Got clumping spices? Actually, maybe I shouldn’t call them “clumping” — some of mine seem to have turned into concrete. Onion powder is always one of the worst!
But over the past year, combining some other tips I’ve had on storing and using spices, I’ve finally figured out how to keep my spices from clumping. This works with everything I’ve previously had problems with — salt, onion and garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, Montreal Steak Seasoning and the bulk containers of taco seasoning (not the foil packets).
Basically, they’re clumping because of moisture, and some things attract moisture more than others. So, it seemed, the trick was to prevent moisture from getting in the containers and absorb any that did.
First, a note — I didn’t change the containers that I was storing my spices in. Most are in the McCormick or Great Value bottles and otherwise out in the open. I do keep my large container of salt inside a Ziploc bag and use a lidded shaker (see the ones I like) for the portion that’s “out.”
Okay, so here’s what I did. I started by putting a few dried beans into the containers. This helps absorb any moisture that gets into the container. Rice is the traditional thing to use in salt shakers, but the problem with using it in spice containers is that rice is too small — if it’s a a typical shaker container, the rice goes right through the shaker holes and into whatever I’m making. And if I was using a measuring spoon to scoop some of the spice out, I’d always get a few grains of rice as well. The beans, being larger, are much easier to deal with. Thanks to Candy Williams for that tip (she left it in the comments on Adding Flavor to Meats; another reader — LaDonna — says she uses unpopped popcorn).
And second, I’ve really trained myself not to shake spices over pans of hot food. The heat and steam from the cooking just really does a number on the flavor of the spice (see my article on this). But just as importantly, I’ve learned that the steam just instantly will clump any spice that has any sort of a tendency to have a problem.
The other day, I found this old jar of onion powder in the back of my spice area. A relic of a by-gone era, when I had clumpy spices. I obviously pushed it to the back when it got too hard to easily use the contents and I’d just forgotten about it. My current spices don’t have a problem and I’m not wasting money by throwing out bottles before they’re empty!
Kelley - Sailing Chance says
Great tip! I’ll be sure to put a few beans in my spices. I have them all stored in ziplocs right now but it’s not doing the trick completely because the steam gets in them. I’ll have to remember to shake them into my hand before putting them in the dish. Thanks!
Kathy says
Great tips. Will any type of dried bean work?
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’ve used kidney, red beans, black beans and pinto and they’ve all worked (just whatever I grabbed when I opened up a container of spices). I think anything would work.
Fred says
Soda crackers absorbs moisture very quickly, they will not un-clump, but they absorb better than rice or beans, put them in a small fine mesh cloth bag, . Check them often if they’re soft replace them. I’m 70, my grandma taught me this when I was young.
arleen says
this is GREAT Carolyn! I was wondering how the heck to prevent making concrete. I buy my spices in bulk, in small quantities to avoid this problem, but I had only bought the onion powder 2 days ago, and it’s getting ready to make a foundation now! I will definitely be using a few beans. My spices are store in tight jars, ya, i’m one of those touchy feely ppl. shakers don’t do it for me. except spice grinders, those rock 🙂 <3
Joe says
I put moisture absorber baggies in. Cut off corner of a plastic storage baggie & poke holes by pushing tines of a fork through the plastic. Fill with rice, beans or popcorn kernels. Seal with a tie or cello tape.
Alternatively, I put a thin plastic storage baggie over the opening before screwing the top down – to make it more airtight.
Works for powdered coffee creamer too.
ThisDameCooks says
Keep your powdered garlic and onion etc. in the freezer. I live in Puerto Rico where it is extremely humid and this works great…as long as you have a frost-free freezer there is no humidity.
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’d LOVE to have a frost free freezer on a boat 🙂 No defrosting? Heaven!!
Janeen Lamothe says
Wow never thought of that. Any spice?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Anything that clumps, yes.
Lynda says
A refrigerator works just as well. I keep all spices that clump (garlic powder and onion powder) or that are prone to bugs hatching out (paprika and poppy seeds, among others) in the refrigerator. Problem solved!
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’ll have to try that. Thanks!
ThisDameCooks says
BTW Carolyn I was a charter cook on yachts out of St. Thomas for several years. Great fun!
Tracey Ramsey says
Thank you Carolyn.
Linda Hollan Kacy Sitton says
I use a mortar and pestle to unclump. Beans great idea.
