by Elisabeth Duckeck
The first time I came across Five-Spice was while prepping dinner for friends: 5 Spice Pork Neck Bao Buns with Glazed Vegetables. I headed to the store only to find it sold out. A quick search revealed a surprise: I already had almost every ingredient for a homemade Five-Spice blend in my pantry. It turns out, making a DIY Five-Spice substitute is incredibly easy and often tastes better than store-bought.
In this post, I’ll share my personal kitchen story and show you how to make your own DIY Five-Spice at home. It’s easier than you think and tastes much fresher than the store-bought version! The smell and taste of the meat reminds very much of Christmas.
Why homemade Five-spice is better than Store-bought
There are so many reasons to make your own Five-Spice blend. For me, it all comes down to control the flavor profile. Many store-bought mixtures have an overpowering note of star anise, giving them a heavy licorice taste. My mom was actually crazy for licorice—a ‘sweet’ I’ll never quite understand. By making it yourself, you can easily customize the mix: add more Szechuan pepper for a spicy kick or extra cinnamon if you prefer warmer, sweeter notes.
Beyond the flavor balance, the aromatic impact is incomparable. Roasting whole spices before grinding them activates the essential oils, filling your kitchen with an incredible scent and giving your dish the deepest flavor possible.
It also allows you to control the quality of every single ingredient; I’m a firm believer that ‘what you see is what you get’—and in this case, what you taste. To top it all off, blending your own is surprisingly more affordable than buying those small, pre-packaged jars at the supermarket.
And last, whole spices retain their aroma for years, while pre-ground powders often lose significant potency after just six months.
Cooking tip: Do not burn the spices!!!
The first time I made my own Five-Spice blend, I almost burned it! To avoid my mistake, I highly recommend using a non-stick pan over medium heat. You need to watch the spices constantly and keep them moving.
As soon as they become fragrant or turn slightly brown, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner immediately. The residual heat from the bottom of the pan is more than enough to finish the roasting process without scorching those delicate aromatics.
Homemade Five-Spice
Equipment
- 1 non-sticky pan
- 1 herb grinder / coffee grinder / mortar
What you need
- 6 whole star anise
- 1½ whole cloves
- 1 whole cinnamon stick appr. 10 cm / 4 inches
- 2 Tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 Tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
How to prepare
- Start by breaking the cinnamon stick into smaller pieces.
- Place all your spices in a dry, non-stick pan over medium heat. Toast them carefully, stirring constantly, until they become highly fragrant and slightly golden. Do not let them get burned!
- Once toasted, remove the spices from the heat and let them cool completely.
- For the finest texture, use a dedicated spice or coffee grinder. If you prefer a more rustic, hands-on approach, a mortar and pestle works perfectly too.
- Grind everything until you have a fine, aromatic powder.
- Store in a well sealed glass in a cool and dark place.
Loved this DIY recipe? Want to learn how to make 5-spice pork neck with Bao Buns with glazed vegetables just follow the link to Meat dishes
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