Homemade Turkey Rub (7 Ingredients, 3 Minutes)

This 7-ingredient turkey rub takes three minutes using ingredient already in your pantry, goes under and over the skin and makes drippings worthy of a gravy that will have guests swooning.

Turkey Seasoning

The truth is, turkey is like a blank slate waiting to be seasoned and it is up to you, the culinary artist to make that happen. We developed this custom blend of spices to be used alongside either our turkey butter, turkey brine or turkey injection and the simple, 7-ingredient recipe has since gone bonkers.

The drippings will be perfectly balanced and ready to use in gravy from drippings. The next bonus- it isn’t just limited to a whole bird. Use this custom spice blend on turkey breast, chicken, pork or even in burgers or on veggies.

Turkey Rub vs. Turkey Dry Brine

Basically a turkey rub is perfect for the person who forgot to brine (dry brine or wet brine). Or maybe forgot to buy the overpriced, premade stuff at the store. Or the person who is making a turkey for the first time….

Dry brine is something you would put on a day or so in advance and is super salt heavy. Here is my basic dry brine for turkey recipe if you want to try those and have the time on your hands.

Ingredients

Asking yourself exactly what those turkey rub ingredients are that you have in the pantry, here ya go! Ingredients can run the gamut in variety and amount. Some of the most popular seasoning ingredients include:

• Coarse Kosher Salt- Salt is the magic that makes any bird juicy and flavorful. It seems like a lot, but honestly, you could go heavier and still not feel oversalted. Coarse kosher salt is less salty than table salt. I used Morton’s for this recipe. If using Diamond Crystal, double the volume.
• Chili Powder- Chili powder is a blend of dried chiles that was meant to season chili the stew, but in a recipe like this the mild pepper flavors and hint of spice balance with the salt and other savory items. It will not be spicy- it is just enough to provide flavor, not heat.
• Paprika– Smoked paprika or sweet paprika can be used. I prefer smoked. Neither of these are spicy, but if heat if what you are aiming for, feel free to use hot paprika.
• Ground Black Pepper- Freshly ground black pepper will provide the most robust punch. White pepper is slightly milder. For the most interest and sophistication, grab a peppercorn blend. Freshly grinding also provides the most natural flavor. Bottled ground black pepper can taste a little like sawdust (you didn’t hear that from me…)
• Onion Powder- Onion flavor without a whole onion. It is dehydrated and ground onion.
• Garlic Powder- Same goes for garlic powder. I like using powder here because it won’t burn like fresh garlic would at the heat and length it takes to roast a bird.
• Cayenne– This is spicy and optional, but in such trace amounts that even your pickiest of eaters won’t detect it as heat. Even my 2-year-old eats this rub.
• Brown Sugar– I love the balance of sweetness and molasses, it also helps the skin get a nice caramel crunch, however if you plan to fry your bird, omit it or you’ll have burnt sugar.

How Much Seasoning for Turkey?

Turkeys don’t come in nice, even weights and therefore you’ll need a different amount of seasoning for every single bird. The volume isn’t a perfect science, so don’t stress, just use this a basic jumping off point.

As for seasoning per pound, I like to use 1 1/2 tablespoon for every 3 pounds. This recipe makes 6 tablespoons and is good for a 12 pound turkey.

Lower Sodium

Someone in your family watching salt? Make a low-sodium turkey rub by dialing back the salt volume. The other ingredients will compensate for the lack of salt.

I also highly recommend using Kosher salt due to its large grain size, it ends up tasting less salty and sticks better.

Do not, under any circumstances use table salt. Iodized salt will make your bird taste metallic. It will also make your bird more salty since the grains are smaller, you end up getting a lot more salt.

More Flavor Variations

Use this simple seasoning mixture as a base and then come up with your own special blend. Remember that flaky dried herbs will have a higher chance of burning if you plan to fry your flavorful turkey, as does brown sugar. Use one batch of the base rub and add these ingredients.

• Smoky– Best for smoking or roasting, add an additional 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and either 1 teaspoon of ancho chile powder or chipotle chile powder. Frying can lead to bitter notes using too much chile powder.
• Citrus-Herb– Best for roasting or smoking, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, zest from 1 full orange or lemon. If deep frying, use a dried lemon peel to prevent burning and bitterness.
• Spicy- Great for all preparation methods, increase cayenne and smoked paprika to 1 teaspoon, add 1 teaspoons of aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.

How to Season a Turkey

• Fried Turkey: If you are going to fry a turkey, you need to use a dry rub, which means no butter or olive oil. Just rub on the skin of the turkey that has been blotted dry with a paper towel. Here are more detailed instructions on how to fry a turkey.
• Smoked Turkey: Don’t worry, it will still stick to a dry turkey. In some cases, it actually holds on better. Think about rubbing a pork tenderloin or chicken, in those cases the meat is also blotted dry. You’d follow these same instructions for a smoked turkey and here are instructions for a pellet grill smoked turkey cooking times.
• Roast Turkey: If you plan to roast your bird, you’ll want a wet rub, which means using a fat like olive oil or butter mixed with the spice rub. It basically makes it into a compound butter.
  
  I use about 1/2 cup of butter for a 12 pound turkey. Butter is delicious, use a lot of it, but also beware that it will just melt off into the juices, so make sure that you rub the majority of it under the skin to keep it in place. The butter under skin helps to seasons while the butter over the skin helps to brown.

Common Questions about Seasoning Turkey

Homemade Turkey Rub Recipe

4.41 from 501 votes

Make this 7-ingredient turkey rub in 3 minutes. Exact per-pound amounts, wet vs dry tips, and flavor variations for roasting, smoking, or frying.

Prep Time: 3 minutes mins

Total Time: 3 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings: 6 tablespoons

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Rate this Recipe

Equipment

• Measuring Spoons
• Favorite Storage Containers
• Spice Grinder
• Glass Spice Jar

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coarse Kosher salt , I use Morton's
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• Dash of cayenne
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar , for smoking and roasting only

Instructions

• In a small bowl, stir together the 1 tablespoon coarse Kosher salt , 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, Dash of cayenne .
• Rub the spice blend evenly over the turkey and under the skin.
• Prepare as desired- roast, fried or smoked.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!

Video

Notes

Make into a Butter: 

This spice rub can be blended with softened butter. Use 1/2 cup of unsalted butter per batch of 6 tablespoons. Rub 75% of the butter under the skin and the rest over the top. 

Storage: 

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. While it doesn’t good bad, the flavors will start to become muted. 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 75 kcal, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 141 mg, Potassium: 403 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 5820 IU, Calcium: 69 mg, Iron: 3.4 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Formicola

Calories: 75

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dry rub for turkey, homemade turkey rub, homemade turkey seasoning, no brine turkey rub, spicy turkey rub, turkey rub, turkey seasoning, turkey seasoning recipe, turkey spice rub

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

Serving Suggestions

Now that you’ve made a turkey, what will you serve it with? Here are a few Thanksgiving sides that pair perfectly with your winning turkey dinner.

Honey Parmesan Sweet Potato Stacks

3.95 from 17 votes

Bacon Wrapped Stuffing Muffins

4.58 from 7 votes

Apple Spiced Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

5 from 6 votes

Grandma Chiavetta’s Rice Dressing

4.78 from 9 votes

And after you are all finished, save the bones to make Turkey Stock, Turkey Noodle Soup or check out one of our favorite 50+ leftover turkey recipes.