Angie Wilson says
Have to go to an ASA luncheon on Friday so will look for you as I wander. I appreciate all your info.
James says
I could not for the life of me figure out why my powders continued to clump up no matter how tightly shut and far away from moister I kept them. Guilty as charged for using them over a hot skillet when cooking. I’ll just need to remember to pour the powder onto my hand then bring it to the skillet or flavor meats before placing them into the skillet (which I normally do anyway). But I never would have thought using beans to combat the clumping and will try it with all my spices. Great article and tips. Thanks so much!
George Dennison says
Not only will the “pour into your palm” technique help prevent clumping, but it will help you cut down on your salt intake. At Least 20, and if I’m honest, 40 years ago, I began to cut back my salt intake, to retrain my taste buds, at a young age, and began the habit, then. Salt, being white, was difficult for me to see on so many foods, so my palm was close at hand.
With spices which have a tendency to lose their ‘pop’, I also found my palm made a fair ad hoc pestil, and the fingers of my other hand, a mortar, (or vice versa), allowing me to give leafy spices a quick grind, and release some flavor.
Plus, one less thing to wash, since my hands get washed all the time while cooking, anyway.
kasia reeder says
can i use dried red lentils for absorbing moisture?
Carolyn Shearlock says
I think they’d work just fine.
Nora says
Thanks for this great hint. I do use the rice in mt salt & have tried it in other spices, but like you said it’s too small when you need to shake out garlic salt or the likes. I will surely try the beans because it seems no matter where or how I store my spices they end up like concrete!!
Barbara Lowell says
Hi All … thank you for this gr8 tip and everyone else’s wonderful comments. I buy organic spices and they are even worse because they do not add anti-caking agents. I will put in some beans, and use the freezer yea! I surely have found the same with shaking over a steaming wok, common sense but when you are creating in the kitchen, no rules, just wizardry!!! Also I have found using up old clumps so as not to waste …. add the whole clump to a slow cooker of chili or some other, maybe soup. It will break down and use it up nicely. I will now no longer have clumps thanx to y’all.
Barbara J. Cunningham says
Great tip!
Lynn Brownlow says
Thanks that is a wonderful tip. I will be storing that away in my “tip jar” for when we begin our live aboard days next year!
Jeff says
about how long until the beans need changing?
Carolyn Shearlock says
I just change them when I add more spice to the container.
Kathy Kocar says
Do you know if adding beans to already caked spices will dry them out? i guess I could just try it and see what happens. Just wondered if anyone knew. There’s a product called “Dryspice” which is a little canister of silica gel that can be purchased on the interenet and it is supposed to keep spices dry and dry them out if already caked. But, beans would sure be a lot cheaper! Thanks for the tip.
Carolyn Shearlock says
I haven’t found anything that will un-clump spices and I’ve tried some desiccant packs even. It seems that once it turns to concrete, a jackhammer is about the only thing that will break it up.
Bob Collins says
I have the exact same issue with clumping/caking of onion powder. No other spice I have purchased, clumps like onion powder. I’ll have to try the beans. I have a small container of onion powder over the range & microwave. Even it clumped! I put rice in it, but it still clumped.
So get a clumped spice back to usable condition, I ran it though a Ninja chopper. It turned the clumps back to a wonder powder. A few days later, I could have used it for concrete patch! I will de-clump it again and add some beans to the container this round. Hopefully, the issue will get some better.
Thanks for the great idea!
Bob
Daphne R says
I wrap my onion salt container in foil and was amaze that it did not clump up.. try it
Sharon Jackson says
Problem being, if all your spices are wrapped in foil, where the heck is the parsley??? 🙂
Sally says
Yay! I bought bulk onion powder and garlic powder today.
Adding dried beans is the tip I was looking for. Thanks!
Linda says
I will be trying the beans too, great tip!!! For the already clumped jar I dump the contents into a small food processor and zip it is broken up and fine , no problem! Don’t waste it !!!!
Sally Ferguson says
I’m the guilty one too: I shake spices over a hot stove. Came here looking for a way to salvage dried up spices. Thanks for the help!
Darlene Twitchell says
Excellent suggestion via Candy Williams, whom we, on Wind Song, personally know via previously being moored at Fulton Marina in Texas!
