What Do Bay Leaves Actually Do?

Despite what you may think, bay leaves do serve a purpose—albeit a subtle one.

[heatnicoleher]

Bay leaves may be subtle, but i can tell when that savoury flavour is missing.

[Ruconfuzd]

Thx for reminding us why our moms and grandmas used them regularly.

[OttoStrawanzinger]

A friend of mine told me about another use for them: tannins! Adding bay leaves to pickles apparently keeps them crunchier because of the tannins they add.

[KidRisky]

I recently started adding a third of a bay leaf when I heat up canned chicken soup. It helps it taste almost homemade.

[jackiewinters]

I've always used them! My favorite is Turkish bay leaves. The aroma is simply divine! I highly recommend trying them. 💜

[nygreenguy]

If anyone wants to see what a bay leaf can do, make a pot of rice with and without it. It's a world of difference.

[TylerDean]

Use more bay leaves, don't be afraid to use a whole handful. Indian foods sometimes have powdered bay leaves, and it's delicious.

[MinnyGotGame]

My bean soup recipe wouldn’t be the same without a bay leaf or 2 (dried).

[adhmbcx]

I treat them like tea and boil them in the microwave a few times, then pour that in while cooking.
I don't have to fish for them that way, and you can pull a lot more flavor out of them, especially when cooking something at a low heat. :)

[Es_Elle]

Always wondered about its effect... thanks for explaining!

[mgoldsmith]

They are essential in so many dishes, but especially in pasta sauce!

[Axis_Of_Evil]

I can't say exactly what bay leaf tastes like, but if I don't put it in, I notice it.

[TheJollyMage]

I can tell it's missing if I don't add it to taco meat or chilli or even stewed meats.

[Doctor_Al]

Bay leaves are crucial. They may not be the star, but they're quite conspicuous by their absence.

[dbpike]

I never used bay leaves much when they were dried and brown sitting in a spice jar. However I now live in an area where bay leaves grow like weeds in my garden. Picking and adding fresh bay leaves adds a spectacular flavour and I can’t imagine not using them in any soups or stews. However, the secret is “fresh”.

[yyyyyk]

This is especially true with slow cooked dishes.
If you're making any stew that will be cooking for several hours and the recipe calls for bay leaves, the longer cooking time will get more flavor out of them.

[beth.marie.]

My husband always knows when I forget to put bay leaf in the pot roast!

[matttypes]

Beans making you gassy? Add bay leaves! Bay leaves contain compounds that help break down some of the complex sugars in beans that cause gas.

[marijkeschellenbach]

Learned from my mom and still use bayleaves a lot. I love the flavor it impairs in soups and bechamel especially. It is really difficult to find a bay tree in my area and wish I had one.

[CatMcCloud]

They add such a beautiful savory sage-y flavor. My favorite thing I’ve ever put them in was the caramel in the millionaire’s shortbread! SO GOOD