What you see: Dried sage that looks oddly fluffy What it is: Rubbed sage, which is made by literally rubbing and sieving sage to a fluffy consistency Eat or toss: Eat! It’s supposed to look like this!
Why exactly does your sage look…fluffy?
When you open your jar of rubbed sage and discover that it looks kind of like green dryer lint, your imagination may get the better of you. Why does the sage look fluffy? Is that some kind of fuzzy mold? Have insects settled in and whorled up some cocoons or cottony clumps of eggs?
Thankfully, the answer is not mold, not insects nor any evidence of any infestation. This is just what rubbed sage looks like.
If you happen to have some ground sage in your spice drawer, open that up and you’ll find something that looks more, well, normal. Ground sage is processed to a fine powder, much like cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices.
Why Are They Fuzzy? All About FAE (Fresh Air Exchange)
Why does dried sage look fuzzy?
In summary, while dried sage can sometimes look fuzzy due to the tiny hairs on the leaves, this is not always a cause for concern. As long as the herb appears to be free from mold or rancidity and has a mild fuzziness, it should be safe to use.
How do you know if Sage is fresh or dried?
Fresh sage is a whole different animal. You should look for leaves in the grocery store or in your garden that aren’t dry, brown, or spotted, per How To Culinary Herb Garden. Fresh sage is a bit milder than dried sage, Spiceography explained. For best results, add fresh sage into your recipe at the end.
Is sage dry rubbed or fresh?
People typically use dry-rubbed sage for items like Thanksgiving stuffing and sausage. Fresh sage is a whole different animal. You should look for leaves in the grocery store or in your garden that aren’t dry, brown, or spotted, per How To Culinary Herb Garden. Fresh sage is a bit milder than dried sage, Spiceography explained.
What does Sage look like?
Sage is an evergreen shrub part of the mint family. It has oval, dusty gray-green leaves with woody stems. Because of the fine, velveteen hair-like projections on sage leaves, they have a slightly fuzzy or fluffy appearance and cottony texture, which can make it unpleasant to eat raw.