Homemade Turkey Rub Seasoning is a simple and flavorful way to elevate your turkey recipes. With just a few pantry staples, you can create a blend that suits your taste and impresses your guests.
Give this homemade turkey rub recipe a try this holiday season or anytime you’re roasting turkey, or even a chicken, and enjoy the delicious results!
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Seasoning your Thanksgiving turkey with a blend of savory spices will add both flavor and color.
When it comes to elevating your turkey game, a flavorful seasoning blend can make all the difference.
This spice mix is easy to put together and is a delightful combination of herbs and spices that will season your turkey with incredible flavor.
I especially love to combine the turkey seasoning with butter to make a flavored butter. You can spread the seasoned butter under the skin and even over the skin too.
If you will be using the seasoning rub right away you can always substitute fresh herbs for the dry herbs. Fresh herbs can be used but keep in mind that the dried herbs are more potent, so you will need to increase the amount of fresh herbs by three to get enough flavor.
The amount of seasoning you use will depend on the size of your turkey or chicken.
When adding this spice mixture to ground turkey I use one Tablespoon of seasoning per pound but you can adjust that amount based on how strong you want the flavoring to be.
Perfect for Thanksgiving day or any day you want to impress your family and friends, this seasoning is sure to become a staple in your kitchen.
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How to make a turkey spice blend
Scroll down for the full turkey seasoning rub recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until fully blended and combined.
- Step 2: Store in a sealed jar or container in a cool, dry area for up to 6 months.
Hint: Feel free to tweak the amounts of each spice based on your preferences. For example, if you love garlic, add an extra teaspoon of garlic powder!
Expert recipe tips
- Rub Under the Skin - For maximum flavor, gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast and rub some seasoning directly onto the meat before roasting.
- Dry Brine - For deeper flavor, season your turkey overnight in the refrigerator after seasoning it. You can leave the turkey uncovered or cover it very loosely.
- Seasoning Butter - Stir some turkey seasoning into melted butter or room temperature butter and spread the flavored butter under the skin of the turkey. I like to use a pastry brush to spread the buttery mixture on.
- Wet Rub - To make a wet brine, combine the seasoning mixture with olive oil and spread over the turkey or under the skin
- Adjust to Taste - Feel free to tweak the amounts of each spice based on your preferences. For example, if you love garlic, add an extra teaspoon of garlic powder!
- Dry Rub for Smoked Turkey - Have a smoker? This seasoning will taste delicious on your smoked turkey too!
- Chicken – This is a delicious seasoning rub for chicken too!
- Big Batch - You can easily double or triple this recipe to make a big batch of seasoning
- Turkey Burgers - This seasoning will add great flavor to turkey burgers too!
- Amount of Seasoning to Use - The amount of seasoning you use will depend on the size of your turkey or chicken.
- Amount for Ground Turkey - When adding to ground turkey I use one Tablespoon of seasoning per pound but you can adjust that amount based on how strong you want the flavoring to be.
Substitutions
If you're out of a specific ingredient or want to try something different, here are some great substitutions:
- Paprika - Use smoked paprika and make a smoked turkey rub that will add a smoky flavor
- Chili Powder - Chili powder will add a bit of heat.
- Kosher Salt - If you prefer, you can use sea salt or table salt. Just be sure to adjust the amount to less since table salt is finer than coarse kosher salt.
- Garlic Powder – If you are using the turkey rub right away, fresh minced garlic can be used instead of garlic powder. I suggest using a little less fresh garlic since it can have a much stronger flavor than garlic powder.
How to use a seasoning rub
You can use your homemade spice rub in several ways:
- When flavoring a turkey with a seasoning rub, cover the entire turkey well with the mixture and then let it rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking.
- For crispy skin, you can spread the dry rub over the turkey skin and refrigerate it, uncovered, overnight. The skin will not only be flavorful but will cook up extra crispy too!
- Add the seasoning mix to butter spread under and/or over the turkey skin
- Add the rub to olive oil and brush over the turkey
Equipment
- measuring spoons
- mixing bowl
- mason jar
- whisk
Storage
- Store your homemade turkey seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, like a pantry or spice cabinet.
- Your homemade seasoning will stay fresh for about 6 months.
- As always, I find it helpful to visit the FDA website for food storage guidelines
Ingredients
Ingredients for a turkey seasoning recipe
- Paprika
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Rosemary
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
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Homemade Turkey Rub Seasoning Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons paprika
- 1 Tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
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Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk until fully blended and combined.
- Store in a sealed jar or container in a cool, dry area for up to 6 months.
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