Mace vs Corriander

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

herkysprings

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jun 2, 2009
578
11
Eugene, OR
So I've got a stuffer and casings on order, but one particular item has me a bit perplexed.

MACE

I've never used this before, I dont really have great access to it except through online ordering, and its expensive. I read in the Kutas book that Corriander is an acceptable sub.

I'm just curious if somebody can describe mace, what its like in sausages, or what the difference is between it and corriander.

Thanks all!
 
icon_cool.gif


Well the only thing that I can tell you is that I can get it here in the grocery store. It's in some of my sausage recipes and I have it and I put it in. So I really don't know what it taste like but I can smell it for you. Ok they don't even smell or taste anywhere near close (to Me) Now you do know that coriander is really ground up cilantro don't you. Now the mace has a pretty strong lemon swell to me and the coriander is kind of blah to me. Now my sniffer isn't the best around due to a couple of broken noses and overall bodily abuse.
 
Last edited:
Corriander is cilantro seeds, same plant, different part and flavours I think.

The butch place were I got my casings from online wanted $36 a pound. More than my paprika is!

I'll have to shop around. Good to know its different tho.

I did some research and found this:

http://www.apinchof.com/mace1097.htm

Essentially mace and nutmeg are much closer together, as they come from the same plant / fruit. Might be my first deviation from the Kutas book, to try nutmeg in place of mace, with some corriander mixed in, if I cant find a decent supply of Mace.
 
Last edited:
Mace is actually the dried covering on the nutmeg seed (nut). It can be kind of pricey so when a recipe calls for mace I just go with nutmeg.  I buy the nutmeg whole and use a mirco grate to grate off what I need. I guess that I could just grate off the covering of the nut, but if a recipe calls for a lot of mace, you could find yourself needing a lot of nutmeg.
 From Wikipedia:

Nutmeg is the actual seed of the tree, roughly egg-shaped and about 20 to 30 mm (0.8 to 1 in) long and 15 to 18 mm (0.6 to 0.7 in) wide, and weighing between 5 and 10 g (0.2 and 0.4 oz) dried. Mace is the dried "lacy" reddish covering of the seed.   
 
Last edited:
Wow, the price sure has gone up - I got a pound of mace last year for $12 at Butcher Packer, now it's tripled!
 
Here's a copy of the invoice, had to go back and double check to make sure!

Order Date: Tuesday 03 August, 2010

[h2]Order Information - Order #32872[/h2]
Qty.ProductsTotal
1 ea.Ground Mace (1 lb.)$12.64
1 ea.Ground Paprika (1 lb.)$4.70
2 ea.Bacon Hanger$10.20
1 ea.Brine Tester / Salinometer$13.50
2 ea.Bratwurst Seasoning$8.80
2 ea.DQ Curing Salt - 1 lb. (aka DC Curing Salt)$5.00
 

$54.84

Sub-Total:


$11.75

Table Rate (Best Way):


$66.59

Total:
 
I know you have a Wall Mart somewhere in Oregon.  Should be available in small quantities there.  Buy a bit, give it a good whiff and then give nutmeg a good whiff.  You may or may not be able to smell a dramatic difference.  I find Mace to be more savory/spicy than nutmeg. 

If a recipe said you can swap coriander for mace you are really making a big change in the flavor profile of the sausage.

Apple Pie spice should be reasonably spiced and is a mixture of things like Cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, allspice, clove etc.    I would go with that before coriander. Or any of the components of apple pie spice. 

Mace and nutmeg can get bitter when used in quantities greater then 1 gram per kilogram of sausage so unless you are making a great deal of sausage small lots should be sufficient to allow you to develop the recipe.   Marianski says that one flat teaspoon of Mace weighs about 1.69 grams

Al
 
I have found allspice works well as a sub for mace. We will rarely get it here in North Dakota and all spice has worked well in my brat making.
 
The only problem I see is the mace...For cryin' out loud that stuff burns if it gets in your eyes...At least it did when my ex-wife wanted me to get off her porch.....
icon_biggrin.gif
  Just kiddin...I could not help it....
 
Personally I have tried mace a couple of times in sausage, but can taste it right through it, so I'd figure something to sub for it no matter if they were giving the mace away for free.  I have used corriander before but as indicated above that adds a different taste.  I think I'm going to try the nutmeg idea, that seems to make the most sense to me.  Good luck. 
 
It is in my Andouille recipe. I use very litttle so cost is not a problem. I have used nutmeg and always grate my own. Nutmeg is a spice that gets old quick when it is ground and stored. You don't want to go overboard with either one of these. They are very good and necessary but can overpower.
 
Don't sub nutmeg for mace.  It's an entirely different flavor.  Mace is the membrane around the seed of the plant.  I use it in some middle eastern dishes.  

Mace is so fine and lightweight that a pound of it is an insane amount.

Buy smaller amounts :)
Corriander is cilantro seeds, same plant, different part and flavours I think.

The butch place were I got my casings from online wanted $36 a pound. More than my paprika is!

I'll have to shop around. Good to know its different tho.

I did some research and found this:

http://www.apinchof.com/mace1097.htm

Essentially mace and nutmeg are much closer together, as they come from the same plant / fruit. Might be my first deviation from the Kutas book, to try nutmeg in place of mace, with some corriander mixed in, if I cant find a decent supply of Mace.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky