Ground Annatto (ounce)

We’re offering Ground Annatto because the seeds are very hard and are very difficult to grind and use in most home kitchens. Annatto's aroma has a touch of peppermint or flowery scent while the flavor profile is delicate, mildly sweet with a slight peppery taste with earthy and flowery undertones. Annatto works well in combination with allspice, chili powder, citrus juice, cloves, cumin, epazote, Mexican oregano and paprika. Annatto goes well with beef, chicken, egg dishes, legumes, okra, onions, pork, rice, squash, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Achiote is mostly used for coloring so be careful not to overuse or the result will be a noticeable earthiness in your recipes that while some will enjoy immensely others will not. Annatto seeds are used as a natural food dye in dairy products like butter and cheese and give cheese that familiar yellowish orange coloring. In Caribbean cuisine the seeds are cooked in oil and once the oil is infused with the achiote flavor the oil is strained and the seeds are discarded. Achiote oil is used to flavor chicken, fish, meats, rice, tamales and vegetables. In Peru, annatto seeds are used in pork marinades and in sofritos. In Venezuela they’re used in the condiment alino criollo. Fans of the flavorful cuisine of the Yucatan region of Mexico know that annatto seeds are a key ingredient in the signature spice blend Recado Rojo which can be made into a paste or wet rub to season chicken, fish and pork.