I'd love to find out what to do about onion powder clumps too.

As for the granulated garlic, it is just garlic powder that hasn't been as finely ground. I use both, but for different purposes. Garlic powder dissolves more easily into liquid preparations like salad dressings, or melted butter. Granulated garlic is good on roasted/grilled meats as it imparts more garlic flavor per square inch...think the difference between powdered black pepper and cracked pepper.

I never figured out how to stop the powders from clumping either. I finally just quit buying the onion powder. I use the granulated garlic instead of garlic powder because the granulated never clumps. Most of the time I use fresh garlic, but if I'm in a big hurry (or on the RARE occasion that I am out of the fresh) I use the granulated.

Isn't it mostly caused by sprinkling out of the container over hot food? Thus steam getting into the container, then we lid the container and the moisture is trapped?

I know if I remember to not "sprinkle" out of the container I get much less clumping..

However...Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle clumps and is NEVER sprinkled over "steamy" food.. so hmmmmm lol

I wonder if this works?

Here is a link that might be useful: Dry Spice

Looks like I'm in good company in the not-going-to-buy-onion-powder-again camp! And just for the record, my Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle doesn't clump into one hard mass like the onion powder does.

Teresa

I ordered a couple of these just yesterday. They are expensive. But, seems like I've always got jars/bottles of old spices hanging around that I take a whiff of & decide are too old to use. Then, I put them back in my spice cabinet when they sit getting even older & less potent. I use mostly fresh herbs, so the money I spend on dried is frequently wasted. I'm going to take them out of the box & put all of the little foil packets in a Lock 'n Lock. It will REVOLUTIONIZE my poor overflowing spice cabinet! Over time I'm also going to add some to my storage pantry.

And yes, those little canisters thingies are like what comes in a bottle of vitamins, aspirin, etc. & they do help.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Smartspice Boxes - Scroll 1/2 way down the page

I am with Terri, if you don't sprinkle it over hot, steamy food it usually doesn't cake up.

What are you using onion powder for? I ask because I typically use it for a dry rub, or salad dressing. I've started grating onion with a microplane and adding it that way to salad dressing, but still haven't figured out how to substitute the onion in a dry rub. You know, this is one thing I tend to buy on a regular basis. I figure if it's had time to cake, it's too old to use!

The onion powder clumps because of absorbed moisture (can be just humidity). Unlike salt, it doesn't have free-flow agents (dessicants) added to the mixture.

You can save the little canisters from aspirin bottles and such and add those to the powder to help keep the mixture dry.

Carol

I do what Readinglady suggested. I save the absorbent packs that come in supplements and use them in my spices. It really does help. However, if I forget and sprinkle a spice over a steaming pot, I know I've defeated the purpose of those packs. But sometimes I'm just in a hurry and throw caution to the wind, hoping for the best.

It just occurred to me that my Japanese "second mother" used to put grains of rice into her salt shaker to prevent the salt from clumping...I don't know if it worked because the grains broke up clumps when you shook it, before the clumps could get really bad, or if the rice absorbed any moisture or maybe a bit of both. I wonder if it would work for onion powder?

This was a complete surprise to me. I've never had trouble with my onion powder clumping and I'm in high humidity country. But your right about the steam. Most of the time that I add onion powder is in the beginning of the cooking process and the steam has not developed yet. Plus, I quite often shake stuff into the palm of my hand first.

The few things in my spice cabinet that have developed clumps haven't been a problem. I just screw the lids back on and shake real well.

Ah, I love the idea of recycling silica gel packets! Thanks for the idea.

I'm like Dlynn. I don't use onion powder. In fact I don't think I've ever bought onion powder and I stopped buying garlic powder. The only thing I ever used garlic powder for was to season flour when breading chicken cutlets or pork. But now I just use fresh garlic and rub it on the meat before dipping it into the flour, egg and bread crumbs. Much better flavour.

Ann

I knew the collective wisdom here would yield some good ideas. I never thought of the dessicants used in medicine packages. And rachelellen, before I got to your post, I was remembering my mother putting rice into the salt shakers.

I think I'll try the rice first since i don't have anything else at the moment. I'll let you all know what happens.

I was going to post the same as Rachelellen about using rice. I just got a new bottle of onion powder. I'm going to try with the rice first and if it doesn't work, I need to look for some silica gel packets.

As why using onion powder? Certain food prefers onion powder vs. fresh onion. It's not so much because of the taste, it is the cooking method.

Add me to the list of people who buy neither onion powder nor garlic powder.

The only spice that I've gotten from Penzey's that clumped was the shallot salt. They replaced it and the new one clumped too, and I wasn't all that thrilled with it that I'd buy it again anyway.

Elery puts garlic powder in some of his rubs, I like fresh garlic better.

Annie

Shaun, Thanks for the website. I do save the desiccants silica gel packs and have about 20 but it's good to know I can purchase them in manageable quantities. Other websites that I have explored are more for commercial users. Plus you know me, my stash is all different kinds and sizes; having them all the same would make me feel better.

I just tried. There is no putting rice in Penzeys garlic powder. It falls through the shaker holes. So far, mine's not clumping, but haven't used it very much yet.