Tukey Brine, Substitute Ground Allspice for Allspice Berries?
I'm going to make the Good Eats Roast Turkey brine which calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries. I have ground allspice and I am wondering if it would be fine to substitute ground for whole. I am guessing that 1 1/2 tsp whole = 1/2 tsp to 3/4 tsp ground.
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I have exactly the same dilemna! Also making Alton's turkey, no allspice berries in the 'greater metropolitan' area.
I read 5 berries equals 1 t ground. Now, how many berries in 1 1/2 t whole? Anyone know that?›2 Replies-
re: brockly
I found these two responses to this query. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-allspice.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_wh...The first one suggests 10 to 12 berries is 1 tsp. The second says that they found that about 48 berries is 1 Tablespoon, so that would mean 16 berries is 1 tsp.
So if you go with the low end of that range, 1 1/2 tsp whole allspice = 15 berries, and if 5 berries equals 1 tsp ground that would be 3 tsp ground allspice. That seems like an awful lot to me.
I think that maybe you have to reduce the amount because ground spices are more pungent than whole and also the surface area factor that Gordeaux suggested.I've been looking through the comments on the Food Network site but have yet to find anything.
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re: brockly
OK, I just found this post from last year that sounds like it's asking about Alton's brine as well.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6633...
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You're probably fine, but don't be surprised if the allspice flavor is still stronger using ground. My assumption is that the berries will release less allspice flavor because of the surface area contact with the liquid of the brine will be far less than that of the granules of the ground product. If you found some conversion chart though, you'll probably be fine.
