What's Actually In Poultry Seasoning And How To Best Substitute It

Even with the highest quality ingredients, a dish that isn't seasoned properly is sure to disappoint. We season proteins and vegetables differently for a reason, and when it comes to cooking fowl, poultry seasoning is the go-to crowd-pleaser. Yet, we too often experience those occasions when chicken is on the menu, but no poultry seasoning is in sight. When you desperately don't want to take a trip to the store as you are ready to cook, a glance at the spice rack conjures up the question: What is in poultry seasoning?

Although its earthy flavor is complex, you don't need much to make the mix at home. Everyone has their own signature blend, but it typically consists of six herbs and spices that make our fowl-weathered friends shine. Three of the essential herbs are sage, marjoram, and thyme, and in many poultry seasoning mock-ups, they create the bulk of the batch. The lesser-utilized ingredients include rosemary, nutmeg, and white or black pepper, depending on your preference.

These basic spice rack staples mimic the same composite you buy pre-mixed in the supermarket or online, like the popular McCormick brand. However, what is in poultry seasoning isn't a hard rule, and there are some other herbs and spices you can use to make your blend something special.

While you can't go wrong using the six predominant ingredients in your version of poultry seasoning, there are other elements that can boost the flavor. One more common additive is celery salt. Most store-bought variations of poultry seasoning don't contain traditional salt, meaning you want to add that separately before baking some chicken or roasting a turkey. If you include celery salt in your composite, you can often skip that step, as the mix will have enough salt as is.

Plenty of other ingredients can upgrade your blend as well. Ginger is a welcome addition to homemade poultry seasoning that will lend floral notes to the flavor combination. Including ground coriander will enhance the earthiness and add a touch of sweetness. To spice things up, a modest amount of cayenne pepper in the mix will lend a bit of heat to make things interesting.

You could experiment with including some sweeter ingredients, but ingredients like brown sugar are best for elevating chicken salad or making a separate glaze for a perfectly brined Thanksgiving turkey. If you are sticking to at least a few of the staples, what is in poultry seasoning is whatever you think will flavor your fowl the best.