Poultry Seasoning
A typical poultry seasoning consists of a blend of herbs and spices, often applied as a dry rub. Such a rub may either be used for roasting in an oven or barbecuing. Most poultry seasoning rubs include thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and could also include marjoram, celery seed, ground clove, nutmeg, parsley, or basil. There is no one recipe for poultry seasoning; different herbs and spices are likely to vary greatly by country or culture.
History
For years, poultry seasoning followed a pretty standard formula, one that appeared in very early cookbooks and should be pretty familiar to those who favor Schilling. Not surprisingly, early records of Poultry Seasoning seems to be tied to the Baltimore area, an area home to some of the earliest published cookbook authors. Ingredients: rubbed sage, marjoram, thyme, nutmeg, and black pepper. The homemade replacement recipe is: 2 teaspoons ground sage 1 1/2 teaspoons ground thyme 1 teaspoon ground marjoram 3/4 teaspoon ground rosemary 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper.
Then an upstart appeared: Bell’s. According to their website, “In 1867, William G. Bell, a Boston inventor, and cook created Bell’s Seasoning. A unique combination of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, and marjoram – today’s blend is unchanged from the original recipe.”
In 1947, McCormick acquired the Schilling company (located in California), and canisters of Schilling’s poultry seasoning indicated they were tied to McCormick’s. Schilling’s poultry seasoning lists sage, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary in this order. McCormick’s current list of ingredients states: thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg.
The three classic Poultry Seasonings, above, are all pretty similar with the exceptions of rosemary, oregano & pepper, which appear only in some and a swap out of nutmeg & ginger in others. The proportions differ, though, in the main ingredients from one to another.
Poultry Seasoning (Basic Recipe)
The basic ingredients in poultry seasoning are dried sage and thyme, which give the blend an aromatic, woodsy flavor.
1 tablespoon ground sage
1 tablespoon ground thyme
1 tablespoon ground marjoram
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1 teaspoon crushed celery seed
1/2 tbsp nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
Makes 1/4 cup
Poultry Seasoning
3 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. dried marjoram
2 Tbsp. dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. dried sage
1 Tbsp. dried savory
2 tsp. celery seeds
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
Mix all together and store in a dark, dry place.
Bell's Seasoning - Copy Cat Recipe
Bell's makes a very popular poultry seasoning. Here is a description from their web site: "In 1867, William G. Bell, a Boston inventor and cook, created Bell's Seasoning. A unique combination of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, and marjoram - today's blend is unchanged from the original recipe."
This recipe is from someone who took the 7 ingredients on the Bell's label and mixed them in decreasing amounts. This person thought the result was very close to Bell's Poultry Seasoning.
4-1/2 tsp dried rosemary
4 tsp dried oregano
3-3/4 tsp dried sage
3-1/2 tsp ground dried ginger
3-tsp dried marjoram
2-3/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4-tsp ground black pepper
Mix together and grind to fine powder in a coffee or spice grinder.
Makes about 1/2-cup.
McCormick’s Copycat
2 tablespoons dried thyme
5 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 1/4 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Measure thyme, sage, marjoram & rosemary to a spice grinder. Process to a medium grind. Add pepper & nutmeg, blend 5 more seconds.
Schillings Copycat
2 teaspoons ground sage
1 1/2 teaspoons marjoram
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Place marjoram & thyme in a mortar & pestle (or spice grinder) and lightly process until powdered. Add remaining ingredients.
