Homestead Poultry Seasoning
Classic herbs. Savory spices. Built for chicken and turkey.
An herb-forward poultry seasoning with garlic, onion, smoked paprika, thyme, sage, and black pepper. Built as an everyday foundation for chicken, turkey, soups, casseroles, gravies, vegetables, and more.
One poultry seasoning. Plenty of ways to use it.
Great poultry seasoning shouldn't overpower the meat.
Homestead Poultry Seasoning brings together the familiar flavors of thyme and sage with garlic, onion, smoked paprika, and black pepper to create a savory blend that works throughout the kitchen.
Use it to season chicken before roasting, build flavor into soups and stews, add depth to casseroles and gravies, or bring a savory herb finish to vegetables and potatoes.
And when crispy poultry skin is the goal, a little cornstarch turns the base blend into Shatter-Crust Poultry Rub, giving you a specialized dry brine without requiring another completely separate seasoning blend.
Make one jar. Use it everywhere.
Recipe at a Glance
Yield: About ⅔ cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: None
Ingredients
4 Tbsp sea salt
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Prepare the Herbs
Rub the dried thyme and sage lightly between your fingers to break down any larger pieces.
This helps distribute the herbs more evenly throughout the seasoning.
2. Combine
Add the sea salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, sage, and black pepper to a mixing bowl or glass jar.
Whisk thoroughly or seal the jar and shake vigorously for approximately 30 seconds.
Kirby Rule: A fine, evenly distributed seasoning blend coats meat more consistently and helps every bite carry the same balance of flavor.
3. Store
Transfer the seasoning to an airtight spice jar if you haven't already mixed it directly in one.
Store in a cool, dark, dry place.
Shake well before each use.
Performance Notes
🌿 Classic Poultry Herbs
Thyme and sage provide the familiar herb-forward character associated with roasted chicken and turkey.
They're intentionally kept balanced so neither herb overwhelms the meat.
🧄 Build the Savory Foundation
Garlic and onion provide the savory backbone while black pepper adds a little bite.
🌶️ A Little Smoke
Smoked paprika adds color and a subtle smoky character without turning this into a barbecue rub.
That makes Homestead Poultry Seasoning equally useful whether the chicken is headed for the oven, stovetop, grill, or smoker.
🧂 Salt Is Already Included
Homestead Poultry Seasoning contains salt, so keep that in mind when using it with chicken stock, sauces, cheese, or other seasoned ingredients.
Start with the seasoning blend and adjust additional salt after tasting the finished dish.
How to Use It
🍗 Chicken Breast
Start with approximately 1–1½ teaspoons per pound and adjust to taste.
🍗 Chicken Thighs
Use approximately 1½–2 teaspoons per pound, especially when seasoning skin-on thighs.
🦃 Turkey
Start with approximately 1½ teaspoons per pound.
For a whole bird, season both the exterior and underneath the skin when possible.
🍲 Soups & Stews
Start with ½–1 teaspoon, allow the seasoning to cook into the broth, then taste before adding more.
🥔 Vegetables & Potatoes
Season lightly before roasting, then adjust after cooking.
Quick Build: Shatter-Crust Poultry Rub
Crispy skin starts before the bird ever reaches the heat.
Homestead Poultry Seasoning provides the flavor. Cornstarch turns it into a specialized dry brine designed for skin-on chicken and turkey.
The cornstarch helps absorb surface moisture, encouraging the skin to become crisp, golden, and crackling during roasting, grilling, or smoking.
Ingredients
11 Tbsp Homestead Poultry Seasoning
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
Add the Homestead Poultry Seasoning and cornstarch to a glass jar.
Seal and shake vigorously until completely combined.
Shake again before each use.
How to Use Shatter-Crust
Pat the poultry very dry with paper towels.
Season evenly with Shatter-Crust Poultry Rub.
Place the poultry uncovered in the refrigerator for 4–12 hours before cooking.
This gives the salt time to season the meat while the uncovered refrigerator rest and cornstarch help dry the surface.
Before cooking, apply a very thin layer of beef tallow if desired.
Roast, grill, or smoke using your preferred method.
Kirby Rule: Crispy skin isn't something you fix during the last five minutes of cooking. Start with a dry surface and give the seasoning time to do its job.
Why Cornstarch Isn't in the Main Blend
Shatter-Crust originally started as a standalone poultry rub with cornstarch mixed directly into the seasoning.
But crispy skin isn't the goal every time poultry enters the kitchen.
Chicken and dumplings, soups, casseroles, gravies, skinless chicken breasts, and plenty of other recipes benefit from poultry seasoning without needing cornstarch.
Keeping Homestead Poultry Seasoning as the foundation and adding cornstarch only when needed makes one seasoning blend much more versatile.
Put It to Work
Homestead Poultry Seasoning works especially well with:
Roasted chicken
Smoked chicken
Chicken thighs
Whole turkey
Turkey breast
Chicken and dumplings
Chicken pot pie
Chicken soup
Turkey soup
Gravies
Casseroles
Roasted potatoes
Roasted vegetables
Use the Shatter-Crust Quick Build when crisp skin is part of the goal.
Fuel Profile — Estimated Per Serving
Serving Size: 1 tsp
Calories: ~4 kcal | Protein: ~0.2 g | Carbohydrates: ~0.8 g | Net Carbs: ~0.5 g | Fiber: ~0.3 g | Fat: ~0.1 g
Based on a 1-teaspoon serving of Homestead Poultry Seasoning. Nutrition is estimated and will vary depending on the specific spices and ingredient brands used.
Storage
Store Homestead Poultry Seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place.
For the best flavor and aroma, use within approximately 6 months.
Because the blend contains no anti-caking agents, some natural clumping may occur.
Shake well before each use.
Kitchen Wisdom
“Great poultry seasoning shouldn't cover up the bird. It should make the chicken taste more like chicken.”