Cajun spice rub. A kick of seasoning from Louisiana, salt-free so you can add your own salt separately.
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Inspired by loyal reader Jason, who asked about spice rubs…
I hate buying spice blends from the store. It's not that they aren't good; some of them are great. It's not that they don't work. Spice blends are a quick way to add a punch of flavor. It's that spice blends are all salt.
Check the label - store bought spice blends always have salt as the first ingredient. That means salt is the most common ingredient in the jar. Salt, which sells for sixty-nine cents a pound (or three bucks a pound if you buy fancy Kosher salt like me.) Spice blends sell for three bucks an ounce, if not more. I can understand why the spice companies do it - people want the blends, and they can make a lot of money that way.
There are exceptions, of course: blends that don't have any salt include chili powder, herbes de provence, curry powder, and italian seasoning. But, I always check the label - if salt is the first or second ingredient, I'm paying spice prices for salt. And, obviously, that bothers me.
The other problem is spice blends with salt in them make it hard to season food properly. If you use brines as often as I do, you can't use store-bought spice blends without over salting the food.
OK, rant over. I usually throw together my spice blends, from my spice cabinet, in small quantities. But I make Cajun seasoning in big batches, so I always have it at hand.
I've been a fan of Cajun seasoning ever since I heard my first "BAM!" from Emeril, over ten years ago. Back then, there was no choice - if I wanted Emeril's essence seasoning, I had to make my own. When Emeril started selling his line of spice blends in the grocery store, I thought my work was over. That's how I found out about salt in spice blends - I flipped the jar over, to see if it matched the recipe I used, and saw salt listed as the first ingredient. Oh, well, back to mixing my own.
Cajun Rub Ingredients
- ½ cup paprika
- ½ cup garlic powder
- ¼ cup onion powder
- ¼ cup fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ cup dried oregano
- ¼ cup dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
Step-by-Step Process
Mix up the blend
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and stir until completely mixed, breaking up any clumps of spices with your fingers. Store in a sealed container for up to six months.
Helpful Tips
- How much does this make? This recipe makes about 2 cups of spice blend, which lasts me for months. You can scale up or down depending on how much you need.
- Kick it up a notch:If you want to kick it up a notch (BAM!) increase the cayenne to ¼ cup. And stand back, it's going to be HOT.
- Smoke and heat: Substitute smoked paprika for the regular paprika.
Adapted From: Emeril Lagasse, Louisiana Real and Rustic
Special Thanks to: Dan Koontz for crystallizing my thoughts about spices with is Ten Tips to Save Money on Spices [CasualKitchen.blogspot.com]
Cajun Spice Rub Recipe
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Cajun spice rub. A kick of seasoning from Louisiana, salt-free so you can add your own salt separately.
Ingredients
- ½ cup paprika
- ½ cup garlic powder
- ¼ cup onion powder
- ¼ cup fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ cup dried oregano
- ¼ cup dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix up the blend: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and stir until completely mixed. Store in a sealed container for up to six months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Building Blocks
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
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What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says
@Carol:
Buying spices at the bulk store is a great idea!
@Pomegranate:
Of course, so is growing your own.
Thank you both.
Pomegranate says
Hi Mike
Great article. I have watched my wife growing and making up her own spice blends for years. I just always wondered why she was doing it until i found out about salt levels and taste. Im happier now i know she trying to do us a favor..lol.
Thanks again.
Carol says
Nearly half the contents of my spice racks is homemade spice mixes. Another way I cut down on the cost of seasonings is to visit my local bulk store, and buy spices there, for far less than I'd have to pay for the little bottles in the grocery store. I buy bottles, 3/$1.00 at the dollar store, and stick labels on them.
Great article, too - people need to learn to taste food, not salt, and making up your own blends let you do just that.
MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says
@Linda:
Thank you!
@Guitarzan:
I like the "save the freshly ground pepper for when you use it" idea. Thanks!
Guitarzan says
Mike, I completely agree with your rational, and have been doing the same thing, varying it up on occasion as the mood strikes me. One difference in our approach is that I don't put the freshly ground pepper in the rub. Instead, I grind the pepper at the time I use it, so as to have it be that much fresher. I have the 9 in. Magnum pepper mill, which I love, and I always do the salt and pepper and then add the rub. Keep up the good work!
Linda says
Wow - you nailed it right on the head. I also started making my own spice blends when Emeril came on TV and you could access his recipe for BAM on the interwebs. The reason I still make my own blends is also because of the salt issue - I want to control the salt. Love your blog Mike. I've learned tons from you.
MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says
Thanks, Pat!
Pat says
I've been making my own rubs and spice blends for years also. Fresher and more economical! Keep up the great blog!