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Enjoy the most flavorful turkey in just a few simple steps this holiday season with this homemade Turkey Seasoning! It’s simple to prep, made with pantry staples and makes the most delicious and moist Thanksgiving turkey.
Save yourself worrying if your turkey will be delicious enough for your Thanksgiving dinner by using this easy turkey seasoning! It’s made with a few common ingredients in a few simple steps. Just sprinkle it on your prepared bird for a moist and juicy roasted turkey worthy of your holiday table!
Though you can brine the turkey before seasoning, you don’t need to for incredibly succulent meat when using this blend. Let the turkey rest at room temperature for an hour after seasoning to allow the seasonings time to start flavoring the meat. Use any leftover spice blend to flavor ground turkey recipes or season a whole chicken. For more essential Thanksgiving turkey prep, check out my guides on how to use a turkey brine, how to cook a turkey, and how to carve a turkey.
Ingredients
Salt — for the best results, use coarse Kosher salt. This variety is commonly used in dry rubs, but you can substitute coarse sea salt or table salt if needed. Keep in mind certain brands have a different amount of saltiness because the salt grains can be heavier or lighter. I use Morton’s kosher salt for this recipe. If you use a brand like Diamond Crystal, you will need twice as much salt for the same flavor.
Dried Herbs — dried thyme, rosemary, and sage add an herbal depth of flavor commonly found in poultry seasoning blends. This gives the seasoning blend, and therefore the turkey, a deep savory flavor.
Dried Seasonings — in particular, garlic powder, onion, powder, and paprika round out this flavorful turkey seasoning. Use sweet paprika for earthy notes or smoked paprika for a rich, smoky finish.
Black Pepper — use freshly cracked pepper for the freshest, most vibrant flavor.
How To Make Turkey Seasoning
1. Add the salt, dried thyme, rosemary, sage, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to a small bowl.
2. Stir until all of the spices are combined and evenly distributed.
3. To season a turkey, generously brush a 12-15 pound turkey with olive oil or melted butter.
4. Sprinkle the turkey seasoning rub all over the turkey. Let it rest at room temperature for at least one hour before roasting.
How Much Seasoning Do I Need?
Generally, you need one tablespoon of the seasoning blend for every two pounds of whole turkey. This recipe makes seven tablespoons of the rub, making it ideal for a 12-15 pound turkey, but you can double the seasoning recipe depending on the size of your whole bird. If you use separate pieces like turkey wings or turkey legs, use 1-2 teaspoons of the spice blend per piece. For a larger cut, like a single breast, use 1 tablespoon.
Ways to Use a Turkey Rub
This homemade spice rub can be used on a whole turkey, individual pieces, or ground meat. If using this rub on a whole turkey or pieces after soaking in a turkey brine, be sure to pat the turkey skin dry with paper towels before sprinkling on the seasoning.
You can also use this recipe to season air fryer turkey breast, turkey meatloaf, turkey burgers, or turkey meatballs. For ground turkey, just mix it into the meat in place of other seasoning blends. It’s also incredibly tasty sprinkled on chicken like my air fryer whole chicken or oven roasted chicken. I recommend using 1-2 teaspoons of the seasoning blend for each 1 pound of whole or ground meat.
Storage
This turkey rub recipe stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months. I love to make a double batch to keep on hand in the pantry! You can also freeze the rub in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use fresh seasonings. For the best flavor, use dried herbs and ground spices within their expiration date. Past this point, the seasonings can lose their flavor and potency.
- Swap fresh herbs. You can make this turkey seasoning recipe with fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage instead of dried. But, it will not be pantry-safe for storage, so I recommend only using fresh herbs if you plan to use all of the seasoning mix immediately. If you do use fresh herbs, use double the amount called for in the recipe, as dried herbs are more potent than fresh.
- Prep the turkey according to your recipe. If you are following a recipe for roasted turkey, prep the meat as directed and simply swap in this blend to season it. If you aren’t following a recipe, be sure to brush the meat generously with olive oil, melted butter, or another fat. Not only does the fat add flavor and help achieve browned and crispy skin, but it also helps the seasoning blend adhere. You will need 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil or melted butter to coat a 12-15 pound turkey.
- Prep it ahead. Reduce holiday meal stress by making the spice mixture in advance. Prepare it up to 3 months ahead and store it in an airtight container at room temperature until needed.
- Optional variations. Add sweet, caramelized flavor to the homemade turkey rub by stirring in 1-2 tablespoons of packed light brown sugar. Grind red and white peppercorns instead of black for light and floral peppery notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this makes a fantastic dry rub. To use it as one, rub the seasoning blend liberally over the turkey and refrigerate it uncovered in a roasting pan for 12 to 24 hours before roasting or smoking the turkey. It’s also a delicious seasoning on Instant Pot ribs!
Though you can leave out the salt to meet dietary requirements or preferences, I do not recommend it. Not only does the salt add flavor to the meat, but it locks in moisture and helps the skin caramelize.
To add heat, swap in spicy paprika or a spicy chili powder for its sweet counterpart. Or, stir in cayenne or chili pepper flakes to taste.
If you’ve tried this Turkey Seasoning recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Turkey Seasoning Recipe
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, dried thyme, rosemary and sage, black pepper, garlic and onion powders and paprika.
- To season a turkey, brush a 12- to 15-pound turkey with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle the seasoning all over. Let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.
Notes
- Use fresh seasonings. For the best flavor, use dried herbs and ground spices within their expiration date. Past this point, the seasonings can lose their flavor and potency.
- Swap fresh herbs. You can make this turkey seasoning recipe with fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage instead of dried. But, it will not be pantry-safe for storage, so I recommend only using fresh herbs if you plan to use all of the seasoning mix immediately. If you do use fresh herbs, use double the amount called for in the recipe, as dried herbs are more potent than fresh.
- Prep the turkey according to your recipe. If you are following a recipe for roasted turkey, prep the meat as directed and simply swap in this blend to season it. If you aren’t following a recipe, be sure to brush the meat generously with olive oil, melted butter, or another fat. Not only does the fat add flavor and help achieve browned and crispy skin, but it also helps the seasoning blend adhere. You will need 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil or melted butter to coat a 12-15 pound turkey.
- Prep it ahead. Reduce holiday meal stress by making the spice mixture in advance. Prepare it up to 3 months ahead and store it in an airtight container at room temperature until needed.
- Optional variations. Add sweet, caramelized flavor to the homemade turkey rub by stirring in 1-2 tablespoons of packed light brown sugar. Grind red and white peppercorns instead of black for light and floral peppery notes.
Nutrition
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