Spice up your meals with this easy and delicious homemade mesquite seasoning recipe. Perfect for adding a smoky, savory flavor to meats, vegetables, and more.
Now living here in Texas, mesquite is a very popular flavoring in all of our BBQs. Mesquite seasoning is a delicious smokey seasoning that will really enhance any meat that you add it to.
It takes an ordinary cut of meat and makes it extraordinary. Since making your own homemade seasoning is so much better than store-bought (and cheaper) I love making this spice blend at home. It has everyday spices that most people have in their pantry already. I have also included a version of this recipe which uses mesquite powder. I sometimes have access to this here in Texas and when I do, I love using it in this recipe. Both versions are amazing and so easy to make.
What is mesquite?
If you are not familiar with mesquite, it is actually a type of tree, the mesquite tree and it grows all over Texas and the Southwest. The bark of the mesquite tree is the mesquite flavor in so many BBQ dishes.
Here in Texas, the wood is chipped up and soaked then added to a BBQ grill under the meats which in turn imparts a smokey flavor to the meat when it is cooking.
In addition to the bark of the mesquite tree being used to flavor meats and veggies (which is where this spice blend comes in), the pods of the mesquite tree (the fruit) are prized as well. I learned living here in Texas that the pods are dried and then ground up into mesquite flour that is actually very sweet and has been used for generations by the Native Americans. I have experimented with baking with this sweet mesquite powder in addition to using it in this mix when i have it.
You can buy mesquite flour online and it actually makes a great addition to chocolate, baked goods or spice blends.
Ingredients Needed
- Chili powder
- Light brown sugar: I prefer this to regular brown sugar since it has a little less molasses in it.
- Sweet paprika
- Smoked paprika. If you do not have smoked paprika, there are some great subs in the recipe below.
- Kosher Salt
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
Ingredient Notes:
If you are working with mesquite flour, you can add that to the mesquite seasoning. To do this, use half the amount of brown sugar and replace it with mesquite powder. The mesquite powder is sweet!
How To Make Homemade Mesquite Seasoning
- Measure dried spices: To make this mesquite mix just measure out all of your spices into a small bowl.
- Mix: Mix well.
Making this mesquite seasoning is very easy since we are using all dried spices. We are taking the hard step of using mesquite wood out of the equation but still keeping that delicious smokey flavor (this recipe is basically a McCormick mesquite seasoning copycat recipe).
Since not everyone has time to smoke their meats over mesquite wood, this mesquite mix makes the perfect quick alternative.
Variations
Here are some waays I like to change this homemade seasoning up:
- Use Mesquite Powder: If you have access to mesquite powder (the ground up mesquite pod), use it! Just use this in place of ½ of the the brown sugar. The mesquite powder is naturally sweet.
- Use ancho chile powder: Ancho chile powder makes a great substitute for the smoked paprika. It will also add a bit more smokey flavor to the spice mix.
- Add some heat: This mesquite mix is not spicy but you can add some cayenne to add a little heat.
Recipe Faqs
Mesquite seasoning is a blend of spices made up of ground, garlic, onion, chile powder, brown sugar, salt and dried liquid smoke or a dried smokey seasoning.
No. It is a smoky flavored seasoning that is not spicy.
You can use this seasoning on any meat or vegetables to add a smokey flavor.
Mesquite powder makes a great substitute for sugar. It is naturally sweet with a light earthy flavor (but it is not smokey). Add it to homemade seasonings or to baked goods when you want to use less sugar in a recipe.
Storing
Homemade seasoning blends have a shorter shelf life since there is no anti-caking agents added to them. The seasoning itself will still be good but it may clump when stored for too long.
I have found that this seasoning stores for about 6 months without this happening. You want to make sure to store the seasoning in an air-tight container in a dark place (like your pantry or a cabinet). Also make sure to keep it stored away from heat to preserve the freshness.
Ways to use mesquite seasoning
This seasoning also goes really well on pork, chicken, beef, veggies or even in dips. Here are some of my favorites:
More homemade seasonings and sauces you may like
Homemade Mesquite Seasoning
Ingredients
Mesquite Seasoning
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika if you do not have smoked paprika you can use chipotle powder, ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Add all of the spices for the seasoning to a small bowl and mix well.3 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Use right away or store in an air tight container for up to 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereTried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Christine says
I needed mesquite seasoning for a slow cooker spare rib recipe but didn't have it on hand. Found this recipe, made it and it was amazing! Added great flavor to the ribs, and my son, who can be a very picky eater, loved it! I will no longer buy the seasoning but make this recipe instead. Definitely recommend!!
Melissa Oleary says
Hi Christine. So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 I love hearing that even a picky eater loved it!
Kate Tinghitella says
Is this supposed to mimic mesquite? There's no mesquite powder in it.
Melissa Oleary says
Hi Kate. Yes, this is supposed to be a homemade mesquite rub. If you have access to mesquite powder you can use it in place of some of the sugar. It is great that way 🙂
Christine says
if you're asking why it doesn't have mesquite seasoning in it, it's because it's a substitute for mesquite seasoning when you don't have it. But this recipe worked really good!
Bryan says
Came out great! Used it on chicken and it was tasty
Melissa says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Richard says
Why not substitute the brown sugar with mesquite flour?
Melissa says
Hi Richard. You can definitely use mesquite flour in place of the brown sugar! If you have mesquite flour this would be a great way to use it.
Most people do not have access to mesquite flour so brown sugar makes a great ingredient addition for this recipe to help out the everyday cook wanting to make a mesquite blend.
Brandy says
This was very easy to make. We used it on chicken sandwiches and it was a hit.