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Allspice, or pimento
One small brown berry is behind the taste of jerk, rice and peas, curry goat and sorrel. Jamaicans call it pimento; most of the world calls it allspice. Here's what it is, when to use whole berries or ground, and how Caribbean cooks put it to work. From our African and Black-owned store in Chicago.
Table of Contents
What is allspice?
Allspice is the dried, unripe berry of Pimenta dioica, an evergreen tree native to the Greater Antilles (including Jamaica), southern Mexico and Central America.1 The berries are picked green and dried in the sun until they turn reddish-brown and look like large peppercorns.1
Its taste is warm and sweet with a little bite: many people say it tastes like cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg at once, with a touch of pepper.
Why "pimento" and "allspice"?
When the Spanish arrived in the Caribbean, they took the berries for a kind of pepper and called them pimienta, Spanish for pepper. In English this became "pimento", the name Jamaicans still use.1,2
After the British took Jamaica in 1655, the berry became known in English as "allspice", because it seemed to combine the taste of several spices.2
Whole vs ground allspice
- Flavour
- Stays strong for years
- Best for
- Stews, soups, rice and peas, pickles, escovitch, sorrel, mulled drinks
- How
- Add 6 to 10 berries to the pot; remove before serving. Crush for marinades.
- Flavour
- Stronger at first, fades faster
- Best for
- Jerk rubs, baking, patties, sauces, spice cakes
- How
- Use small amounts: ½ to 1 tsp is plenty for most dishes.
Tip: buy whole and grind a few berries in a pepper mill or mortar when you need ground. You get the best of both.
Shop allspice and warm spices
How Caribbean cooks use allspice
Rice and peas
A few berries with thyme, scallion and coconut milk.
Jerk
The base of every jerk marinade, with scotch bonnet. Learn more in our jerk chicken recipe.
Escovitch fish
Berries simmered in the vinegar with onion, carrot and pepper.
Curry goat
A pinch in Jamaican curry powder or in the marinade.
Sorrel drink
Steeped with hibiscus, ginger and cloves for Christmas.
Black cake and bun
With nutmeg and cinnamon in fruit cake and Easter bun.
No allspice? Try this
It is close, though not the same: real pimento has a peppery note the mix doesn't.
Allspice FAQ
Is allspice a blend of spices?
No. It is one spice, the dried berry of the Pimenta dioica tree. The name comes from its taste, which reminds people of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg together.
Is pimento the same as allspice?
Yes. In Jamaica allspice is called pimento. It is not the same as the red pimiento pepper stuffed into olives.
Can I use ground allspice instead of whole?
Yes, in most dishes. Use ground for rubs, baking and sauces. Use whole berries in stews, soups, rice and peas, pickles and drinks, and take them out before serving.
How long does allspice keep?
Whole berries keep their flavour for a few years in an airtight jar. Ground allspice fades faster, so buy small packs and use within about a year.
What dishes use allspice?
Jerk chicken and pork, rice and peas, curry goat, escovitch fish, Jamaican patties, pepper pot soup, sorrel drink, Christmas cake and pumpkin pie.
Sources
- Wikipedia. Allspice.
- The Herb Society of America blog. Herb of the month: allspice, four spices in one.