Seasoning for chicken is a must-have in any home kitchen. It’s a mix of herbs and spices like nutmeg, sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, and black pepper, and it’s much more than just a seasoning for chicken, turkey, or duck.
Poultry seasoning gives grilled fish, roasted vegetables, and the batter for fried chicken more flavor and depth. There are many different versions of this spice mix made by different companies. Most of the flavor comes from dried sage and thyme, which have a strong, woodsy smell and taste. Most of the time, nutmeg, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, and black pepper are also in poultry seasoning.
Chicken seasoning is a mix of different spices. McCormick’s is the most common store-bought poultry seasoning, and it comes in a small red spice jar and can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores. There are other brands of poultry seasoning, though. In McCormick’s brand poultry seasoning, there are thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg. Celery seed, celery salt, and sometimes ground cloves may be added to other blends.
What is Poultry Seasoning?
Sage and thyme are two important parts of this spice blend, which gives the food its added Thanksgiving taste. Most kinds of this seasoning don’t have salt in them, making it a great rub or addition to the food that has already been cooked and salted.
Anyone can make their poultry seasoning based on which herbs and spices they like best. This is because poultry seasoning is more of an idea than a specific mix of herbs and spices. Bell’s has been making a blend of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, marjoram, thyme, and pepper for more than 150 years. It is one of the oldest companies that makes poultry seasoning.
Varieties of Poultry Seasoning
Sage and thyme, two flavors that go well with chicken and turkey, are in most poultry seasonings. Other things added to poultry spices are nutmeg, sage, onion, garlic, rosemary, black pepper, ginger, Mediterranean thyme, parsley, marjoram, red bell peppers, ground coriander, allspice, Greek oregano, and savory.
What does it Taste Like?
When herbs and spices are mixed to make poultry seasoning, they add earthiness and astringency. When combined with marjoram, rosemary, and black pepper, a complex flavor is perfect for roasting chicken. It’s a sure thing that poultry seasoning will be at Thanksgiving dinner because of this. Most mixtures with nutmeg are both sweet and savory, but they still have a hint of a holiday feast. The onion powder adds a more savory flavor, and the rosemary can make it taste more like herbs.
Is Poultry Seasoning Vegetarian?
You might be wondering if poultry seasoning can be part of a vegetarian diet. Yes, poultry seasoning is 100% safe for vegetarians to use. Even though it’s called “poultry seasoning,” it has neither poultry nor meat. It is called “poultry seasoning” because it is used to spice up chicken, not because it is made from chicken. The spices in poultry seasoning are grown in the ground, dried, and then ground together.
When making poultry seasoning, no chickens or other birds are hurt. Poultry seasoning should be gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Make your poultry seasoning in vegetarian and vegan recipes like southern poultry seasoning blend and poultry seasoning rub with ginger.
Why would a Vegetarian want to Use Something Called Poultry Seasoning?
Well, you probably already have some in your kitchen, for one thing. Many vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving recipes, like gravy or stuffing, call for poultry seasoning to add a flavor similar to meat dishes since poultry seasoning is often used to flavor meat dishes like turkey stuffing and turkey. But since poultry seasoning is vegetarian (and vegan! ), there’s no reason not to use it in your meatless meals.
Where to Buy Poultry Seasoning?
All poultry seasoning is dry and comes in bottles that can be shaken to make it easy to use right out of the bottle. Most grocery stores carry at least one brand. Visit a specialty grocery store for local or international varieties, or shop online for blends from specialty spice shops. You can find poultry seasoning in the grocery store near the spices, and it’s just a mix of dried herbs used to flavor many foods.
Poultry Seasoning
- McCormick Culinary Poultry Seasoning adds a savory herb flavor and aroma to your favorite chicken, turkey, and duck recipes.
- Contains 12 ounces of a perfectly balanced spice blend with thyme, marjoram, nutmeg, and sage
- Made with culinary professionals, this all-in-one seasoning saves time and effort in the kitchen when preparing proteins, stuffing, or sauces.
- Sure to become a staple seasoning and back-of-house spice for elevating signature recipes and crafting new menu items
- Kosher and mixed without any added MSG for a bold taste, you can serve up guilt-free.
Storage Tip
Keep all spices in a jar, tin, or bag that doesn’t let air in. This will help them stay fresh longer. The longer a mixture like poultry seasoning sits in the pantry, the less flavor it has and the more the granules stick together. Please make sure the herbs are completely dry before mixing them and putting them away when you make your seasoning. If you make a mixture with fresh herbs, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week in a glass jar with a tight lid.
