How to Save Clumped or Hardened Spices and Easily Get Them Out of Their Jar

Spices are one of the best flavor enhancers in the kitchen: whether you prefer their fresh or dried version, doing without them is really difficult. But if you have bought dried spices it often happens that they are stuck to the bottom of the jar, especially if you have not opened it recently.

It often happens that you find yourself struggling with spice jars that seem to want to hide their precious contents. Here are some foolproof tricks to unstick seasonings and spices from their containers.

1. Bottom to Bottom

If you turn the jar upside down and gently tap the bottom and nothing comes out, a simple trick is to use the bottom of another spice jar and rub it in a circular motion on the bottom of the jar you want to extract the spice from. This is a trick that is especially useful with powders.

2. The Heat

Place the jar under hot water for a few seconds: the heat will slightly expand the container and help the spice flow more easily.

3. The Teaspoon Method

This method is especially useful for powders that have stuck in lumps at the bottom of the jar. Insert a teaspoon by the handle into the opening of the jar and rotate vigorously: once the first lumps have been broken up, the rest of the spices will come out more easily.

Why Do Spices Stick to The Bottom of The Jar?

Spices, especially powdered ones, have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the jar for several reasons.

• Humidity: Moisture in the air or absorbed by the container can cause spices to clump together, making them more difficult to remove.
• Static: Rubbing spice particles together inside the jar can create a static charge that causes the particles to stick to each other and to the walls of the container.
• Spice structure: Some spices, such as black pepper or turmeric, have a crystalline structure that can promote the formation of agglomerates.
• Container Materials: Plastic containers may help spices stick together more easily than glass ones.