What's In Poultry Seasoning?

You'd be forgiven for only wondering about poultry season during the holiday season, but the truth is, it's a versatile blend that can be used for all sorts of recipes year round. In addition to the obvious, like basic roasted turkey, stuffing, gravy, and other holiday foods, poultry seasoning also works well for roasted vegetables, decadent soups, and even meats that aren't poultry. The blend of classic herbs also makes it great for adding flavor to salad dressings, breads, or even popcorn.

While the types and amounts of herbs and spices in pre-made poultry seasonings will vary from brand to brand — and in DIY recipes — there are a few main components. Sage and thyme are almost universally used for poultry seasoning. Other ingredients may include rosemary, marjoram, oregano, as well as flavorings such as pepper, nutmeg, paprika, celery seed, and garlic or onion powder. Some blends also include salt, so watch for that ingredient to ensure you don't over-salt your dish.

If you don't have it on hand, you can DIY poultry seasoning with what you probably already have on hand. The beauty of making your own poultry seasoning is that you have complete control over the flavor. You can add in or omit whatever herbs and spices make sense to you, and you can adjust the level of each ingredient based on your preferences. Consider adding cinnamon, which will give your roast chicken an unexpected complexity. Hate the flavor of rosemary? Ignore it altogether.

To make your own poultry seasoning, start by adding your dried herbs to a mortar and pestle. If you don't know where to start, try classics like sage, thyme, rosemary, and a bit of nutmeg. Grind everything together until it reaches a fine consistency, making sure the flavors blend well. If you'd prefer to use fresh herbs, that works perfectly as well. Here's everything you need to know when cooking with thyme. Simply chop them finely and rub directly onto your poultry, or whatever you're making to eat. The end result will be a meal with so much flavor.