I bought rosemary leaves by mistake

[lillypaddle]

instead of crushed. They are like sticks, WTF can I do with them?

[Ocelot II]

1. Dry them out and crush them?

[lillypaddle]

4. They're already dried out, and in a spice jar

I've tried crushing them before when I made this same mistake, and it didn't go well.

[WhiteTara]

17. place the dried leaves between both hands

after you have removed the leaves from the stems and rub your hands back and forth and you will have crushed rosemary.

[LuvLoogie]

2. Remove the leaves from the stem and chop,

Or dry and store.

[lillypaddle]

5. They aren't fresh

why they are called leaves is beyond me - they are literally little sticks.

[PoliticAverse]

3. Let them dry and then get out your mortar and pestle or coffee/spice grinder? n/t

[lillypaddle]

6. Thanks for the feedback

since I neither have a mortar and pestle nor a spice grinder, I guess it would be cheaper just to buy the right thing. Maybe I could make a little bag out of cheesecloth and drop it in the ?

[Cairycat]

8. I use a strip of cheesecloth for herbs

when I make stock - place the herbs in the middle, fold cheesecloth over (the long way, from the bottom and then the top) then tie in a knot.

I usually buy dried rosemary leaves - sometimes I crush them in the palm of my hand, if it's something that will cook awhile. I do have a mortar and pestle but don't always want to drag it out. You can crush herbs with a spoon in a small bowl or custard cup, or better yet use a small bottle to rub against the bowl.

[lillypaddle]

20. That's very helpful

Thanks.

[fierywoman]

15. This. They're great with a bit of sage and garlic as a rub for chicken.

[Grasswire2]

7. goodness, I use rosemary leaves all the time.

It won't hurt you to eat a dried rosemary leaf.

In sauces, in making croutons, with pork chops, everywhere.

I don't eat the STEMS, but I eat the leaves. So do we all. Delicious.

[FarPoint]

9. I always buy fresh rosemary....

It is potent....take off the stem and chop the leaf like things on my cutting board as I desire for the item I am cooking....

[Big Blue Marble]

10. Dried leaves are great.

I love them in soups and in baked bread.

[Xipe Totec]

11. Fry them in olive oil then cook with the oil. nt

[happybird]

12. I snip them into tiny pieces with very sharp scissors

[Hugh_Lebowski]

13. Would help to know what it is you're making?

You should be able to crush dried leaves by putting them on a cutting board and rolling the back of a spoon over them with some pressure.

If that doesn't work then they're not fully dry, in which case, just leave the jar open for a couple days. Or you could put them in a toaster oven or air fryer for a little bit to complete the drying if you need them like today.

Depending on what you're making you may not have to worry about crushing them to a powder, just break them up roughly.

[lillypaddle]

22. I use rosemary for a lot of things

Italian tomato dishes, soups, stews, chicken, and more. I usually buy the crushed rosemary. Lots of good tips in this thread, so I'll give those a go. Thanks.

[DBoon]

14. if you can't use these in your recipe

and need to buy a different form of rosemary, don't throw these out.

You can use them to make rosemary infused olive oil or vinegar. Or grill meat or fish on top of them.

[lillypaddle]

21. Good ideas, thanks. nt

[AndyS]

16. If you have a spice grinder reduce them to a fine powder.

Otherwise just throw them away, they'll hurt anyone who happens to find one in your food.

[Retrograde]

19. Or a sharp knife and some elbow grease

it's tedious, but dry rosemary leaves can be chopped fine and used in sauces and marinades. Or use a spice grinder (or a dedicated coffee grinder) to reduce them to a powder

[Retrograde]

18. stuff them into the body cavity of a chicken or fish

Last edited Sun Jan 2, 2022, 01:29 AM - Edit history (1)

I live in a Mediterranean climate, and I have more rosemary than I can use (it's often grown as an ornamental street plant here). I pick fresh branches to use as a bed for meats, or chop them finely to use as part of a marinade for vegetables or meats. Dinner today is lamb chops marinated in lemon juice and rosemary, roasted on top of a bed of rosemary branches.