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    Home » Recipes » Condiment, Sauce, and Spice Blend Recipes

    Homemade Grill Seasoning: The BEST Spice Blend for Meat & Veggies

    Published: Jul 25, 2022 by Ashley

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 2 reviews
    Layers of spices for homemade grill seasoning in a glass jar.

    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    This homemade grill seasoning is perfect for chicken, steak, pork, seafood, & veggies! Great for grilling or as an all-purpose seasoned salt.

    I've been using this blend on anything and everything in my kitchen lately and I'm excited to finally share the recipe with you!

    Glass jar filled with layers of spices.

    Homemade spice mixes are super easy to put together and come in handy so, so often.

    I don't use spice blends too often but I do have a few staples in my pantry including our favorite fajita seasoning and this super versatile grill seasoning blend.

    This 5-ingredient workhorse is great any time you want to add a little extra oomph to an otherwise plain, unseasoned ingredient like steak, chicken, pork, salmon, shrimp, tofu, or veggies.

    There are a lot of recipes that call for grill seasoning or seasoned salt, and this homemade mix can be used as either.

    Jump To:

    • 🧡 Why we love this recipe
    • 📝 Ingredients
    • 🧂 A note about salt
    • ✅ Instructions
    • 💡 Ways to use homemade grill seasoning
    • 🫙 Equipment and storage recommendations
    • 📖 Recipe

    🧡 Why we love this recipe

    • It comes together with just 5 ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry.
    • Making your own spice blends is less expensive than buying them from the store.
    • When you make your own, you can tweak the ingredients to fit your family's preferences.
    • Grill seasoning is endlessly useful to add flavor to otherwise "plain" items.
    • The flavor of this grill seasoning compliments so many different ingredients - it's endlessly versatile!

    Ingredients to make homemade grill seasoning.


    📝 Ingredients

    Here's everything you need to make a batch of homemade grill seasoning (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

    • Kosher salt (see notes below)
    • Ground black pepper (use the pre-ground kind here, not freshly cracked)
    • Garlic powder
    • Smoked paprika
    • Chili powder

    Pouring kosher salt into a glass jar.
    Pouring garlic powder into a glass jar.
    Pouring chili powder into a glass jar.

    🧂 A Note About Salt

    This recipe uses kosher salt which can be found in your grocery store located in the baking aisle.

    For my cooking, I use Morton coarse kosher salt. The other popular brand is Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

    There's no right or wrong kosher salt to use, but the type you use can cause big differences in your recipe results.

    Due to the difference in flake size, Diamond Crystal and Morton need to be measured differently.

    Morton flakes are smaller, meaning more of that salt can fit in the same measure as Diamond Crystal.

    The general rule of thumb is that you should use 1.5 times the amount of Diamond Crystal as you would Morton.

    So for this particular recipe, my measurement of ¼ cup of kosher salt should be changed to ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons if you're using Diamond Crystal.

    You can read more about the differences in salt types in this post from Taste of Home.

    ✅ Instructions

    This recipe is super simple to put together! Just add all of your ingredients to a jar and shake to combine!

    You could also stir or whisk everything together in a bowl and then transfer it to your storage container(s) of choice.

    See recipe card below for full instructions.

    Holding a glass jar filled with layers of spices.
    Shaking a glass jar full of spices to combine.
    Glass jar filled with homemade grill seasoning.

    💡 Ways to use homemade grill seasoning

    I'm constantly finding new ways to use this spice blend. I've said it before, but I really do mean it... it's incredibly versatile!

    Sometimes we actually grill whatever item we season with this mix, and other times we use the air fryer, stovetop, or oven. It's awesome on roasted veggies. Again - it can really work wherever you need it!

    Below are just some of the many items we've sprinkled our grill seasoning on so far:

    • Salmon
    • Chicken (thighs, breasts, cutlets)
    • Steak
    • Burger patties (turkey, beef, or vegan meat substitute - we like Beyond Beef)
    • Shrimp
    • Scallops
    • Cod
    • Tofu
    • Asparagus
    • Broccoli
    • Veggie skewers
    • Bell peppers
    • Shishito peppers
    • Corn on the cob

    As far as recipe-specific uses, here are a few ways I love using this grill seasoning:

    • To season the chicken for this BBQ chicken pizza with smoked mozzarella
    • Sprinkled on the chicken for this Thai chicken pizza
    • To season the water in this chicken salad recipe
    Scooping a small spoonful of homemade grill seasoning from the jar.

