Ground Allspice Berries

Ground allspice is one of the most important ingredients in Caribbean cuisine. Contrary to the common misconception that allspice is a blended seasoning, there are no spices in allspice other than the ground, dried berries of the Pimenta dioica (allspice) tree. Ground allspice is a highly aromatic spice with a flavor that can be described as a combination of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Ground allspice is used in cuisines throughout the world. It can be used in stews, sauces, curries, pot roasts, biscuits, pies, cakes, and so much more. Ground allspice berries are a key ingredient in Jamaican Jerk seasoning.

Allspice berries to ground allspice: If your recipe calls for whole allspice berries and you want to substitute ground allspice, here's an easy conversion rule to follow:

5 whole allspice berries = 1 teaspoon of ground allspice

History of allspice:

Jamaican allspice was introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus in the 1500s. Columbus had discovered the allspice berry on the Island of Jamaica during his second voyage to the New World. Europeans attempted to grow the tree themselves, but were never able to replicate the flavor produced via tropical cultivation. Today, Mexico is the largest producer of allspice berries, followed by Jamaica, Guatemala, and Honduras.