Homemade barbecue seasoning
This seasoning mix can be used on any type of meat or vegetables that you want to add a barbecue flavor to without using a wet, messy, drippy sauce. It takes food to the next level of greatness. You can use the barbecue seasoning as a dry rub marinade, or sprinkled on your food as a flavor enhancer before cooking. I use the seasoning not only when I am grilling food but also when I am baking, roasting, broiling, etc.. It takes only a few minutes to make my barbecue seasoning, and it truly turns bland food into a well-seasoned delight.
I use a few spices in my mix, such as cayenne and cumin powder that can be omitted if that's what you'd prefer. I like to add a little spiced heat to enhance the flavor notes of the seasoning mix. The amount of cayenne and cumin powder that I add isn't enough to make the seasoning too spicy, but does add a sweet heat.
Ingredients:
½ cup of Splenda brown sugar substitute, or regular brown sugar
¼ cup of smoked paprika
1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1-½ tablespoons of garlic powder
1 tablespoons of onion flakes
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1-2 tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper (depending on how much pepper you prefer)
1-½ teaspoons of cayenne pepper flakes, or ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
Instructions:
Mix the Splenda brown sugar substitute, or regular brown or light brown sugar, smoked paprika, turmeric powder, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cumin powder in a bowl; combine well. Store in an airtight container, such as a spice jar, or keep the seasoning mix in the freezer in a resealable plastic bag.
Use the spice on chicken, turkey, venison, beef, pork, etc. as a dry rub. Sprinkle the barbecue seasoning over the meat, then rub it in with your fingertips. You don't have to marinate your meat products, but allowing the meat to marinate for at least one hour will give you the best flavor results.
I also use my barbecue seasoning to sprinkle on vegetables before I cook them. I sprinkle this seasoning over sliced eggplant one hour before cooking it. Doing this draws the bitterness out and gives it a boost of additional flavor.
I used my homemade seasoning on my Country-Style Barbeque Rubbed Chicken.