Blackening Spice Blend- The big and bold flavor of this spicy homemade seasoning blend just explode on the palate! This homemade blend will add a deliciously piquant touch and spicy kick to fish, chicken, pork, steak, or even veggies, taking your Cajun cuisine to the next level.
This spice blend is very precious to me, sentimental really. When I landed my first cooking job in a real, from-scratch kitchen in New Orleans, this was the first recipe I ever made myself and wrote down. I've always felt quite a bit of pride that it's been with me for 30 years, and I have never needed to change it at all.
This homemade blackening seasoning mix has become one of my favorite recipes and a key ingredient in so many dishes.
This spicy all-purpose blend of spices is so versatile, I think that you'll find that it can go into almost anything savory. It has a reputation as being a super spicy food blend that is only for Cajun cuisine, but that's not true. You'll see it used all over the place in the recipes on this site. You can use a store bought alternative, but you'll find that making your own spice blends is a great way to ensure freshness, affordability, and customization to your own taste.
Creating your own seasoning blends gives you complete control over ingredient amounts and allows you to adjust the heat level perfectly. This particular combination of spices represents authentic New Orleans tradition, passed down from the legendary Chef Paul Prudhomme himself, who created this cooking technique.
When you're ready to use this blackening spice in your cooking, try it with our blackened chicken breast, Cajun pastalaya, or black eyed pea salad. These recipes showcase the best ways to apply this traditional cooking method and achieve that signature bold flavor.
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What You're Going to Need!
This homemade spice blend uses common pantry ingredients that you likely already have in your spice rack or spice cabinet. Making your own seasoning blends is a great way to control ingredient amounts and freshness.
- Cayenne pepper - This spice is central to creole and Cajun cuisine, hot and bold in flavor.
- White pepper - the hottest and most bitter of the pepper family, a little goes a long way in this blend of spices. This key ingredient adds complexity.
- Black pepper - A complex and full flavored spice that's very under rated. Essential for bold flavor, as well as much flavor depth.
- Thyme - Dried and whole, so that it doesn't burn too quickly during the high heat cooking technique that is blackening.
- Oregano - Sweet and astringent, balancing the heat in this combination of spices and herbs.
- Salt - The most powerful flavor enhancer, crucial for any seasoning mix. Use kosher salt for best results.
- Onion powder - A backbone of aromatic flavor in homemade spice blends.
- Granulated garlic - Everyone loves garlic and this granulated form of garlic powder blends in perfectly.
- Paprika - The darkening of this key ingredient is what really makes it blackened, you can use smoked paprika for extra complexity.
- Basil - Just a little touch to add a tiny anise note.
See recipe card for quantities.
Recipe
Blackening Spice Blend
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- mix all ingredients together thoroughly by hand, being careful to not allow it to get airborne.
- store in a tightly sealed jar or other storage container in a cool, dry area.
Nutrition
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How to Blacken With This Spice!
Blackening is a very simple and straightforward process, and this blackening spice makes it foolproof!
- Coat generously - Coat the item to be blackened in a generous amount of this seasoning mix first. Many would have you believe that this has to be done with a layer of clarified butter, but I've found that this step is unnecessary and can bring about bad results. The blackening spice needs to adhere to the protein, and putting a layer of fat in-between often means that the seasonings float into the pan and away from the intended item.
2. Use high heat cooking - Get a heavy skillet very hot. Add oil to the pan and allow that to heat also. Once the oil is also very hot, proceed to sear the food being blackened on both sides using high heat. The resulting dark color is where this cooking technique and process get their name from.
It's really that easy! This cooking method delivers so much flavor with minimal effort. For more detailed information on blackening, check out our recipe for blackened chicken breast.
History of Blackening
Let me tell you a little story about a chef legend named Paul Prudhomme. I will try to be brief, but keep in mind, this was a man that inspired myself and thousands of chefs like me. When Chef Paul opened his restaurant K-Paul's in the French quarter in New Orleans, he had been making custom spice blends for years, and created this one specifically for seasoning and subsequently hard searing redfish.
Redfish at the time was not considered particularly popular, and therefore relatively inexpensive. He put the "blackened" redfish on the menu, and within a few years, the fish became so popular as to push the species almost to extinction. To this day, redfish cannot be bought as a wild product, only farmed. Prudhomme had not only created a legend out of a "trash fish", but also birthed a whole new cooking technique. Meeting him when I was a young aspiring chef is one of my most treasured memories.
Variations
You can make a number of different variations of this blend of spices to suit your own taste:
- Salt-Free Version - Omit the salt and add it to individual favorite recipes "to taste".
- Southwestern Style - Remove the basil and thyme, but add cumin and chili powder in their place for a different regional flavor.
- Milder Heat - Reduce cayenne and white pepper amounts for those sensitive to spicy food.
Storage & Helpful Hints
Store this easy delicious spice blend in an airtight container in your spice cabinet or rack. Mason jars work perfectly for this purpose - they're airtight and let you see exactly what's inside. Keep the container in a dry place away from heat and light for maximum freshness.
Make certain to use it within 2 months of making it, in order for the spices to be at their freshest, though properly stored homemade seasoning blends can maintain potency for up to 6 months. Label your airtight container with the date you made it - this is one of the best ways to track freshness of your homemade spice blends.
When blending hot chili powders together, you need to be careful. Make sure that you are in a well ventilated area. Don't dump the ingredients into a bowl or mix them too aggressively, so as not to create a cloud that could get into your eyes or nostrils.
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Absolutely! While rooted in Cajun cuisine, this blend of spices works beautifully on grilled vegetables, in marinades, and even as a rub for barbecue. It's one of the most versatile and best ways to add bold flavor to any dish.
cmullenaux says
This one hits the spot!
Jason Miller says
I know that you're really familiar with it Chris! Thanks for letting us know that you like it.
Jason says
my very first recipe