Types of saffron
Saffron is sold in grades. The grade tells you how much of each thread is deep red stigma, and how much colour, aroma and flavour you will get in the pan. At Sara Saffron we are The Saffron specialist. We pack award-winning Super Negin as our flagship, tested to ISO 3632 and held in the UK so the threads reach you fresh. Great Taste judges awarded our saffron 3 stars in 2023. Use this guide to choose a grade, then shop the range.
Super Negin
Super Negin is the highest cooking grade we sell. The threads are cut long and even, a deep red with almost no yellow. That is why they bleed a strong colour in hot water and smell so clear in the jar. Great Taste judges noticed threads sitting proud, not a tangled mess. We pack Super Negin in pouches, jars and gift tins, from a 1g cook’s trial to larger kitchen packs. If you want one grade for everyday cooking and for gifts, start here.
Negin
Negin is made from undamaged red stigmas, with the white or yellow part of the thread removed. It sits just below Super Negin. The colour and aroma are still first class, and it is a strong choice for rice, stews and baking when you want a slightly keener price per gram.
Pushal
Pushal is still a proper cooking saffron. The threads are mostly red, with a little yellow at the tip. There are several Pushal qualities on the market. It gives good colour in broths and family dishes, and it is often the grade people use when they cook saffron often and want more volume. Do not confuse it with cheap powder or mixed cooking saffron that has no grade on the pack.
Organic saffron
Our organic saffron is organic Negin: red stigmas only, separated by hand, from farms that meet organic standards. Use it the same way you use Negin. The organic mark is about how it was grown, not a different flavour family.
Which grade should you buy?
For most UK cooks we recommend Super Negin. It is the grade Great Taste called first class, and it is what we put in our everyday pouches and gift tins. Choose Negin or organic Negin if that is the spec you need. Choose Pushal when you want a high-volume cooking grade. Then go to the shop and pick a size.