Badia Annatto Seed, 10 oz

Annatto seed in a 10 oz size — the workhorse jar for cooks who reach for achiote weekly. These hard, brick-red seeds from the achiote tree are the source of the deep orange color in Latin rice dishes, Caribbean stews, and Yucatecan pit-roasted meats.

Common Uses

Steep in oil or lard to make achiote oil, the base for Puerto Rican arroz con gandules, Cuban arroz amarillo, and pasteles. Grind with garlic, cumin, oregano, and bitter orange into recado rojo for cochinita pibil, pollo pibil, and tikin xic fish. Sprinkle ground into sofrito, sazón blends, or chorizo mixtures.

Cuisine Context

Annatto is the color signature of the Yucatán Peninsula, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. It's how generations of cooks have gotten saffron-like color into rice and stews using a seed that grows abundantly across the tropics.

Pro Tip

Make a large batch of achiote oil at once — 1/2 cup seeds to 2 cups oil, heated gently until vibrant orange, then strained. Refrigerated, it keeps for months and turns weeknight rice into something that looks Sunday-special.

Ships from Doral, FL.