Spices and aromatic herbs are essential when making our dishes to give them a rich and tasty touch. Their function is to enhance the flavor and above all, the smell. In addition, aromatic herbs, when fresh, contain many mineral salts and vitamins. This means that we add nutritional and therapeutic properties to our meals when we use them.
When cooking, keep in mind that not all types of aromatic herbs combine with all meats. Another interesting feature of dried herbs is that they always have a more powerful flavor than freshly picked. This means that, if a recipe talks about dry herbs and we only have fresh herbs on hand, we must add twice as much to get the same flavor, and the vice versa would also apply.
On the other hand, fresh herbs are not always used in the same way in cooking. Oregano, fresh rosemary, or tarragon are great for seasoning uncooked meats and preparing delicious marinades. However, fresh parsley, basil, or cilantro are often added when the meat is already cooked.
What is the Best Herb for Each Meat?
- Dill: this herb is perfect for stewed meats, especially veal or pork.
- Oregano: perfect for dressing beef or pork dishes.
- Laurel: its fresh leaves are used to enhance the flavor of soups, broths and for sauces that need a long cooking time.
- Tarragon: a herb widely used by the French, which goes perfectly with beef in sauce.
Spices that Also Go Well with Meat
- Paprika: combines very well with beef if it is used in sautéed meats and stews.
- Cinnamon: it goes perfect with curried meat recipes and with beef in sauce.
- Pepper: the red one goes very well with white meats and the green one is ideal for red meats.Black pepper works well with any meat.
- Curry: it is perfect for beef.
- Cumin: pairs perfectly with beef and stews.
If you have been wanting to try delicious recipes with aromatic herbs, we invite you to try the following: Seared U.S. Ribeye Steak or Brisket with Pomegranate-Walnut Sauce and Pistachio Gremolata.