This turkey rub is a blend of savory spices that come together to make the ultimate poultry seasoning. Homemade spice rub will add plenty of flavor to your Thanksgiving turkey, and also works well with chicken, pork and beef.
When I want to make a turkey that’s sure to impress, I use my homemade turkey rub as the primary seasoning agent. I serve my turkey with classic side dishes such as sweet potato casserole and cranberry relish for a memorable meal.
There are so many different ways to prepare a turkey, from brining to roasting to deep frying and more! This turkey rub turns an ordinary roasted turkey into something extraordinary. Best of all, it takes just 5 minutes to make!
Turkey Rub Ingredients
This recipe is made with a variety of herbs and spices including salt, brown sugar, paprika, pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic powder and onion powder.
How do you make turkey rub?
Place the salt, sugar, herbs and spices in a bowl, then stir until everything is well mixed. Use the seasoning right away, or store it in an airtight container for future use.
Tips for the perfect seasoning mix
- This recipe makes the perfect amount of rub to use on a 10-12 pound turkey. If your turkey is larger, you’ll want to double the recipe.
- You can use fresh herbs instead of dried if you prefer; you’ll just want to triple the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried.
- This recipe calls for kosher salt, which is not the same as table salt. For best results, use kosher salt, which should be available in every grocery store.
Recipe FAQs
Generously apply the seasoning to the outside of the turkey, then use your hands to rub it into the skin and meat. I also recommend loosening the skin of the turkey breast and thighs, and putting some of the rub under the skin against the meat for added flavor.
You can absolutely season a turkey the night before, in fact, I recommend doing this whenever possible. Leaving the rub on the turkey overnight allows for the salt and spices to penetrate the meat and makes for a more tender and juicy cooked bird. Place the rub on your turkey, then loosely cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before you plan to cook it.
Turkey pairs well with a lot of sweet and savory flavors such as brown sugar, maple, chives, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, basil, paprika, pepper, garlic, onion, lemon, and oregano. This spice blend is primarily savory, with just a hint of brown sugar to offset the salt, herbs and spices. The added bonus of the brown sugar is that it will help to create a golden brown crust on the turkey.
Flavor variations
I happen to love this spice blend exactly as it’s written, but you can absolutely use other flavorings to customize this recipe to your taste.
- Sugar: You can use maple sugar, muscovado sugar or coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar. You can also blend honey, agave syrup or maple syrup with the spices to make a wet rub.
- Herbs: Feel free to add other herbs to the mix such as dried parsley, basil, marjoram, savory or oregano.
- Spices: Other great additions to this rub include cayenne pepper, mustard powder, smoked paprika or chili powder.
- Wet Rub: You can mix your spice blend with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or melted butter to make a wet rub.
- Smokey Rub: Use my smoked turkey rub if you’re planning to cook your bird in a smoker.
I like to make a double or triple batch of this rub and use it all year long on roasted chicken, pork tenderloin and roast beef. Make your holiday turkey extra special this year with this spice blend, and you’ll be sure to get rave reviews.
Side dishes to pair with your turkey
Turkey Rub Video
Turkey Rub
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until combined.
- Rub the spice mixture all over your turkey, as well as under the skin, then cook as desired.
- Spice rub can be made up to 2 months in advance.
Notes
- This recipe makes the perfect amount of rub to use on a 10-12 pound turkey. If your turkey is larger, you’ll want to double the recipe.
- You can use fresh herbs instead of dried if you prefer; you’ll just want to triple the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried.
Hi, I’m the turkey cook for the holidays. We use a fresh turkey, they always come out delicious but make it different every time. And don’t take notes what I did. I know not a sign of a good cook. I am curious will a fresh turkey absorb more of the flavors that I should cut back? I have 80-90 year olds so dont want to overwhelm them. Usually do 25 lbs with breast and leg, thigh cut apart. Also wondering what lemon juice does in the brine recipe. Any input would be great.
You don’t need to make any changes for a fresh turkey, I’ve tested this recipe on a fresh turkey. Here is my brine recipe if you’d like to try it, the lemon just adds a hint of citrus flavor to the bird! https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/turkey-brine-recipe/
Thank you for this! My late husband always made the turkey and I don’t have his recipe. I can’t wait to try it!
This is in reality 5 stars, but nobody trusts a recipe that is all 5*’s, so I’m giving it a 4 to get it more traction. I used this on my turkey, in addition to a parsley/sage herbed butter under the skin, combined with a dry-brine and spatchcock, and it is the best turkey I have made in decades! I am stealing this rub and will use it until my dying day!
Absolute Perfection!
Oh my goodness!! This rub is so good. I have used it on whole turkey, turkey breast, whole chicken, and a pork loin.
Every meal gets rave reviews!
I make a triple batch to use often. I’ve shared this recipe with friends and relatives.