Dried vs. Fresh: How Much Dill Should You Use?
Are you working with a recipe that requires dried or fresh dill? Most foodies agree that understanding the varied results when using fresh vs. dried herbs is an important step to mastering kitchen skills. Dill is a bright, grassy, and licorice-like herb often used to add flavor to your meals. Ingredients like lemons, fish, and potatoes often complement the herb’s flavor profile. Read through to discover the easiest ways of substituting dried dill for fresh dill or vice versa.
Dill
Dill is a sweet-smelling herb with brittle, light green leaves and is often referred to as dill weed. It has long, thin stems that branch out into the wispy leaves. It belongs to the parsley family and has been around since the Middle Ages, where it was believed to defend against witchcraft. It’s a renowned ingredient in making Nordic and Eastern European cuisines like salads, seafood, pickles, sour cream dips, and egg dishes. Fresh dills are often found in various locations during spring and early summer.
Importance of Using Fresh Dill
Fresh dill can be found in most supermarkets, farmers’ markets, and specialty grocery stores. Fresh dill is recognized for its lush green color. The color is an attractive addition to salads and is ideal for garnishing fish and appetizers. Dried dill won’t be as brightly colored as it is more of a dark grayish-green color. Fresh is usually a better choice to infuse flavor in dishes like sauces and dressings than dried dill, as noted by SPICEography.
Why Use Dried Dill?
You don’t have to worry if a supply of fresh dill isn’t available at your local grocery store. Dried dill can be used instead of fresh in various instances. When preparing dishes, you need to add dried dill toward the end of cooking, just like fresh dill. The only exception is when you’re using dried dill seed. Adding the dried dill seeds earlier during cooking leads to more intense aromas as it needs a longer cooking time to release its flavors.
Proportions for Substitution
It’s crucial to note that fresh dill isn’t as concentrated as the dried version. This contrast in pungency implies that when you make a substitution, you’ll have to change your measurements.
When using fresh dill instead of dried dill, more will be required. Heal With Food recommends using three times as much. Similarly, when using dried dill instead of fresh, you’ll use a third of the amount needed in the recipe.
Substitutes for Dill
Can’t get fresh or dried dill? Certain herbs can’t replicate the tang but can offer a similar color brightness, freshness, and pop. Tarragon is a suitable substitute for fresh and dried drill. You can use an equivalent amount of fresh tarragon for fresh dill or dried tarragon for the dried dill. Tarragon is an ideal replacement for dill when making seafood dishes and in salad dressings. However, dill seeds can be replaced with celery seeds or caraway seeds, which have similar tastes.
Growing Dill
Dill is an easy herb to grow in your home garden. Begin by scattering the dill seeds in an area with high levels of sunshine, cover lightly, and water the area daily. They’ll begin to grow within two weeks and will be ready for harvesting within a month. Ensure that you regularly trim the leaves if you wish to harvest them all summer long.
