We can’t think of a Thanksgiving without poultry seasoning. It is because Poultry seasoning is the main ingredient for cooking a turkey on Thanksgiving. Have you stuck between your turkey cooking or don’t you have poultry seasoning? If yes, then you might know that poultry seasoning is really an essential ingredient to cook a turkey. Don’t worry! how would you think about exploring another seasoning? Yeah! we are talking about a Poultry Seasoning substitute. Before knowing the substitutes, we have to know what is poultry seasoning exactly and what kind of spices are mixed in it.
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What is Poultry Seasoning Exactly?
Basically, Poultry Seasoning is a blend of spices and herbs. It is a mixture of thyme, sage, summer savory, marjoram, and ground parsley. If you are making your own Poultry Seasoning at home, you can add more herbs and spices accordingly or vice versa. The combination of herbs and spices gives earthiness to the turkey or chicken. Homemade Poultry Seasoning is better than the one available at the grocery store.
What Can You Substitute for Poultry Seasoning?
As we know Poultry Seasoning is not a one-recipe creation. It takes so many spices and herbs to make the best Poultry Seasoning. There are 14 best substitutes for poultry seasoning you can use for your homemade Poultry Seasoning. Let’s explore all of them.
1. Oregano:
When it comes to seasoning, Oregano comes first on the list of seasonings. It is an herb that is mostly used for Italian dishes and some American dishes too. It is not a typical seasoning. It is a mixture of salt, garlic, black pepper, marjoram, basil, etc. It is the best idea to use oregano as a Poultry Seasoning substitute. If you are Italian, you might know how it would taste. Oregano has a little minty and pungent aroma. You can use 1/3 teaspoon of dry oregano to the 1 teaspoon of poultry Seasoning. You can add some thyme to make the taste more similar to the Poultry Seasoning. It is the best replacement for Poultry Seasoning.
2. Herbes De Provence:
Herbes de Provence comes from a region of France known as Provence. It is equal to Poultry Seasoning because it contains the main ingredient of Poultry Seasoning thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. It doesn’t contain sage, you can add sage according to you so that the flavor of the food would be savory and classic. It contains lavender in its taste profile. It is the last thing to enhance the flavor you would expect in your turkey or chicken.
3. Italian Seasoning:
Italian seasoning is made in America, not Italy. It contains European spices and herbs. This is the reason it tastes like American Poultry Seasoning. It gives a little earthy and citrusy taste. It consists of the main ingredient of Poultry Seasoning thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. As the Herbes De Provence, it doesn’t contain sage. You can add sage according to your taste to recall the traditional classic flavor. It can be applied in a ratio of 1:1 to make the best replacement for Poultry Seasoning.
4. Zaatar:
Zaatar is popular in some Arab dishes. It contains two main ingredients thyme and marjoram which give the same flavor as poultry seasoning. Sumac is also found in Zaatar. It is another different spice that is derived from the ground and dried fruits of the Sumac plant. Sumac brings a fruity and tangy taste to your dishes/recipes.
5. Rosemary:
Rosemary is an essential ingredient in Poultry Seasoning. Rosemary can’t bring the taste of Poultry Seasoning alone. You have to add some other ingredients to get a similar taste to the Poultry Seasoning. On the other hand, it would be a great option to use Rosemary than no seasoning. You just have to use 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary in place of 1 teaspoon of Poultry Seasoning. You can add some salt and pepper to get the aromatic mixture and create an aroma you never forget.
6. Thyme:
Thyme is also a primary ingredient of Poultry Seasoning. It has a unique and distinctive flavor. It gives a little minty flavor to the dish. It is a great addition to Poultry Seasoning. You should blend it well with other ingredients such as rosemary, garlic, and nutmeg to get a similar flavor to the Poultry Seasoning. You can use 1/3 teaspoon of thyme in place of 1 teaspoon of Poultry Seasoning.
