spices - The Art of Food and Wine

Turkey Rub

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 18:01:48 +0000

This Turkey Rub and poultry seasoning recipe brings every classic Autumn flavor together to ensure a super-flavorful turkey or chicken

This turkey seasoning rub features an aromatic blend of classic seasonings that you probably already have in your spice cabinet to make the perfect dry rub. This can also be made into an herb paste, as well.

Prep is so easy! It takes just 5 minutes to combine everything and then rub the blend onto your turkey (or chicken) to roast or grill!

Ready to get started? Just click the “jump to recipe” button below or keep reading for more tips and ideas. This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our affiliate disclosure for more details. We only recommend products we love and use.

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Create the perfect turkey dinner with the addition of creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Orange Sauce, and Green Beans Almondine. If you are hosting a smaller holiday or family dinner, try our savory Easy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast which is perfect for a smaller crowd.

Homemade seasoning mixes are a smart way to go for 3 reasons:

HEALTHIER: You know exactly what’s in your mix – no artificial flavors or additives
PERFECT QUANTITY: This poultry seasoning recipe makes just the right amount for 2 turkeys or 3 large chickens. So, no leftover stale seasoning mix hiding in the back of the spice cabinet (hey, we’ve all done it!)
ECONOMICAL: Why spend $7-$20 on a small can of seasonings that you can likely make for $2.00 in 5 minutes?

Ingredients in Turkey Seasoning Rub

Light Brown Sugar – This is optional but it gives the skin a gorgeous crackly brown color as well as helping to balance the spices. If you’re going sugar-free you can omit the sugar
Kosher Salt – it’s important to use Kosher salt, rather than table salt. Kosher salt is larger and more coarse which makes it easier to evenly spread on the turkey and helps prevent over-salting. If you need to use table salt just use 1 teaspoon, instead of 2 Tablespoons.
Dried Rosemary, Thyme, and Sage – the “trifecta” of herbs for poultry! (See below if you want to use fresh herbs instead)
Garlic Powder and Onion Powder– If you substitute garlic salt or onion salt then cut back a little on the kosher salt.
Paprika – We use regular sweet paprika, but if you want a smoky flavor use smoked paprika, or if you’d like a bit of spice, try hot paprika
Black Pepper – freshly ground

How to substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs: We use dried herbs for this recipe but if you decide to use fresh herbs make sure to finely chop them, double the amount (just the herbs, not the spices), and use the mixture within 3 days.

How to make Turkey Dry Rub

Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl or jar and whisk or stir to combine. Or simply place the lid on and shake to combine.

If you want the dried herbs to be slightly more fine place them in a mortar and pestle and crush lightly.
If not using the turkey seasonings immediately we recommend storing the blended mix in a sealed glass jar in a cool dry place.

Using this rub to season your Thanksgiving Turkey:

Coat the thawed bird with a thin layer of olive oil and rub the mixture all over the turkey. Make sure to fully coat the bird.
We recommend gently loosening the skin around the breast and thighs and putting some of the mixture directly on the meat. Great for an added pop of flavor.
The turkey can be rubbed 30 minutes before cooking and up to 24 hours ahead of time. (if not cooking within one hour place the turkey back in the refrigerator)

Making a seasoned spice paste or wet rub:

For a very thick paste – mix the blended mixture with about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, melted coconut oil, or melted and slightly cooled butter
For a looser “wet” rub – add 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, coconut oil, or melted butter to the poultry seasoning and blend together
Smear the paste with a spatula all over the bird. Finish by using your hands to smooth out the paste. Make sure the entire surface area of the bird is covered with the rub. For more flavor, allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

Ingredient Variation Ideas:

It’s easy to customize this blend and very forgiving of substitutions!

Herbs: Herbs you could add include basil, oregano, marjoram, parsley
Sugar: substitute raw sugar or coconut sugar, or use honey if making a paste
Spices: Like it a little hot? Add hot paprika, a pinch of cayenne, or add chili powder. Smoked paprika will give it a lovely smoky flavor even without grilling
Use fresh minced garlic if you are making a fresh herb rub and paste
Try adding some lemon zest for added zing!

Storage

This Turkey Rub recipe can be doubled, tripled or even cut in half
Store tightly sealed in a jar, container, or zip-up plastic bag for up to 3 months. Keep in a cool dry place

We ♥️ fresh spice mixtures and rubs!

Here are a few of our other favorites:

Potlatch Seasoning – great for fish, especially salmon
Dry Rub for Ribs – a reader favorite!
Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix – packed with flavor and a must for Taco Tuesday!
Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix – perfect for pie but also the base for our popular Pumpkin Spice Syrup for your favorite Fall coffee: the Pumpkin Spice Latte

Turkey Seasoning

This Turkey Rub (poultry seasoning) is a blend of dry savory spices that come together in 5 minutes. Perfect for chicken too!

Course dry rub, Herbs and Spices, Seasonings

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings 12 pound turkeys

Calories 162kcal

Author Cyndy Ufkes ~ The Art of Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon Light brown sugar
2 Tablespoon Kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
1 Tablespoon Dried rosemary
1 Tablespoon Dried thyme
1 Tablespoon Garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 teaspoons Dried sage
2 teaspoons Onion powder
2 teaspoons Black pepper

Instructions

Dry Rub Seasoning for two 10-12 pound turkeys

Combine all of the ingredients in a small dish and whisk to combine
Store in a sealed container and use within 3 months for the best flavor
Spread the rub all over the turkey, up to 24 hours before cooking

For a wet rub:

Combine the seasoning blend with 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, coconut oil, or melted butter. Spread evenly all over the turkey.

