How To Season Your Brand New Mortar And Pestle

Unless you are a complete kitchen expert, you're justified in being a bit confused by the mortar and pestle you just purchased. You know that you can use it to grind dried spices before blooming them in oil, and that the tool is perfect for making cocktails when you don't have a dedicated muddler. It may be news to you, however, that before you can get smashing everything in your pantry, you have to season the mortar and pestle first. This isn't the seasoning with Crisco that Martha Stewart does to her cast iron ... rather, it's a method that gets your new implement ready for safe usage.

We spoke with chef Yara Herrera of Hellbender NYC about the importance of seasoning mortars and pestles. She reinforces that this is a critical step when you buy a new set, because "it may have loose pieces or residue of granite that can get into your food," and the seasoning process smooths and cleans the tools to make them food-safe. This applies whether you have a granite mortar and pestle like Herrera mentioned, ceramic, marble, or another similar material. You don't need any fancy tools or cleaners, either — just plain white rice and a little bit of water.

To get the job done, just place a handful of rice in the bowl of your mortar. Then, as Herrera puts it, "run it through the mortar with the pestle until it becomes a powder, and then rinse with water." The light color of the rice will allow you to easily see any granulation that has fallen off the tools, and the consistency is not so hard to grind that you will overexert yourself in the seasoning process. Once you have mashed the rice to nothing, dispose of the pasty mess, and your mortar and pestle are ready to use!

Herrera says that only one initial seasoning is necessary, but that fastidious home cooks can repeat the process, saying "I don't think it hurts to do it every now and then and remove any food it might have soaked up" to neutralize any lingering tastes or odors. She says that cleaning the implements with "just water" is the best play for regular maintenance. As a side note, she divulged that her mortar and pestle is how she achieves perfect, chunky salsas at Hellbender. Once you get used to using yours, you will wonder how you got by without this versatile and multi-functional tool!