Mesquite Seasoning Mix
Add the flavor of mesquite smoking to your meat, dips, and sauces with this easy to make Mesquite Seasoning Mix.
What Is Mesquite Anyway?
Mesquite is a type of small tree native to the Southwest US and Mexico. Mesquite wood is one of the most popular woods used to give a smoky flavor to grilled meats.
It is a wonderful wood for adding flavor to rich meats like ribs, steak, and even poultry. And, if you really want a smoky kick, adding some mesquite chips while you grill some veggies will take their flavor in a whole new, deliciously smoky, direction.
The strong scent of mesquite smoke is very easily recognizable. It's probably the scent that you already associate with smoked meats and barbecue, since it is such a common wood to use, particularly in Texas style barbecue.
And what flavor does all that strong, beautiful smoke give? The best way we can describe it is earthy with that classic smoky dryness that is balanced by a very slight, warm sweetness. Imagine crisp bacon or classic jerky, without the saltiness.
Just smoky goodness.
A Mesquite Seasoning Mix: Create Mesquite Flavor Without The Wood
You can get mesquite wood chips or chunks pretty easily, but some days, lugging out the grill to get your fix of that smoky flavor might not be practical. (For instance, in the dead of a Wisconsin winter when there are a couple feet of snow on the ground.)
And, sometimes you want to add that smoky flavor to a dish that might not be practical for the grill, like a dip or salad.
So, we decided to create a spice blend that mimicked the flavors given off by the mesquite smoke, so that we could add a dash of smoky goodness whenever we felt like it.
This mesquite seasoning is great to use on meats (or veggies) that are headed for the grill, giving them that smoky flavor without messing around with chips. But, we also love using it in marinades and to jazz up creamy dressings and dips.
Mesquite Seasoning (Small Batch)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion flakes
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon marjoram
- ¼ teaspoon sage
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spice mixture will keep 2-3 months in an air tight container in the pantry.
Mesquite Seasoning (Large Batch)
Ingredients
- ¼ c + 2 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion flakes
- 2 teaspoon rosemary
- 2 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spice mixture will keep 2-3 months in an air tight container in the pantry.
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
I'm looking for a mesquite marinade. Can I add this to 1/4 cup of olive oil to make a marinade? Or would I just be eating my time?
Yes, you could Jerry! I would add a bit of an acid, like lemon juice, as well as the oil to make this a marinade. We typically like equal parts oil and acid for our marinades, but some people prefer to lower the acidic element. Enjoy!
This looks good. I want o use as a marinade. How much seasoning would I use and what liquids and measurements would I use? Veg oil? Water? Vinegar?
Hi Donna. To make this into a marinade I would use a 1:1:1 ratio of seasoning mix, oil, and vinegar (white or apple cider would work well). You could also throw in a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce as well. Scale up the ratio as you need to coat your meat or veggies. Let us know how it turns out for you!
Would you use this as a rub or just to sprinkle?
We have used it both as a rub and as a sprinkling seasoning, depending on what dish we're making and how much mesquite seasoning we want.
Is mustard seed powder the same as dry (ground) mustard? Thanx for your response
P.S. I read on other websites that they use dry mushroom and tomato powders. Have you ever used them?
Hi Gina. Yes, mustard seed powder is the same as dry (ground) mustard.
We've cooked a bit with tomato powder, it's a nice way to add a bit of a tomato pop and depth to a dish. We haven't used mushroom powder, but we've seen it used in recipes. I'd assume it would add a nice depth of umami flavor, especially to Asian soups. As for using them in the mesquite seasoning, I could see how they would be a nice addition, particularly the mushroom powder, if it has the flavor that I'm imagining it would. We've never tried using them in our mesquite seasoning though. If you do give them a try, let us know how they work for you!