Dried herbs instead of bouquet garni?
I've only recently heard about bouquet garni via a recipe I want to try, but I don't always have access to fresh herbs. This particular garni calls for two bay leaves, one large sprig of sage, and one large or two small sprigs of rosemary. I know the bay leaf isn't meant to be eaten, and I know the taste will be different, but can I use dried herbs and just leave them in the pot? (This is the recipe I want to make: https://rainbowplantlife.com/creamy-white-bean-soup-with-kale-and-gremolata/#comment-5951)
Thanks!
Best Answer
There's nothing really special about a bouquet garni. Don't let the French name make this seem more intimidating than it is. It is just a bunch of herbs. It has no special function other than making the herbs easier to remove than if they weren't bundled together.
So then the meat of this question is really: can you substitute dried rosemary and dried sage for fresh rosemary and fresh sage in a bean soup?
The answer is: probably
Dried herbs can vary more in quality than fresh herbs, since it's possible that the dried herbs have been sitting around for a very long time. Very old dried herbs will have lost much of their flavor and should generally be avoided.
But if your dried herbs are relatively new, they'll probably be fine. Here's what Cook's Illustrated had to say about dried rosemary and sage:
In all but one application, tasters preferred fresh herbs to dry. Chili was the exception; in this dish, dried oregano was the favorite. A common criticism of dried herbs was that they had lost many of the subtleties and nuances of fresh herbs, tasting “dusty” and “stale.” Meanwhile, fresh herbs tasted “clean” and “bright.” Still, there were a few instances in which some dried herbs, though not preferred, were a passable substitute. In addition to oregano, dried rosemary, sage, and thyme fared reasonably well in recipes involving fairly long cooking times (more than 20 minutes) and a good amount of liquid.
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/9261-science-substituting-dried-herbs-for-fresh
The recipe linked in the question calls for 18-20 minutes of cooking, which is slightly less than Cook's Illustrated recommends there. I'd be surprised if a couple of minutes made much of a difference, but if you're concerned, you could cook this soup for longer.
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Quick Answer about "Dried herbs instead of bouquet garni?"
Traditionally a bouquet garni is made with fresh herbs, but you can also make one from dried herbs by combining dried parsley, dried thyme, and dried bay leaf in a double layer of cheesecloth. Pinch the ends together to form a little pouch, and tie the top tightly with kitchen twine.Can you use dried herbs instead of bouquet garni?
The traditional combination is parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, but you may also find recipes that include other herbs such as rosemary, basil, chervil, peppercorns, and tarragon. You can make bouquet garni with fresh or dried herbs.What is the rule for substituting dried herbs for fresh?
When cooking with herbs, there is a general rule of thumb to keep in mind regarding the ratio of fresh to dry: Because dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less. That means the correct ratio is one tablespoon of fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs.What is similar to bouquet garni but it is a bag of herbs and spices?
sachet d'\xe9pices (sah-SHAY day-PEESE): Similar to bouquet garni, except it really is a bag of herbs and spices.Which ingredients are found locally that can be considered or substitute for bouquet garni?
Types of herbs you can try include:- Dried sage.
- Dried tarragon.
- Dried oregano.
- Dried chevil.
- Dried cilantro.
- Dried chives.
- Dried garlic.
Science: How to Substitute Dried Herbs for Fresh Herbs, and See When Swapping Just Won't Work
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.