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 Tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion flakes
- ½ tsp rosemary
- ½ tsp marjoram
- ¼ tsp sage
- ¼ tsp ground mustard seed
- ¼ tsp 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 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion flakes
- 2 tsp rosemary
- 2 tsp marjoram
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp ground mustard seed
- 1 tsp 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.
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Sarah is one of Curious Cuisiniere’s founding duo. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Donna
Thursday 10th of June 2021
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?
Sarah Ozimek
Friday 18th of June 2021
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!
jbeek
Monday 8th of October 2018
Would you use this as a rub or just to sprinkle?
Sarah Ozimek
Monday 8th of October 2018
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.
Gina
Wednesday 21st of February 2018
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?
Sarah Ozimek
Thursday 22nd of February 2018
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!