54 Pound Bag of Sumac...What Do??
June 26, 2020 11:24 PM Subscribe
Through a friend who works in a loosely regulated bulk food store, my community house (6 people, one cat) has come into possession of 54 lbs of ground sumac. Don’t know the quality, but seems ok?
We need ideas of how to use it up.
We all love za’atar so that’s one, but it’s going to take much more than that to get through it. Also, any suggestions on how long it can safely be used? No way to know how fresh it was when we got it unfortunately :/
As of now we’re sprinkling it on everything from cereal to macaroni but that’s getting a bit old and I have a feeling there are some killer recipes out there we’re missing out on.
We all love za’atar so that’s one, but it’s going to take much more than that to get through it. Also, any suggestions on how long it can safely be used? No way to know how fresh it was when we got it unfortunately :/
As of now we’re sprinkling it on everything from cereal to macaroni but that’s getting a bit old and I have a feeling there are some killer recipes out there we’re missing out on.
In irl.metafilter.com, there had been a bunch of posts for people sharing things that they had too much of and asking for things they needed. So if you're up for giving bags away to other mefites or neighbors (e.g. buy nothing), that would 'use up' your supply.
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:49 PM on June 26, 2020 [10 favorites]
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:49 PM on June 26, 2020 [10 favorites]
It makes a rather nice lemonade-type drink if steeped overnight in the fridge and then strained and sweetened.
posted by Fuchsoid at 12:37 AM on June 27, 2020 [13 favorites]
posted by Fuchsoid at 12:37 AM on June 27, 2020 [13 favorites]
In interest of science I would really like to know what 54 pounds of sumac looks like if you would share.
I'd start giving it away. I can't imagine going through that much of any spice in any reasonable amount of time. Is there a food pantry that could accept a donation? I wonder if there a community kitchen or other program that it would be useful too that does bulk preparation of food.
posted by AlexiaSky at 5:07 AM on June 27, 2020 [8 favorites]
I'd start giving it away. I can't imagine going through that much of any spice in any reasonable amount of time. Is there a food pantry that could accept a donation? I wonder if there a community kitchen or other program that it would be useful too that does bulk preparation of food.
posted by AlexiaSky at 5:07 AM on June 27, 2020 [8 favorites]
I’d try making a sumac-infused vodka/liqueur, just out of curiosity. If you do, it’s sensible to use a cheapish vodka in case it turns out to be a failed experiment, but not something which is actively nasty or you just end up with a nasty-tasting result. I only mention this because I have made that mistake myself.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 5:15 AM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 5:15 AM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
I always figure spices can "safely" be used forever but are only going to be flavorful and effective for a decade or so. Best quality under a year but I definitely have decade old spices that still taste like themselves (just less so).
posted by Lady Li at 8:38 AM on June 27, 2020
posted by Lady Li at 8:38 AM on June 27, 2020
Goes great in buttered or oiled popcorn.
posted by aniola at 8:40 AM on June 27, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by aniola at 8:40 AM on June 27, 2020 [3 favorites]
Use as a substitute in recipes that call for dried lemon or lime, especially lemon/lime peel.
posted by aniola at 8:46 AM on June 27, 2020
posted by aniola at 8:46 AM on June 27, 2020
Citrus like taste? All right this is probably weird, and I don’t know sumac at all, but desperate times, right?
Could you make a simple syrup with it to add to drinks and cocktails? And then make that really thick and boil it down to make candy out of it?
Just brainstorming.
posted by SLC Mom at 10:08 AM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
Could you make a simple syrup with it to add to drinks and cocktails? And then make that really thick and boil it down to make candy out of it?
Just brainstorming.
posted by SLC Mom at 10:08 AM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
So, we use quite a lot of sumac in our house and I still can't imagine us going through more than a couple of pounds a year. It loses flavour fairly quickly too - it'll still taste sour, but it loses that distinctive sort of earthy lemon flavour in a few months - and I can't speak for the price in your local area but here, it's certainly a relatively specialist ingredient and commands a relatively premium price.
What I'm saying, essentially, is bag it up and give it away or sell it to friends.
Recipe-wise, use it anywhere you'd normally add lemon or vinegar to switch it up. It pairs surprisingly well with smoked paprika (and salt) as a seasoning on things like sweet potato fries or popcorn. Make a yoghurt sauce with garlic, sumac, lemon, olive oil and salt. Chicken Musakhan is the national dish of Palestine for a reason, it's phenomenally delicious. Look for other Palestinian/Lebanese/Levantine dishes, they use a lot of sumac.
posted by parm at 12:19 PM on June 27, 2020 [4 favorites]
What I'm saying, essentially, is bag it up and give it away or sell it to friends.
Recipe-wise, use it anywhere you'd normally add lemon or vinegar to switch it up. It pairs surprisingly well with smoked paprika (and salt) as a seasoning on things like sweet potato fries or popcorn. Make a yoghurt sauce with garlic, sumac, lemon, olive oil and salt. Chicken Musakhan is the national dish of Palestine for a reason, it's phenomenally delicious. Look for other Palestinian/Lebanese/Levantine dishes, they use a lot of sumac.
posted by parm at 12:19 PM on June 27, 2020 [4 favorites]
The chicken dish linked by parm above sounds fantastic, but you can go simpler too: Take a chicken (or chicken pieces, whatever); mix up some olive oil, salt, sumac, and optionally garlic into a paste, smear it on your chicken, roast.
(But yeah you gotta give away most of it. You could mix it with salt and garlic powder, and wrap in cute baggies/jars labeled "Sumac Seasoning Rub for Chicken" and give them as festive gifts...)
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:38 PM on June 27, 2020
(But yeah you gotta give away most of it. You could mix it with salt and garlic powder, and wrap in cute baggies/jars labeled "Sumac Seasoning Rub for Chicken" and give them as festive gifts...)
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:38 PM on June 27, 2020
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I don't have much of a sumac repertoire but I do like a lot of it on any kind of lentil dish.
One thing that uses a lot of spices is to make a dry rub/crust on a big piece of meat and then roast it. Roasted lamb with a sumac dry rub, maybe.
posted by Mizu at 11:40 PM on June 26, 2020