7. Marjoram:
Marjoram is also an herb. It is included as the main ingredient in Poultry Seasoning. There are two types of Marjoram available fresh and dry. These are used for cooking chicken, turkey, stuffing, pizza, and stews. This kind of spice has a little citrusy and woodsy flavor. When your recipe contains nutmeg, sage, and garlic, don’t hesitate to add more marjoram to get the perfect taste. You can substitute 1/3 teaspoon of marjoram with 1 teaspoon of Poultry Seasoning.
8. Sage:
Sage is an herb that is earthy in its flavor. It is commonly known for creating stuffing. If you have sage in your pantry, you should use it as a replacement for Poultry Seasoning. You can add some rosemary and thyme too. If you want to give some extra spicy taste to your dish, you just need to add some black peppercorns. To get a more original taste, you should add other ingredients.
9. Garlic:
Garlic is not a common ingredient of Poultry Seasoning. It can’t give the exact taste of Poultry Seasoning. You have to add some other main ingredients of Poultry Seasoning to get the perfect taste. Garlic provides a unique and distinct flavor. It only enhances the flavor of the whole Poultry Seasoning. If you have some other herbs in your pantry/refrigerator like marjoram, thyme, rosemary, or some other spices like peppercorn and salt. You can make your own Poultry Seasoning right now.
10. Salt and Pepper:
If you totally run out of all the Poultry Seasoning alternatives mentioned above, you can either choose table salt and white or black pepper powder or sea salt and black cracked pepper. It all depends on what you have in your pantry right now. If you have other seasoning options like garlic or rosemary, you can mix this with salt too. You can sprinkle a few pinches of salt and pepper powder over the chicken and turkey.
11. Sage and Black Peppercorns:
You can also substitute ¼ teaspoon of black peppercorns + ¾ teaspoon of sage for the one teaspoon of poultry seasoning in any recipe to give a spicy taste to the dish. Peppercorns added with sage get an extra spicy effect and earthiness to the food. This combo is only for meat-based dishes like burgers, casseroles, chicken, and turkey. This can be a simple and good substitute for Poultry Seasoning.
12. Turkey Rub:
As you know its name is Turkey rub, which contains many ingredients of poultry seasoning but also contains some other herbs and spices such as ginger, coriander, and roasted red pepper. All these ingredients give a warm flavor to the Turkey rub that is really helpful to cook the dense and dark meat of duck and goose.
13. Citrus Blend:
Citrus Blend is basically a mixture of citrus ingredients like lemon and orange. If you want to grill and roast a chicken or turkey, it would be a perfect mixture of lemon and orange zest with other fragrant spices. The poultry rub recipe will be made of some rosemary, lemon or orange peel, sea salt, and black pepper. You can also include some garlic or parsley to make them more savory.
14. Cajun Seasoning:
Are you deep-frying your Thanksgiving turkey? If yes, then Cajun seasoning would be a better alternative for Poultry Seasoning. It almost gives the same taste. You should use the same ratio of Cajun Seasoning to the Poultry. For Starters, we suggest using a small amount of Cajun Seasoning because it contains a high level of salt. Some other variants of Cajun Spice are hot and unbearable. Once you are comfortable with its flavor and heat you can increase the amount of Cajun Seasoning. It is easily available at most grocery stores.
FAQ:-
Can I use Chicken Bouillon instead of Poultry Seasoning?
You can use ground-up bouillon to enhance a blend of Poultry Seasoning. Chicken Bouillon contains only the essence of chicken flavor and usually salt. The other seasonings in the bouillon are the core poultry seasoning ingredients anyway probably.
Is poultry seasoning strong?
Poultry Seasoning is basically a mixture of powdered herbs and spices. Not all Poultry Seasoning contains the same spices and herbs. It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Most seasonings are salt-free and some are organic.
How long is Poultry Seasoning good for?
Poultry Seasoning stays fresh on the shelf of your kitchen for up to 2 to 3 years. To maximize the shelf life of Poultry Seasoning, you have to store it in air-tight containers.
Now, you know the best Poultry Seasoning substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
