Tips and Recipes for Cooking With Nutmeg

Fresh-grated nutmeg is miles above commercially-ground

Nutmeg on a grater

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Once it is ground, nutmeg soon loses the oils which provide its flavor and taste, so grating fresh, whole nutmeg is recommended to achieve the full benefit of the fresh oils. A nutmeg grater should be a part of basic equipment in every kitchen, but if you do not have one, use the finest blade on a larger hand-held manual grater. The difference between fresh nutmeg and commercially-ground is like night and day.

Testing for good quality fresh nutmegs is as easy as inserting a darning needle a centimeter into the meat; if a tiny drop of oil seeps out, the nut is good. Freshly-grated nutmeg should ideally be added at the end of the cooking process since heat diminishes the flavor.

Nutmeg Storage

Whole fresh nutmegs, as well as ground nutmeg and mace, should be kept in a tightly sealed jar or container in a cool, dark place. Wrap leftover fresh nutmeg tightly so the oils are not lost.

Cooking With Nutmeg

Slightly sweeter than mace, nutmeg is essential to bechamel sauce and also goes well with baked or stewed fruit, custards, eggnog, punches, curries, sauces (particularly onion-based and milk sauces), pasta, and vegetables (especially spinach).

One whole nutmeg grated yields 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground nutmeg. Mace may be substituted for nutmeg in a pinch and vice versa, but obviously, the flavor of the end result will be affected as with any substitution.

Nutmeg Recipes

One of the greatest things about nutmeg is that it can be added to a variety of different dishes to add an incredible kick of flavor. Here are some of our favorite recipes that feature nutmeg:

•  Anchovy Spread
• Apple Mulling Spice Mix
•  Applesauce Raisin Cake
•  Baked Stuffed Pumpkin ​Muffins
•  Banana Ketchup
•  Banana Zucchini Bread
•  Butterbeer for Harry Potter
•  Buttermilk Doughnuts
•  Chesapeake Bay Seasoning Mix
•  Cream of Chicken or Turkey Soup
•  Dark Fruitcakes
•  Eggnog with Brandy, Bourbon, or Rum
•  Eggnog - Non-alcoholic
•  Fresh Peach Cobbler
•  Garam Masala Spice Mix
•  Honey Apple Pie
•  Jamaican Jerk Pork in the Oven
•  Jamaican Jerk Sauce
•  Kiwifruit Chutney
•  Mock Pâté de Foie Gras (Pate)
•  Papaya Chutney
•  Papaya Pie
•  Peach Yam Casserole
•  Peanut Butter Punch
•  Pumpkin Banana Bread
•  Pumpkin Bread
•  Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
•  Ricotta and Spinach Filling for Fresh Pasta
•  Spiced Carrot Raisin Cake
•  Spinach Pie
• Super Fig Cobbler
•  Swiss Cheese Fondue