Cooking with Poultry Seasoning
Sprinkle this mixture on the bird you’re roasting, or mix it with butter and push it under the skin. You can also roast vegetables in a pan with olive oil and a teaspoon of poultry seasoning or use it to add flavor to fish, beef, pork, or tofu.
Substitutions
Herb mixtures like herbes fines or herbes de Provence can be used instead of poultry seasoning. Add any ground spices, onion and garlic powder, and finely chopped fresh herbs. The best way to replace poultry seasoning is with two teaspoons of sage and one teaspoon of dried thyme or marjoram. You can use any fresh or dried herbs on hand and mix and match the spices. The job can be done with a simple mix of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
As the name suggests, this is a blend of spices often used to season chicken and turkey. Sage is one of the things that go into it, and it usually has marjoram, savory, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and onion powder in it. Even though it’s called “poultry seasoning,” it’s also good for stuffing.
What is Poultry Seasoning Good for?
Poultry seasoning is often used to spice up turkey, chicken, and stuffing, but it can also spice up meat or veggie burgers, pot pies, soups, etc. When we don’t have much time, a dash of poultry seasoning is a great way to give tofu marinades and vegetable soups a lot of flavors. The amount of Cholesterol and Sodium in this food is very low. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, folate, magnesium, copper, vitamin K, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, and manganese.
Even though the name “poultry seasoning” might make you think it’s only used on chicken and turkey, that’s not always the case. Many chefs add poultry seasoning to different recipes and dishes to give them more flavor. The seasoning can add flavor to meat or veggie burgers, pot pies, soups, etc. It is also a great way to add flavor to tofu marinades, vegetable soups, pork, veal, lamb, casseroles, meatloaf, herb bread, and herb sauces. Many vegan recipes, like vegan turkey, vegan chicken, and even tofu, have a clever use of poultry seasoning. Vegan pot pie, vegan chicken Parmesan, vegan chicken salad, vegan taquitos, and chicken noodle soup are popular vegan dishes with poultry seasoning.
What is Poultry Seasoning Made of?
Almost all brands of poultry seasoning have thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg as their main ingredients.
- Sage-This is what most poultry seasoning is made of. You can choose between sage that has been rubbed or sage that has been ground. Keep in mind that sage that has been rubbed has a lighter flavor and texture than sage that has been ground.
- Thyme -you can either use dried thyme leaves or ground thyme.
- Marjoram- This herb adds a sweet pine flavor.
- Rosemary- You can chop the prickly leaves or add them to the seasoning mix.
- Dehydrated onions or onion powder- most people prefer dehydrated onions as onion powder can be clumpy.
- Ground black pepper- Freshly ground black pepper will give you the best flavor.
You can change your homemade poultry seasoning recipe by adding parsley, savory, oregano, coriander, celery flakes or seeds, dried onion and garlic, allspice, lemon peel cloves, nutmeg, ginger, bell pepper, and cayenne pepper.
You can mix them or grind them in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, depending on how finely you want your Poultry Seasoning to be. After mixing, put in a container that won’t let air in.
What is Herbed Poultry?
Coriander, black pepper, thyme, sage, marjoram, and parsley are added to the coriander and black pepper base to make a savory herb mix that goes well with pork, fish, chicken, and turkey. Herbed Poultry Seasoning Blend doesn’t have any salt, but it has many flavors packed into a small container. Sage, thyme, and rosemary are the main spices. By themselves, these herbs can make anything taste good. But together, these can add more flavor to chicken dishes. Marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper are some other spices that can be added.
Conclusion
Stuffing for Thanksgiving goes well with poultry seasoning. But it can also be used to make roasted vegetables taste better (think Brussels sprouts, carrots, and potatoes). For appetizers and salads, try mixing a tablespoon of poultry seasoning with Greek yogurt to make a dip for a crudité platter or whisking some seasoning with lemon juice, salt, and olive oil to make a salad dressing. Cook apple wedges in butter, honey, and poultry seasoning until golden brown, and serve them with a cheese plate. Grogan thinks poultry seasoning could be used in a compound butter to go with Parker House rolls or even in a quiche for the day after Thanksgiving. Or add it to chestnut-studded corn muffins to make them stronger.
