PitBlendStart With What You Are Cooking
The best seasoning combination depends on the food.
- Beef: black pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, mustard and rosemary
- Chicken: garlic, paprika, thyme, oregano, sage and lemon
- Pork: garlic, mustard, paprika, sage, fennel and brown sugar
- Fish: lemon, dill, parsley, garlic and black pepper
- Vegetables: garlic, onion, cumin, paprika, thyme and red pepper flakes
Your seasonings should enhance the natural flavor of the food rather than completely cover it.
Choose a Flavor Direction
Before reaching for several spice jars, decide what you want the finished dish to taste like.
Common flavor directions include:
- Smoky
- Savory
- Spicy
- Sweet
- Herbal
- Earthy
- Bright and citrusy
Once you choose a direction, select seasonings that support it.
For example, a smoky seasoning blend could include smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. An Italian-inspired blend could use oregano, basil, thyme, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Build Around a Base Seasoning
Most homemade seasoning blends begin with dependable base ingredients such as:
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
These seasonings create a familiar foundation. From there, you can add one or two stronger spices to give the blend its personality.
Cumin can make a blend earthy. Cayenne adds heat. Rosemary creates a strong herbal flavor. Mustard powder adds sharpness, while brown sugar adds sweetness and helps create a flavorful crust on grilled or smoked meat.
Use Traditional Spice Combinations
Seasonings commonly used together in traditional cuisines are usually safe combinations to try.
BBQ Seasoning
Paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, brown sugar and cayenne.
Mexican-Inspired Seasoning
Cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, oregano and cayenne.
Italian Seasoning
Oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Mediterranean Seasoning
Oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic and lemon zest.
Cajun Seasoning
Paprika, cayenne, garlic, onion, thyme, oregano and black pepper.
These combinations have been used for generations because their flavors naturally work together.
Balance Mild and Strong Spices
One of the biggest seasoning mistakes is using every ingredient in equal amounts.
Mild spices such as paprika, garlic powder and onion powder can make up a larger part of the blend. Strong ingredients such as cayenne, clove, rosemary, fennel and nutmeg should usually be used in smaller amounts.
A simple starting ratio is:
- Four parts base seasoning
- Two parts primary flavor
- One part accent spice
You can then adjust the blend based on your taste and the food you are preparing.
Smell and Taste Before Making a Large Batch
Mix a small amount of your seasoning blend in a bowl and smell it. If one spice completely overpowers everything else, reduce it or add more of the milder ingredients.
Test new blends on a small piece of meat, a potato wedge or a spoonful of vegetables before seasoning the entire meal.
Keep track of the ingredients and amounts you use. This makes it easier to recreate your best seasoning blends later.
Do Not Confuse More Spices With More Flavor
A good seasoning blend does not need 15 ingredients. Many of the best combinations use only four or five.
Start with:
- Salt
- One or two base seasonings
- One main flavor
- One optional accent
Adding too many unrelated spices can make a blend taste muddy or unfocused.
Create Your Own Seasoning Blend
Learning which seasonings go together becomes easier with practice. Begin with traditional flavor combinations, use strong spices carefully and adjust based on the main ingredient.
PitBlend makes it easier to experiment with seasoning percentages and see how each ingredient affects saltiness, sweetness, heat, smoke, bark and overall flavor.
The best seasoning blend is not the one with the most ingredients. It is the one that makes your food taste exactly the way you want it.