!8: Blackened Seasoning Fast: November 2011

!±8± Poultry Seasoning - A Blend of Spices and Herbs

Poultry seasoning is a blend of spices and herbs that go well with chicken, turkey, meat dishes and vegetable dishes. The ingredients vary among the different brands, so check the label to know what you're getting. Some brands contain ginger or cayenne pepper and may be too spicy for some to enjoy.

Commercially prepared poultry seasonings were reviewed to understand the spices and herbs that are commonly used in this mixture. The ingredients of each brand of poultry seasoning are listed below in the order that they appeared on the spice label, so the ingredients are listed here in decreasing order of quantity.

Commercial Blends of Poultry Seasonings
Brand 1 - thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg. Brand 2 - basil, rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, oregano. Brand 3 - sage, thyme, marjoram, onion, celery seed, red pepper. Brand 4 - sage, thyme, onion, black pepper, marjoram, celery seed, cayenne. Brand 5 - rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, marjoram, thyme, pepper.

Herbs that are common to each brand reviewed include thyme, marjoram and sage, but they weren't listed in the same order. This means, for example, that Brand 1, which lists thyme as the first ingredient, has a lot more thyme than Brand 5, which lists it sixth out of seven ingredients. Even though thyme, marjoram and sage are present in each blend, the tastes of each brand are probably quite distinct due to the varying amounts of each herb.

Brand 2 contains Mediterranean herbs and no spices, making it very similar to Italian seasoning. Brand 5 is fairly pungent due to the inclusion of ginger powder. Onion and celery seed are spices added to both Brands 3 and 4.

Brand 3 includes red pepper, which may be sweet or hot, so until it's tasted we don't know if the seasoning will be too pungent. Brand 4 is probably more pungent than Brand 3 because the type of red pepper is specified as cayenne, a hot pepper.

Black pepper is present in three of the brands to lend a bit of pungency. Brand 1 is the only poultry seasoning to use nutmeg. It was probably added for a little sweetness to balance out the black pepper.

Poultry tends to take on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with, so the taste will depend on the kinds and amounts of spices and herbs used in seasoning the meat. Poultry seasonings have been designed as a blend of herbs and spices that will add flavors and aromas to cooked chicken, as well as other meat and vegetable dishes.