    🫙 Equipment and storage recommendations

    Once your grill seasoning is mixed, you can pour it into your storage container(s) of choice.

    You may need to use a small metal funnel to help guide some of the spices into the jars. I find it helpful when working with more finely ground ingredients.

    Store your homemade seasoning blend in an airtight container (like a tightly closed spice jar) in a cool, dry place.

    When choosing a storage location for your spices, it’s best to keep them away from heat sources. That’s why storing them next to your oven isn’t recommended.

    It’s preferable to keep them in a dark place, or at least away from direct sunlight, to retain maximum flavor.

    This blend will keep for several months, stored properly in your pantry or cabinet.

    Glass jar with homemade spice mix inside next to a labeled metal lid.


    🌱 Eco-Friendly Tip

    Eco-friendly tip: Hang on to empty spice jars as you use them in your kitchen. That way when you have a homemade spice blend, you already have a perfect storage container!

    You can remove the label from old jars and tins and write on them with a permanent marker. Or bust out your label maker and make a pretty new label if that's more your style.

    I personally have a mix of both handwritten and "properly" labeled mixes in my house.


    Label maker with the word seasoning typed out.
    Glass jar full of spice mix labeled "grill seasoning".

    My tiny kitchen is short on space, so I have to store my spices in a few different places.

    I have a bin of spice jars above my sink. I also have an assortment of magnetic spice tins displayed on the wall in my kitchen. I keep bags of spices in buckets tucked away in a cabinet.

    Use whatever works for the space you have. Here are a few recommendations if you’re in the market for new spice storage options:

    Recommended spice storage containers

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    spice jars with shaker lids

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    magnetic spice tins

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    magnetic hexagon glass spice jars

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    Image of 4 oz canning jars

    4 oz canning jars

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    Print
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    Glass jar filled with layers of spices.

    Homemade Grill Seasoning

    5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen – Ashley Covelli
    • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 Minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: Makes about ¾ cup seasoning 1x
    • Category: Spice Blend
    • Method: No Cook
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    This homemade grill seasoning is perfect for chicken, steak, pork, seafood, & veggies! Great for grilling or as an all-purpose seasoned salt.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • ¼ cup kosher salt (see notes in post above)
    • ¼ cup ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder

    Instructions

    1. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder to a jar. Close the lid and shake well to combine. Alternately, you can stir or whisk everything together in a bowl and then transfer your storage container(s) of choice.
    2. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place away from heat.

    Equipment

    Image of chili powder

    chili powder

    Buy Now →
    Image of small metal funnel set

    small metal funnel set

    Buy Now →
    Image of ground black pepper

    ground black pepper

    Buy Now →
    Image of garlic powder

    garlic powder

    Buy Now →
    Image of label maker

    label maker

    Buy Now →
    Image of smoked paprika

    smoked paprika

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    See notes about salt in my post above – the brand you use can make a big difference in the flavor here.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ½ teaspoon
    • Calories: 2
    • Sugar: 0 g
    • Sodium: 210.2 mg
    • Fat: 0 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 0.5 g
    • Fiber: 0.2 g
    • Protein: 0.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: spice blend, seasoning mix, pantry staple

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @bigflavors on Instagram and hashtag it #cookbigflavors

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tana Cox

      August 08, 2022 at 12:40 pm

      This seasoning works for allll meats! I've already made pork chops in the air fryer & panko chicken strips with it this week & my family is obsessed! Love it! Thank you Ashley!






      Reply
      • Ashley

        August 08, 2022 at 12:44 pm

        I’m so glad this was a hit, Tana!! I can’t wait to try it on air fried pork chops now

        Reply
    2. Maureen McGinn

      November 02, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      Love love love this seasoning!






      Reply
      • Ashley

        November 02, 2022 at 3:04 pm

        I’m so glad it’s a hit for you, Maureen! I’ve been putting it on SO many things lately!

        Reply
    3. Rebecca Phillips

      March 07, 2023 at 4:36 pm

      Love homemade spice mixes. Saved.

      Reply
      • Ashley

        March 07, 2023 at 4:54 pm

        This one is so versatile! I hope you enjoy it once you give it a try, Rebecca!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

    More about me →

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