spice

Clove

In a nutshell

Cloves provide a sweet, strong aroma in dishes, mainly thanks to eugenol.

Cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds of an evergreen tree native to Indonesia's Maluku Islands. Each little nail-shaped bud is packed with aromatic oil, giving an intensely warm, sweet, pungent flavour with a slight numbing tingle on the tongue.

Cooks love them as a powerhouse spice. A few studded into a ham or an onion scent a whole pot, and cloves are essential in mulled wine, gingerbread, garam masala, Chinese five-spice and Worcestershire sauce.

Flavor profile

warm4

sweet3

pungent5

bitter1

floral2

earthy3

citrus0

smoky1

Aroma: spicy, warm

Good to know

Origin: Indonesia

Forms: whole, ground

Season: Available year-round; cloves star in autumn and winter baking, glazed hams and mulled drinks.

Nutrition: Used in tiny amounts, so it adds flavour more than nutrition.

Storage: Keep cloves in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Whole cloves stay potent for 2–3 years, while ground cloves fade within about a year. A quick test: drop a whole clove in water. Fresh, oily cloves float upright or head-down, while dried-out ones float flat on their sides. Ground cloves should smell sharp and sweet; if faint, replace them.

How to use clove

Using Whole

Whole cloves release eugenol slowly, adding sweetness.

In Baked Goods

Powdered cloves spread warmth through eugenol.

The science of clove

Cloves are extraordinarily rich in eugenol, which makes up most of their essential oil. Eugenol gives the hot, sweet, medicinal aroma and also mildly numbs the mouth, which is why strong clove dishes leave a tingle.
Because eugenol is so concentrated, it dominates other flavours quickly. Ground cloves release it almost instantly, so a pinch can be enough for a whole cake.
Whole cloves release their oil slowly in liquid, making them ideal for long simmers, brines and mulled drinks. Remove them before serving, or the flavour keeps building.
Eugenol is also found in cinnamon leaf, allspice and basil, which helps explain why cloves pair so naturally with those flavours.

How to choose clove

Good whole cloves are dark reddish-brown, with intact round heads and an oily feel. Press one with your fingernail: a tiny bead of oil should appear, and the smell should be strong and sweet. Broken, dry, grey cloves have lost much of their oil.

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Substitutes for clove

Swap	Amount	What changes
Allspice	1:1	Shares eugenol and tastes like clove with cinnamon and nutmeg notes.
Nutmeg	1:1	Sweet and warm, gentler and less medicinal.
Cinnamon	use twice as much	Milder and sweeter; best in baking.
Five-spice powder	use twice as much	Contains cloves plus star anise, fennel and cinnamon; great in savoury braises.

What goes with clove

Nutmeg. Clove and nutmeg both have warm, spicy eugenol.
Orange. Clove’s warmth deepens the citrus brightness of orange.
Red Wine. Clove's warm spice adds depth to red wine in mulled drinks and braises.
Onion. Clove’s pungency is tempered by the sweet caramelization of cooked onions.
Beef Chuck. Clove's intensity adds complexity to beef chuck’s richness.
Ginger. Clove's warm eugenol and ginger's sharp heat combine in gingerbread.
Molasses. Molasses's bitter-sweet depth meets clove's warm eugenol in gingerbread.
Pork Shoulder. Clove's warm, sweet spice flavors rich, fatty pork, as in glazed ham.
Vinegar. Clove's spicy warmth contrasts sharply with vinegar's acidity.
Tomato. A little clove in tomato sauce adds depth, but it overwhelms easily.

Mistakes to avoid

Excess causes eugenol bitterness.
Whole cloves can over-infuse with eugenol, overpowering dishes.

Ideas for tonight

Warm up cider with cloves.
Complex meat marinade.
Spice cakes with depth.

Clove: questions

What do cloves taste like?

Cloves taste intensely warm, sweet and pungent, with a slightly bitter, medicinal edge and a numbing tingle. They are among the strongest spices in the cupboard.

How many whole cloves equal ground cloves?

About 3–4 whole cloves give roughly a quarter teaspoon of ground. Grind them in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.

Do you remove whole cloves before eating?

Yes, usually. They are hard and woody, and biting one is an unpleasant hit of flavour. Stud them into an onion or tie them in muslin to make them easy to fish out.

Why do my cloves taste bitter?

Too many, or left in too long. Eugenol turns harsh and medicinal in excess, so start with fewer than you think.

What can I use instead of cloves?

Allspice is the closest match. Nutmeg or cinnamon work in baking, and five-spice suits savoury dishes.

Are cloves used in savoury food?

Absolutely. They flavour glazed ham, biryani, pho broth, Indian curries, pickles and many stocks and braises, always in small amounts.

What does clove taste like?

Cloves provide a sweet, strong aroma in dishes, mainly thanks to eugenol. Its strongest notes are pungent, warm, sweet, earthy, with an aroma that is spicy, warm.