My 5 pound bulk SPIKE seasoning container now also contains dried black beans (DBB) to take care of the golf ball size caked seasoning within… All spices to gain DBB’s to combat the caking. Marvelous!
Tina Hansen Parris says
So I didn’t grow up using dried beans is one type of dry beans more absorbing than another? Thanks !!
The Boat Galley says
Not really — I’ve used a wide variety of types.
Cate McCarty says
Think you. I had used split peas in the salt shaker, but never thought to use in the garlic and onion powder . . . or to shake out away from steam. It’s the little things;)
Sara Burns says
I just put a little silica packet in clumpy spice jars, works great.
Thomas Keenan says
Nice!!
Diana K Weigel says
You have the best tips!
Mark says
I just put a small amount of rice in a coffee filter than staple it together. It seems to work ok for me. Any other thoughts?
KF says
Hello. I was looking for spice moisture issue remedies and came across your site. Thanks. I will be moving to the coast of West Africa in a couple of years and am already wondering about my spice rack. I have always wanted to be on my own and use the wooden spice racks (with doors, like a little cupboard) with the plain matching glass jars. The coastal areas are very humid, and I thought to myself, “Perhaps I could find some type of moisture-drawing ‘sheet’ of some kind to attach to the inside of the spice rack doors or something. Then I read on here about the beans. Now, can I just put, let’s say, two beans in the bottom of each spice jar? And does it have to be a certain type of bean?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Yep. I’ve used several different types and all seem to work equally well — I think you could use whatever you find. Rice also works.
Lora Hubbard says
I will definitely try the beans! I have been keeping my onion powder in the freezer. It still clumps, but I can pry loose some clumps. I just rub the clumps across the bottom of a small metal strainer to break it back down into powder.
Kelli Glesige says
I have wondered what putting the clumped product into a very low temp. oven would do? Afraid it would alter the intensity of the spice, and possibly make the clumping worse. Or would it make it easier to break apart?
Carolyn Shearlock says
I think it would make it rock hard and yes, it will harm the flavor.
Heidi says
Great tips! I’m guilty of shaking spices over hot pans all the time and never thought of the consequences! It’s also important to remember that spices lose their potency (and healing medicinal properties) fairly quickly. We try to buy spices in small quantities that we can use up in 6-mo to a year. Any longer than that and you’re missing out on both flavor and health. Also check out Infinity Jars that keep out air and degrading UV light.
Beverly Schaefer says
I use my old panty hose from my (UGH) working days. Cut into small squares, make little rice pouches, tie, and put in spice jar. Seems to work and the rice is kept separate.
Ralph says
I used to read “put rice in the jar”, and that didn’t work. I don’t think the beans will work well either.
BUT .. here’s an idea I had and tried that DID work:
mix a little cornstarch with the spice. I know of nothing that will suffer from a bit of cornstarch in the spice.
Onion pwd is the worst. To about 9 parts onion pwd add 1 part cornstarch. I may have used a little more, I didn’t measure.
A year later, it’s still not caked!
I was proud of this fix. Give me credit- Ralph
Richard Kokemoor says
Only tangentially related, but useful: used to have trouble when making pumpkin pie with spices esp ground cloves not mixing in even though not in large clumps. Solution is to mix all spices in the granulated sugar with a fork until all particles separated and color is even, then add to the liquid ingredients.
tony griffin says
I have invented a container which repels moisture. it is impossible for the contents to cake, as the internal technology wont allow the moisture level to reach its critical peak, i am looking for a company help me get it on the shelf. i do posses a patent for it.
Yvonne says
I had tried all that and it did not work for me so now I mixed my garlic powder with water into a paste, take a plastic tray and make drops that I freeze, once frozen I put them togehter in a plastic freezer bag ready to be used.
Ralph Smith says
You can add 10% or so of cornstarch to the spice, and end clumping Works great, better than beans, rice, anything else Ive heard of. _I_ found this solution!
George Denniso says
Yvonne!
About 5 or 6 comments before yours, I just was wondering if anyone had tried converting spices to a solution, and freezing it.
I have a new fridge/freezer combo with an ice maker, but haven’t hooked up the water supply, yet. When I do, I planned on sending the ice cube trays o my shop for a second, more rowdy life as containers and sorting containers. I’m thinking the newest, rubber bottomed, no-twist trays, may better serve as freezing containers for spice solutions.
