Crumbled bay leaves, dangerous?

QSis

QSis

Grill Master
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I bought a jar of bay leaves and a lot of them in the jar are broken pieces.

I usually use bay leaves in long-cooking stews and soups, and pull out the whole leaves before serving.

If I use these small pieces, I will never be able to find them all in the finished soup/stew, and they may be dangerous to eaters.

I hate to toss out all the broken leaves.

Do you think it would be good to grind them in my spice grinder and just add BAY LEAF POWDER to my stews?

Lee
 
SilverSage

SilverSage

Resident Crone
I would tie them up in cheesecloth along with the parsley & peppercorns, etc then throw this 'bouquet garni' into the pot to simmer. When you're done, just remove the cheesecloth.

Do you have a teaball? I use that frequently for spices that I want to remove. Use it the same way as the cheesecloth. Put the spices in it, drop it in the pot, and remove when done.
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
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I also use a teaball when I make my corned beef. I mix my own spices which include bay leaves. I just pop it all in a large teaball easy peasy. DON'T take any chances. Use cheesecloth or a teaball.
 
QSis

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
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Coffee filters and cheesecloth I have - cool!

But a teaball would be SO much easier! Thanks for the ideas, you brilliant people!

Lee
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH don't tell anyone but years ago I ran out of cheese cloth BUT I had a brand new, unworn, still in the package pair of white cotton socks (they were my daughters when she was little so they were just the right size) and guess what? That worked better than cheese cloth!!
 
Keltin

Keltin

New member
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lilbopeep said:
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH don't tell anyone but years ago I ran out of cheese cloth BUT I had a brand new, unworn, still in the package pair of white cotton socks (they were my daughters when she was little so they were just the right size) and guess what? That worked better than cheese cloth!!
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I'd imagine brand new panty hose would works as well????? Hmmmmmmm.....
 
Keltin

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
lilbopeep said:
Yes but pantyhose are polyester? (plastic) YUCK!!
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Since polyester has a melting temp of 250C (482F), and you're boiling in liquid that won't get much hotter thn 212F, I think you're ok! :yum::yum::yum::yum:

But, I'll stick with the coffee filters myself. :biggrin:
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Keltin said:
Since polyester has a melting temp of 250C (482F), and you're boiling in liquid that won't get much hotter thn 212F, I think you're ok! :yum::yum::yum::yum:

But, I'll stick with the coffee filters myself. :biggrin:
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Yeah so would I!!
 
SilverSage

SilverSage

Resident Crone
Bay leaf is stiff, and the broken edges are sharp. Even long cooking doesn't soften it. The leathery leaf can get caught in your throat and cause choking. So eating a piece of bay leaf can actually scratch the inside of your throat as you swallow, and it's said that it can be like eating glass in your digestive tract. Besides, even after cooking, its flavor is still very strong - one bite would be overpowering.

All that said, Old Bay Seasoning does use ground up bay leaves in the mix. But it's only one of many spices, and it's very finely ground, so you're not getting that much. If you were to grind it up and leave it in, you would certainly have to use much less, but I have no idea by how much
 
B

bigjim

Mess Cook
Super Site Supporter
lilbopeep said:
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH don't tell anyone but years ago I ran out of cheese cloth BUT I had a brand new, unworn, still in the package pair of white cotton socks (they were my daughters when she was little so they were just the right size) and guess what? That worked better than cheese cloth!!
Click to expand...
Mom used to save old cotton sheets and cut them up for kitchen use. They became dish towels, filters, and wiper rags for the cast iron.
 
lifesaver91958

lifesaver91958

Queen of the Jungle
Gold Site Supporter
SilverSage said:
I would tie them up in cheesecloth along with the parsley & peppercorns, etc then throw this 'bouquet garni' into the pot to simmer. When you're done, just remove the cheesecloth.

Do you have a teaball? I use that frequently for spices that I want to remove. Use it the same way as the cheesecloth. Put the spices in it, drop it in the pot, and remove when done.
Click to expand...

What a wonderful idea SS. I would never have thought of the tea ball trick. :) :clap::clap:
 
lifesaver91958

lifesaver91958

Queen of the Jungle
Gold Site Supporter
lilbopeep said:
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH don't tell anyone but years ago I ran out of cheese cloth BUT I had a brand new, unworn, still in the package pair of white cotton socks (they were my daughters when she was little so they were just the right size) and guess what? That worked better than cheese cloth!!
Click to expand...

I've heard of using the sock trick in making coffee in a pan on an open camp fire. :a1:
 
lilylove

lilylove

Active member
lilbopeep said:
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH don't tell anyone but years ago I ran out of cheese cloth BUT I had a brand new, unworn, still in the package pair of white cotton socks (they were my daughters when she was little so they were just the right size) and guess what? That worked better than cheese cloth!!
Click to expand...


I won't tell if you don't... when David was getting his teeth I would buy baby socks and put ice in them and let him suck on them! HE loved it. :lol:
 
C

CaliforniaCook

Banned
QSis said:
I bought a jar of bay leaves and a lot of them in the jar are broken pieces.

I usually use bay leaves in long-cooking stews and soups, and pull out the whole leaves before serving.

If I use these small pieces, I will never be able to find them all in the finished soup/stew, and they may be dangerous to eaters.

I hate to toss out all the broken leaves.

Do you think it would be good to grind them in my spice grinder and just add BAY LEAF POWDER to my stews?

Lee
Click to expand...

I might exchange the bottle for a new one. If one or two leaves were broken, I would just discard those & use the rest. I would think, once the leaves are broken, they release the essential oils/flavor(?). Maybe you got a bad jar. I don't use bay leaves that often. A whole jar would probably last a year or more. That's just me, though.
 
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