookies. You can also use ground cloves with other spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice for a warming spice mix.
You can make the popular chai tea blend with ground cloves. Chai is made from black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and black pepper. When making chai tea using ground cloves it’s best to add them last, so they don’t become bitter during the brewing process.
Ground cloves are often used in Indian cuisine as well. They pair well with turmeric, cumin, pepper and chili powder. Ground clove is a common ingredient in garam masala, a spice blend that contains coriander seed, cumin seed, cardamom pods, peppercorns and cinnamon bark.
Ground cloves pair well with pork dishes and ham as well. Add the spice to your favorite barbecue rub or glaze for extra flavor. Because of the strong flavor of ground cloves you don’t need much when cooking with it.
