This Homemade Turkey Rub recipe has the perfect blend of herbs and spices and will give your Thanksgiving turkey (or any poultry recipe) an incredible flavor! I use this on my Easy Baked Turkey Legs recipe!
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Every year around this time, or actually earlier, I try to come up with a new Thanksgiving recipe to share with my readers. This year, however, I've been in a writing slump. I just haven't been able to sit down and write a blog post, so I've spent my time updating old posts instead.
Luckily, it's a snowy, cozy day in Montana and I have a warm fire crackling, setting the mood for me to hunker down and crank out this recipe.
If you know anything about me, you probably know that I'm all about creating my own spice blends... corned beef spices, shawarma spice, Santa Maria seasoning, and gyro seasoning, just to name a few!
It only makes sense that I should give you a turkey rub recipe that you can count on to take your Thanksgiving turkey from pretty good to the best turkey ever! I use this rub in my smoked spatchcock turkey recipe!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This turkey rub recipe has just the perfect balance of savory spices, brown sugar, and a hint of heat, so it tastes amazing!
- Making your own homemade turkey seasoning blend allows you to control what goes into the recipe. Like it hot? Replace the paprika with chipotle powder or cayenne. You're the boss in your kitchen!
- You can make this rub ahead of time and have it ready for the next time you need it to season turkey or chicken.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salt: I chose kosher salt, but you can also use sea salt.
- Herbs: Sage is a classic herb used to season turkey and poultry, so we're adding a whole tablespoon. I am also including less obvious herbs (maybe ones you've had in your spice rack and haven't known how to use) I'm referring to herbes de Provence, and marjoram. You can also substitute an equal amount of thyme, oregano, or rosemary, if you prefer.
- Spices: Besides salt, you'll need smoked paprika (or substitute sweet paprika), black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Tajin. Tajin is often used in Mexican dishes and has a citrusy flavor that complements poultry. If you don't have it, you can use lemon pepper and reduce the black pepper to ½ teaspoon.
- Optional Ingredients: If you like your food on the spicy side, I recommend adding ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, chili powder, or chipotle pepper.
🍗 How to Make Turkey Rub
Step 1: Measure out all of the herbs and spices, then mix in a small bowl.
Pro Tip: If you have a mortar and pestle you can use it to mix the seasoning and incorporate the flavors even more.
Step 2: Use paper towels to dry the skin of the turkey, then generously sprinkle turkey spice rub all over your turkey. I like to use 1 ½ teaspoons of turkey rub per pound. Allow the rub to do its magic for a few hours or overnight before cooking your turkey.
Pro Tip: Use a spoon to sprinkle the turkey rub over the turkey instead of using your hands to avoid cross contamination.
Step 3: Spoon leftover seasoning into a spice bottle and store for up to 3 months in the pantry or a spice rack.
What Else Can You Do With Turkey Dry Rub?
This turkey seasoning rub can be used as a smoked turkey rub, for example, this Traeger smoked turkey breast recipe. However, it has other uses too!
You can substitute the seasoning in this chicken potato bake recipe with this rub. It's also great on turkey burgers, grilled chicken, pork, and beef!
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
To season turkey, all you really need is salt and black pepper. But why stop there? Turkey shines best when seasoned with a combination of herbs and spices, many of which are found in poultry seasoning. Consider making a turkey rub that includes salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, sage, and rosemary.
Although you can rub your turkey with olive oil or butter, ghee may be an even better option. That's because unlike butter, which contains approximately 15% water, ghee is clarified butter so it only contains milk fat. This will ensure crispy and flavorful turkey skin!
To rub seasoning or turkey rub under the skin, gently lift up on the skin (being careful not to tear it) and insert one or two fingers under the skin to pry it away from the muscle. Once loose, sprinkle seasoning under the skin and work it into the muscle with your fingers.
To get turkey rub to stick to the turkey, make sure that the turkey is room temperature. If the turkey is cold or partially frozen, the seasoning and oil or butter will solidify and clump together and most likely stick to your hands instead of the turkey.
You can replace the dry herbs in this recipe with fresh herbs but you will need to use 3 times the amount. Fresh herbs that complement the flavor of poultry include fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley, and sage.
Yes, for the best flavor, you'll want to infuse your turkey with the spices rub for at least a few hours or overnight.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- This turkey seasoning recipe makes a little over 5 tablespoons of turkey rub which is enough to season a 10 pound turkey.
- If cooking a larger turkey, you can easily make a double batch of this seasoning.
- Store extra spice mixture in an airtight container and store up to 6 months.
- You can also freeze this rub for up to a year.
- To make a wet rub, mix turkey rub with mustard, olive oil, or honey and slather on poultry.
If you enjoy making your own spice mixes, be sure to try my corned beef seasoning, shawarma spice, and bezar Emirati spice.
🫙 Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Method
- Measure out all of the herbs and spices, then mix in a small bowl.
- Use paper towels to dry the skin of the turkey, then generously sprinkle turkey spice rub all over your turkey. I like to use 1 ½ teaspoons of turkey rub per pound. Allow the rub to do its magic for a few hours or overnight before cooking your turkey.
- Spoon leftover seasoning into a spice bottle and store for up to 3 months in the pantry or a spice rack.
Nutrition
Notes
- If you have a mortar and pestle you can use it to mix the seasoning and incorporate the flavors.
- Use a spoon to sprinkle the turkey rub over the turkey instead of using your hands to avoid cross contamination.
- This turkey seasoning recipe makes a little over 5 tablespoons of turkey rub which is enough to season a 10 pound turkey.
- If cooking a larger turkey, you can easily make a double batch of this seasoning.
- Store extra spice mixture in an airtight container and store up to 6 months.
- You can also freeze this rub for up to a year.
- To make a wet rub, mix turkey rub with mustard, olive oil, or honey and slather on poultry.
Michelle says
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to let it sit overnight. However it was amazing in my family loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Michelle, glad it was enjoyed either way, thanks for the comment!
David says
Take the skin of the turkey and throw it away. Trust me, build a bark on your turkey with the ingredients and baste with real butter you will never go back.
Hilda Sterner says
Ok, David, I will trust you on this one!
dwight agrimson says
should i rub and put turkey in refer. for a few hours..........
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Dwight,
Great question! I will update the post to include this info but yes, at least a few hours before you plan on cooking your turkey or even overnight. Thank you!