What Is Blackened Seasoning?

Like bland food? Then steer clear of today’s topic: Blackened seasoning. But what is blackened seasoning? (Aside from a quick fix for flavorless food.) Let’s talk blackened seasoning, before that barbecue flame goes out! 

What is blackened seasoning? 

Blackened seasoning is a seasoning blend invented by legendary Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme in the 1980s in New Orleans. He pioneered blackening, which is a cooking technique that calls for coating meat or fish in butter, then seasoning with blackening seasoning, and then cooking in a super-hot skillet. The result? Meat or fish that looks black—but isn’t burnt at all. It’s just extremely flavorful. 

What is in blackened seasoning?

Blackened seasoning is a distinct blend of ground spices and herbs used to make blackened dishes or on grilled meats or seafood. The spice blend often includes the following stars of the rack: paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried basil. 

Is blackened seasoning spicy?

As you might suspect from that ingredient list, blackened seasoning is on the spicy side of the spectrum. However, it’s usually not so hot. Many describe it as zesty rather than straight “hot.” But if you can’t handle cayenne, you should probably steer clear of blackened seasoning.

What is blackened seasoning used for?

Blackened seasoning is the key ingredient if you’re making blackened fish or chicken, etc. But it’s also good for seasoning grillable proteins like seafood, chicken, pork, fish, steak, or even tofu. Oh, and vegetables too. You can even sprinkle blackened seasoning on side dishes like mashed potatoes or egg salad.

Is blackened seasoning the same as Cajun seasoning?

Though they do share some similarities (such as being rooted in Louisiana), Cajun seasoning and blackened are not the same. The list of Cajun seasoning ingredients includes cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Blackened seasoning adds herbs like oregano and thyme to the mix. 


About the Author

Joe Rumrill

Joe Rumrill is a fictional one-eyed spinach-loving sailor created in 1929 by E.C Se- Wait, no, that's not right... Joe Rumrill is a stand up comedian and writer currently based in Los Angeles. His favorite thing about food is a close tie between the taste and the nutrients one gets from it. His least favorite thing about it is the "gritty, dirt-like quality some food has", but he's most likely referring to the time in third grade he was dared to eat playground sand.

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