Heres how to buy, store, and use fresh and dried dill in your everyday cooking.
Without further ado, heres the deal on dill, and if its the same as dill weed.
Dill Fast Facts
What Is Dill?
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Dill can be considered both an herb and a spiceas plant greens or dried seed, respectively.
When its in bloom, its even better for the latter!
Alternative Name
Dill weed is just another name for fresh or dried dill leaves.
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What Does Dill Taste Like?
Fresh dill tastes green, grassy, lemony, herbaceous, light, and refreshing.
Dried dill loses some of its brightness, while its slightly astringent character becomes more pronounced.
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Its seeds, however, are pungent and strong, giving cucumbers their traditional flavor.
This has made it a simple matter for many species to develop for specific needs.
Picklers love Fernleaf, Mammoth, and Bouquet varieties for their abundance of seeds.
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These include the Delikat, Elephant, and Greensleeves.
All of these varieties have similar flavors with very minute differences between how mild or pungent they are.
Fresh or Dried Dill?
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Fresh dill is delicate and beautiful, fanning out gently in bold emerald greens.
Dried dill is best for recipes that require more force of flavor and incorporation into a sauce.
If a recipe calls for a lot of fresh dill, its more affordable to buy in a bunch.
Look at international markets for dill in bunches.
Look for bright, vibrant greens for the longest shelf life and best flavor.
Dried dill (both weed and seed) is dependably found in the general spice aisle.
Their appearance and taste arent similar, but parsley especially is common and familiar.
Dill lightens up soup and brightens up rice, and is also great on eggs.
Either way, they lend a summery zest and peppiness without having to resort to an allium.