Have you, or anyone else, branched out into spices beyong garlic? I’d like to know how well it works.
Though, truth be told, I live in Oregon, and with gas heat, and physical ailments which necessitate a warm environ, I don’t have much of a clumping problem with spices, because Oregon doesn’t get humid in the Summer.
I make my last statement with both a bit of braggadocio, and a dash of longing, as right now I am nearing the end of my bi-annual 3-4 month stay on Long Island, in NY state. My wife moved back here 6+ years ago, at the height of a lawsuit with a crriminal enterprise masquerading as a mortgage company, who bought our mortgage in 2006, and promptly began trying to steal ur home. (We did prevail, in 2014, and now have title to our home, again.)
She is trying to transition back to working in Oregon, but for the time being, I am living a bi-coastal life style, and believe me when I tell you, there is a powerul, and tragic clumping problem on Long Island. The entire Eastern seaboard was a swamp in primordial times, but Long Island has only progressed to jungle.
Everyone bashes Oregon for it’s rain. I’ve lived in Oregon most of my 64 years, and Oregon can’t hold a candle to Long Island for wetness.
So, I’m experiencing many new things while living a bi-coastal life, clumping, heat rash, A/C ‘colds’, poison ivy, (poison oak’s mean older brother, correction: very mean older bro. I’ve had to treat the two outbreaks like chemical burns, complete with ice bags), yellow jackets which nest in the ground, (yes, I ‘discovered’ one of those completely the wrong way, (my foot, in a sandal, while wearing shorts. 14.
Fourteen stings, and that was at most two days after the first bout of poison ivy finally faded. Oh, yes, the Summer of ’16 WILL be one to remember.
And I experienced jumping Crickets. These are not the crickets of my youth, these striped hellions are Chinese by heritage, have black & white stripes, grow about four or five imes as big as a BIG US cricket, and don’t chirp. They jump. About the size of a big Summer grasshopper, and they jump, typically right AT you.
They seem to gather up and party at any dark watering hole, and a basement with a small moisture problem is enough for these guys. Lovely, lovely little creature.
So, I have clumping. The beans look like a better solution than salt; I’ve had all the probs everyone else has with rice in my camping supplies, (because, in Oregon, we don’t have humidity in the Summer, remember?)
What I’m looking for now is un-clumping techiques. Or, as the Google search term read: ‘humid climate clumping spices microwave or oven better’.
Any thoughts, or suggestions?
Thanks, in advance.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Get a spice grinder and put the clumped spices through.
Kathy says
If your spices are old enough to be clumped, it’s time to just dump them. Spices lose their potency in 6 months or so anyway. Also, I would think that much moisture would cause mold to grow. I would toss!
J Fields says
Very potent spices – garlic + onion etc are still very strong after caking up into cement blocks. Perfectly OK for human consumption. Especially for those infrequently used (clumped up) ones, I always seem to need them at the last moment and the bargain store is closed. Very easy fix! Remove the clumped up spice block from it’s plastic prison. Some heavy duty shears/scissors are in order. CUT, CUT, CUT! Then grate the block with your cheese/vegetable grater and get perfect powered spice again. Bag up the cement block spice and don’t sweat it. Next time use your grater again. Easy as pie.
Ralph Smith says
All you have to do is mix about 15% cornstart with the spices, then they don’t clump or so little it’s no problem. Doesn’t affect use.
Lori says
I have a question. After living with my husband a few months now I realize he doesn’t close things, including the lids to spices. Finally I know why they clump up so fast! Would putting beans in the jars still help? He likes to buy big jars of new spices and having to throw them out ads up.
Carolyn Shearlock says
If they are not closed, beans aren’t going to help — they’re going to be trying to remove moisture from the whole room and that just won’t work. Either get him to close lids, buy small containers, or buy big ones and transfer a little at a time to a small container (and firmly close the big container!).
Diana says
Can you microwave a glass bottle to unclump salt?
Carolyn Shearlock says
No, the salt will melt.
Alex says
Any other trick like that your grandma told you that you are willing to share?
Steve Skeet says
No mention of weevils here, am I the only one to get them in spices?
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’ve never had a problem with them in spices, but if you do, I’d try putting a bay leaf in the jar. It works for grain products, so why not try it with spices?