what does annatto taste like

It is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods, but sometimes also for its flavor and aroma. Its scent is described as “slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg” and flavor as “slightly nutty, sweet and peppery”.

Learn from my tribulations and buy pre-ground achiote. Then make cochinita pibil, a spicy pulled pork from the Yucatán. Or look for the Goya brand spice blend called Sazon con culantro y achiote to make classic Puerto Rican arroz con pollo. Or try Filipino-style tamales—the Tagalog word for annatto is atsuete—made with rice instead of corn.

Annatto is native to tropical regions in Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. It was used by ancient Mayans as a body paint, and by Aztecs to deepen the color of their chocolate drink, according to the Handbook of Spices, Seasonings and Flavorings by Susheela Raghavan.

I chewed on a whole seed, which had a mild flavor that I could best describe as claylike. Others say its slightly sweet and peppery, musky, or has a flowery scent. In Mexican Everyday, Chicago chef Rick Bayless calls achiote paste (a mixture of annatto seeds and other spices) “a flavor that tastes as though its been unchanged since pre-Columbian times.”

​First off, let me tell you what not to do with it: dont buy whole annatto seeds unless you have a diamond cutter, or at least a high-powered spice grinder. I was intending to make Baylesss recipe for Grilled Fish in Tangy Yucatecan Achiote with Green Beans and Roasted Tomato Salsa. I somehow didnt read the part where he recommends buying pre-ground achiote from a Latino grocer or website because the seeds are so hard to grind. I had a packet of whole seeds, which the label instructed could be ground with a mortar and pestle. Ha! After a few minutes of pestling the seeds with all my might (which, admittedly, is not formidable), they were frustratingly intact save for a red-orange stain in the bowl. I enlisted my spouses physical-labor-enhanced forearms, but his result wasnt much better. I dont have a spice grinder, so I tried my mini–food processor; the seeds just ricocheted around like pebbles in a vacuum cleaner. I tried soaking them in hot water for two hours, on a suggestion I found online. All I had to show for it was a stained mini-processor and some moistened but otherwise unperturbed seeds. Finally, I just left the seeds in oil overnight (by this time I had given up and made something else for dinner), then blended the infused oil with the other ingredients in the recipe the next evening. The dish came out well, though I dont know if it would have tasted any different without the tinted oil.

Welcome to the second edition of “What the Heck Do I Do with That?”—an occasional foray into the less-familiar nooks and crannies of the spice rack, ethnic food specialty store or farmers market. Last time, we looked at nigella seeds, which are most commonly associated with South Asian cuisines. This time well head to Latin America for another seed used as a spice, annatto.

Where to Buy Annatto

While you may find annatto—in ground, paste, or oil form—at some standard grocery stores, the best place to source annatto is at grocery stores that specialize in Central American, South American, Mexican, Caribbean, or Filipino ingredients. You may also find it at well-stocked spice shops.

Alternatively, it is readily available online.

What Is Annatto? Uses, Benefits, and Side Effects

FAQ

What spice is similar to annatto?

Why do people avoid annatto?

What does annatto do to your body?

Is annatto and paprika the same?

What does annatto taste like?

Annatto’s flavor can be described as earthy, musky, and slightly peppery. Some may detect a sweet, floral hint of nutmeg . Most culinary uses of this ingredient start at the beginning of the process of cooking, implementing achiote for its color and flavor, and using it as a paste, a rub, a marinade, or an oil.

What is annatto made from?

Annatto is a spice and food coloring agent made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is a tree that is native to South American, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The seeds are found inside the fruit of the achiote tree and can be ground into a powder, infused into oil, or turned into a paste.

What is annatto food coloring?

Annatto is a type of food coloring agent and condiment that is made from the seeds of the achiote tree. Its vibrant color comes from compounds called carotenoids. This natural food coloring has been associated with various potential health benefits.

Is annatto a spice?

This time we’ll head to Latin America for another seed used as a spice, annatto. What is it? If you’re a label reader, you may recognize annatto as one of the ingredients frequently found in a brick of cheddar—it’s a natural coloring that gives cheese and other foods a bright orange hue.