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Durkee Insider Tips

Refer often to these Durkee "Insider Tips" to create
tastier, healthier meals for your Family!

Grilling Tips

Dried vs. Fresh Conversion

Miscellaneous Spice Substitutions & Conversions

Basic Marinade Recipe

Recipe Multiplication Guidelines

How Fresh Are Your Spices?

Grilling Tips

  1. Choose a tender cut of meat. For best results, spray grill with non-stick cooking spray (or brush
    lightly with oil) before cooking.
  2. Use tongs to turn (not stab) the meat, to avoid losing juices.
  3. Spring loaded, long-handled tongs (14 to 16 inches) work best.
  4. Turn meat once, not twice, for maximum juiciness. The second side should take a little less time than the first.
  5. Brush the grill grate with a stiff wire brush to clean it after grilling. (If you don't have a brush, use a piece of crumpled foil.) Food will stick to a dirty grate, and grid marks are almost impossible to
    achieve if the grate is not clean.
  6. Meat should be cooked to the proper temperature. See the guide below:
Food °F
Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures
 Beef, Pork 160
 Turkey, Chicken  165
Fresh Beef
 Medium Rare 145
 Medium  160
 Well Done  170
Poultry
Poultry thighs, wings, legs 180
Fresh Pork
 Medium 160
Well Done 170

Dried vs. Fresh Conversion Table
Use These Conversions Fresh   Dried
Basil 1Tbsp = 1 tsp
Cilantro 1 Tbsp = 1 tsp
Garlic* 1 Tbsp = 3/4 tsp
Garlic Clove 1 clove = 1/4 tsp
Onion* 1/3 cup = 2 tsp
Parsley 1 Tbsp = 1 tsp
* Granulated or powdered
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Miscellaneous Spice Substitutions & Conversions
Anise 1 star anise = 1/2 teaspoon anise or fennel seed
Apple Pie Spice To make apple pie spice, combine: 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Use 1 teaspoon apple pie spice per 9" pie
Bacon Bits 1 tablespoon bacon bits = 1 slice bacon, crumbled
Baking Powder To test baking powder: mix 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in1/2 cup hot tap water. If it bubbles, it is still effective. Emergency substitution: 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda PLUS 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Bay Leaf 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. ground bay leaf = 1 whole bay leaf
Cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground = 3 whole cloves
Dill Seed 1/2 tablespoon dried dill seed = 1 head fresh dill
Pumpkin Pie Spice Use 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice per 2 cups pumpkin pie filling (enough for a 9-inch pie). Use 6 tablespoons per #10 can pumpkin.
Turmeric In most recipes, curry powder can be used as an emergency substitution.
Vanilla 1 teaspoon extract = 1 inch of vanilla bean
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Basic Marinade Recipe
Step 1
Combine:
1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup vegetable
OR olive oil
+ 1/4 cup lemon juice
OR red or white wine
OR any flavor vinegar
+ 2 tablespoons
any spice blend
Step 2
Mix with 1 pound meat OR 3 cups fresh vegetables (sliced).
Step 3
Marinate in refrigerator 2 to 24 hours.
Step 4
Remove meat or vegetables from marinade; discard marinade.
Grill, broil, bake or roast as desired.
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Recipe Multiplication Guidelines

Black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, curry powder, chili powder, allspice and cloves can usually be increased proportionally, (double the recipe, double the spice or blend of spices).

Herbs are best increased by this simple formula. For the first 100% increase in the number of portions, the herbs can also be doubled. After that, for each multiple of the original recipe, add only half the original amount.

Remember red hot pepper builds up in recipes. For the first doubling of the recipe, the red pepper can still be doubled. But after that, use only 1/4 the original amount of pepper for each multiple of the original recip

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How Fresh Are Your Spices? / Durkee "Best By" Dates

The "Best By" date of our products is defined as the date at which we believe the product you purchase should be replaced due to diminished flavor and visual characteristics. These products are usable and safe past these time periods, however they simply will not perform at optimum freshness.

Spices, Whole Seeds 3 years
Spices, Whole Herbs 3 years
Spices, Ground 3 years
Dehydrated Garlic & Onion 3 years
Chives, Cilantro, Dill Weed 2 years
Parsley 2 years
Seasonings 3 years
Sauce & Gravy Dry Mixes 2 years
Pure & Imitation Extracts 5 years
Bacon Bits, Imitation 2 years
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