Notes

Need more? This recipe can be doubled or tripled
Store: tightly sealed in a container for up to 3 months
Prefer no sugar? Just omit the brown sugar
Using fresh herbs? Double the amount of herbs

How to make poultry paste (wet rub): Add 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, melted butter, or coconut oil to the mixture and blend before using on a turkey or chicken.

Nutrition

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Dry Rub for Ribs

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 17:32:30 +0000

This Dry Rub for Ribs is the best and easiest way to amp up the flavor of your favorite ribs recipe!

The best part of ribs is that big hit of flavor you get with every finger-licking bite!

Our classic recipe for dry rub for ribs is the key to supercharged flavor. Using a handful of pantry staple spices you can transform every rack of ribs, including pork ribs, spare ribs, and beef ribs!

We use this spice mixture in all of our baby back ribs recipes. Our Oven Baked Ribs, flavorful Smoked Ribs, and Slow Cooker Ribs start as dry rub ribs and use this flavorful rib seasoning.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our affiliate disclosure for more details.

Ingredients needed for homemade Rib Rub

When we say easy, we aren’t kidding! This super flavorful spice blend has the perfect balance and comes together in about 5 minutes!

Below is the list of the handful of seasonings needed to make your own dry rub, and some thoughts on why we chose each of them. Be sure to use fresh spices for the best results!

(The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below)

Paprika – Use the best quality sweet paprika from Hungary, if possible. You can also substitute smoked paprika if you want added wood-fired smoky flavor
Chili Powder – Chili powder is a mixture of herbs and spices but is mainly made up of a combination of dried chile varieties. Any type will work!
Dark Brown Sugar – We love the deep flavor of dark brown sugar, due to the presence of molasses. Light brown can be substituted if that is all you have on hand. If you are paleo-friendly use coconut sugar instead
Black Pepper – Freshly ground pepper gives this rub a kick!
Kosher Salt – This type of salt has wider, coarser crystals and no additives. The larger size allows it to salt food more gently. If you don’t have kosher salt the best substitute is coarse sea salt. If you use regular table salt cut back the amount used by half
Garlic Powder – Garlic salt can be a substitute, but if using cut back on the kosher salt
Dried Oregano – You could also use dried rosemary
Dry Mustard Powder – Made with ground mustard seeds, also called ground mustard, this powder adds a distinct tangy flavor. Dry mustard is quite acidic which helps tenderize meat
Cumin – This popular spice adds earthy warm flavors and enhances any dish. Be sure to use ground cumin, rather than cumin seed
Onion Powder – Onion salt can be used as a substitute but cut back on the kosher salt if you use onion salt instead of onion powder
Cayenne Pepper – We use a generous pinch but if you want an extra punchy flavor use 2 pinches – or none at all if you don’t like as much heat!

How to Make Homemade Rib Rub

Measure each ingredient into a small bowl and whisk together with a fork to make sure it is well-blended
This makes 2 cups of rub and enough rib rub for 6+ racks of ribs (about 12 ribs per rack)
Use the rub mix right away, or make it ahead of time, and store it in sealed mason jars or a spice jar to keep it fresh for future use

How to apply Dry Rib Rub

Always rinse racks of ribs and then pat them dry with a paper towel so you begin with dry ribs
Apply the dry rub liberally on all sides, including the back of the ribs, and the ends of the rib rack. The best way to make sure every part is covered is to massage the rub in with your hands
Allow the rub to sit on the ribs for the absolute best flavor. We recommend a minimum of 30 minutes resting time at room temperature, but ideally, up to 12 hours in the refrigerator
You will need about 1/3 cup of spice rub for each rack
Cook as directed using your preferred method and follow up with our 10-minute Homemade Barbecue Sauce or your favorite sticky BBQ sauce
This recipe is enough for 6 racks so if you are only making two racks adjust accordingly, or save the remainder in an airtight container for your next batch of barbecue ribs

Using homemade dry rub on meats

This spice blend is the perfect combo for ribs but will also work with any cut of pork. Try it on pork loin, pork tenderloin, pork chops, or pork shoulder. It also tastes great on chicken, wings, and beef ribs.

This blend is easy and inexpensive, with no secret ingredients, so make extra to keep on hand. Sprinkle it on french fries, sweet potatoes, or baby potatoes too.

How to Store Dry Rub

Store this rub mixture in an airtight container in your spice cabinet or a cool dry place. Label (and date) it so you have it ready anytime. We like to use these 6 oz spice jars and this recipe is enough for about 3 jars
Spice blends will keep for about 6 months before they start to lose their potency, but they are best used within 3 months
Be sure to use fresh spices. The best way to check to see if your spices are still flavorful is to rub a little between your fingers and see if they are still aromatic
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled or can be cut in half

Sides to Serve with Ribs

Our favorite drinks to serve with ribs

White Sangria – great for a group!
Dirty Shirley Cocktails – cherries are always a match with BBQ ribs
Watermelon Vodka Cocktails – a perfect summer match!

We love to make our own rubs, sauces, and seasonings so jump on over for more ideas

Dry Rub for Ribs

This Dry Rub for Ribs is a perfect blend of savory spices and sweet brown sugar that will jazz up any type of ribs. Mix it up in 5 minutes.

Course Main Course, Seasonings