How to Make Popular Herb and Spice Blends
There’s no doubt that I’m a fan of herbs and spices. There’s so many fun things you can do with them and I’ve even grown some (currently have two chilli plants and two pots of different herbs that are actually alive and thriving!) Then the question comes to what you can do with them. There are loads of answers, but a really good idea is to look at herb and spice blends which take your creations to a whole new level.
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How to make your own herb and spice blends
As always you can buy some great stuff in the supermarket. But it can also be fun to take your favourite herbs and spices and make new seasoning blends with them. And you can adjust the mix to suit your taste easily – little more of this, touch extra of that, skip a bit of the other.
The best way to start making your herb and spice blends is to learn some of the classics and then start adapting them to what you like. These are favourite blends used around the world that are tried and tested.
Another great way to consider it comes from Eco Herb who suggests you use:
- 6 parts fusion herbs
- 4 parts mid herb
- 2 parts robust herb or spice
- 1 part other flavourings
You can also add olive oil to your herb and spice blends to make marinades or the base for flavouring sauces. Dried mixes of herbs can be stored in airtight containers while those mixed with oil will normally keep for around two weeks.
Classic herb and spice blends
Classic herb and spice blends are often French because that’s where a lot of the fine cuisine recipes started out. These are great ones to start trying and adapting to your taste – you can even see some in the mixed herbs aisle of the supermarket.
Bouquet garni
Bouquet garni isn’t so much a specific blend as a way to approach herb seasonings. The idea is to tie a bunch of fresh herbs together and use them to infuse soups, stews and stocks. Typically it would include basil, marjoram, rosemary, sage, thyme, bay leaf and sometimes peppercorns. The bundle is removed before serving.
Fines herbs
This one is a Mediterranean mix that is used to gently flavour dishes such as fish, vegetables or eggs and are added at the end of the cooking process, so they don’t get too strong. It is a mix of parsley, tarragon, chervil and chives.
Herbs de Provence
Herbs de Provence are all herbs found in the Provence area of France and is interesting because it includes a floral herb – lavender. The mix is light but has plenty of flavours and is often used to season grilled meat or fish as well as vegetables. It mixes the lavender with basil, thyme and fennel.
Italian seasoning
There’s a sneaking suspicion that Italian seasoning might actually be a US creation, but it is a good one either way. It is famous for being used on pizza and pasta dishes as well as bread, meats and vegetables. There’s a bit of variation but generally, it will include basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, red pepper and garlic.
Poultry seasoning
As the name suggests, this was developed for poultry but also works well for different light meats such as pork and even seafood. It can also be added to gravy to give it flavouring. The mix is a simple one using sage, parsley, rosemary and marjoram.
Quatre epices
This name means ‘four spices’ in French so that’s a bit of a giveaway. The four spices are pepper, nutmeg, cloves and ginger and are used for soups, stews, vegetables as well as in meat preparation for sausages and pate.
Ranch dressing mix
Here in the UK, ranch dressing comes in a bottle mixed with mayonnaise although I’ve seen elsewhere you can get packets of herb and spice blends for the job. It can be mixed with mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt or even coconut milk depending on what you want to do with it. It uses parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, basil and black pepper.
Lemon pepper
Lemon pepper is often used in pasta, on chicken or with a burger. You can buy it in the stores in some places, but it isn’t too hard to make your own seasoning mix. Take 1 cup peppercorns, 1/3 cup dried lemon peel, ¼ cup onion powder, ¼ cup thyme and 3 tablespoons coriander seeds. Add together in a spice grinder to make a powder (not too fine) and store in an airtight container. It will keep its flavour for up to 6 months.
BBQ seasonings
The nature of barbecue means that using herbs and spices to make the flavours a little different is a good idea. Otherwise, everything can end up tasting a bit like, well, charcoal. Spice blends are particularly important in BBQ seasonings.
BBQ rub
A rub is a mixture of ingredients that is rubbed into the food, usually meat, before cooking. It can involve marinating overnight or adding to the meat and putting it in the fridge for a few hours. You can add ingredients such as sugar to balance the taste and add liquid to make it easier to use. A comprehensive BBQ rub would include:
- 8 tablespoons paprika
- 4 tablespoons powdered garlic
- 4 tablespoons mild chilli powder
- 3 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons whole yellow mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon crushed celery seed
- 1 tablespoon whole celery seed
- 1 tablespoon dried crushed oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried crushed thyme
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
This would be enough for around 12 pounds of ribs and would be stored in airtight containers for several months or more.
Blackening seasoning
Another popular seasoning for the BBQ is called blackening seasoning and is used on meat and fish. It blends paprika, garlic, thyme, oregano and black and white pepper along with cayenne pepper. It is then seared under blackened in a hot skillet or on the grill. The paprika is the cause of this and you can make the mixture hotter or cooler depending on how much cayenne pepper you use.
Chinese and Indian blends
Both Chinese and Indian cuisine use a huge amount of cooking spices to flavour the food and give it the colour. Many dishes use a specific blend but here are a couple of the most famous ones.
Chinese five spice
Chinese five spice is often used for fatty meats such as duck as well as in stir-fry dishes. But really you can use it to flavour anything. It includes star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and Sichuan peppers.
Curry powder
Curry powder and what it contains depends on where in India you are. It is used for a wide range of dishes including to season meat and vegetables, add to stews and curries as well as to season on the table. Commercial blends tend to include turmeric, cumin, coriander and red pepper as well as other spices and some herbs. It is a great one to experiment with.
Herb and spice blends from around the world
Finally, a couple of blends from around the world to add to your list to try.
Jerk seasoning
Jerk seasoning comes from the Caribbean and is often used as a dry rub or mixed with liquids such as oil or citrus juice to make a marinade. Chicken is the most famous pairing, but it works well with other meats and seafood. It uses allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic and thyme as well as scotch bonnet peppers – they are very hot, so you can always go for a slightly less fierce version!
Taco seasoning
Taco seasoning isn’t just for tacos, it can work for any number of Mexican dishes. The idea is to add it to meat after mean is partially brown, so it doesn’t get too well cooked and the flavours can come out. You can also add a little water or oil to make it moist. A good recipe includes:
- 2 teaspoons hot chilli powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion granules
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 pinch dried chilli flakes, or to taste
Making your own herb and spice blends
There’s plenty of reasons to have a go at making your own herb and spice blends. You can get the taste just as you want it, create it on demand from what you have lying around and even create something new. You can use them to season a range of foods, mix into marinades or use dry as rubs. And that’s just the start!
