Bulk Penzey's spices: how to preserve

[IndyGirl]

Hi everyone,
I have procured pound-sized bags of cumin, aleppo pepper, cayenne, chipotle, and smoked paprika. Is freezing them in their bags (and within ziplocs) the best method to preserve their freshness?

Thanks in advance!

[kengk]

I keep all my spices in the door of my freezer. They seem to last quite a bit longer than in a cabinet.

[IndyGirl]

very helpful-thanks!

I am such a dolt. I have learned my lesson. I forgot to add that, last year, I ordered...wait for it...

ONE POUND OF BAY LEAVES. Have you any idea of the crazy quantity this is? I gave tons away, and still have a huge amount.

[HillJ]

ONE POUND OF BAY LEAVES. Have you any idea of the crazy quantity this is? I gave tons away, and still have a huge amount.

Make a bay leaf wreath. Just soften the leaves and string into any shape you like.

[IndyGirl]

great idea!!! I'll google some instructions.

[Bada Bing]

That is funny, if sobering. A pound of Bay Leaves! OMG.

[IndyGirl]

oh, I know.... I had a gift card ( a big one) and since I use tons of those spices, I was trying to buy bulk. I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how much a pound of these things would be!! I do not cater, but we eat smoked paprika, cayenne and aleppo on pretty much everything. Even more so now...

oh my. I am also going to give some of it away to friends.

[ellabee]

A good way to store bulk spices is in in the freezer, as the reservoir to refill small tins or jars more convenient for cooking (in kitchen or pantry). Use freezer-thickeness zipper bags, and mark each one with contents and date. Store one to many inside a shallow tight-lidded freezable plastic container, marked SPICES. [When you get out the freezer box to refill a small container, leave it unopened for ten minutes or so to allow the temperature of the container to adjust to the room. That allows moisture to condense on the outside of the container, where you can wipe it dry before opening, rather than on the bags inside.]

Offer your friends their choice of one or an assortment of spices packaged this way, along with a few of your favorite recipes using the aleppo pepper and smoked paprika etc. Maybe deploy the recipes on a flyer & email to encourage takers -- you really will need quite a few to disperse a pound in usable quantities. If you're successful, you'll be able to let the one(s) who gave you that big gift know that they'd helped encourage wonderful cooking not only in your kitchen, but on beyond!

[hotoynoodle]

good grief, those are enormous quantities! do you cater?

i buy large-ish bags of some things in chinatown because they are so much cheaper. i keep small amounts in the cupboard for quick access, but freeze the rest in ziplocs.

[jpr54_1]

why did u buy such big amounts???

i would place peppers in ziploc bags and keep in bin in refigerator.

penzy spices usually come in jars-

i would place smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne in glass jars-

that is how i usually store my spices,etc.