Learn how to make lamb seasoning or rub for almost all your lamb recipes. An easy-to-put-together blend of popular spices you already have in your pantry.
This is an easy recipe for a lamb seasoning mix that you can keep in a jar in your pantry for months. You can use it as a lamb rub or sprinkle a little over your lamb chops, lamb steaks, or other lamb dishes you make.
And although I have specially developed this spice mixture for my lamb recipes, I must admit that I often use it for pork, beef, or game meats (or even chicken or baked potato wedges).
If you want to save cash and make your own spice blends, check out the Homemade Ground Beef Seasoning, the Pork Roast Seasoning, the Dry Rub for Chicken Wings, and the Peri Peri Seasoning.
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Why should you make your own spices blends?
- Quick and easy: All you have to do is mix a few fragrant spices that you can buy at your local store, which takes literally just minutes.
- Cleaner: You know exactly what’s in the jar. That means you can control the right amount of salt and sugar and be sure that the blend has no additives.
- Versatile: You can add or leave something you like or don’t like or adjust the spice ratio to suit your taste buds.
- Cheaper: That’s especially the case when you already have a pantry full of spices, as I do. However, it doesn’t really apply if you must buy every single item just for one recipe.
Spices for lamb
- Sea salt or Kosher salt: The best salt to use generally and even more so for this lamb spice mix.
- If using table salt, you will need a bit less, as it tastes more potent and less delicate than sea or Kosher salt.
- Ground black pepper: The ground black pepper I used is finely ground but not powder. Therefore, if using powdered pepper, you will also need a bit less.
- Garlic powder: In powder form, not granules. If using granules, use about 2 ½ teaspoons and try to grind them as finely as possible in a mortar and pestle before adding them to the spice blend.
- Dried herbs: Oregano, mint, and rosemary.
- I find rosemary a must when I cook lamb; the two are a perfect match.
- The same goes for mint, but I use it more sparingly than rosemary; too much will overpower the rest of the flavors.
- Granulated sugar: It will not make the seasoning sweet, but it’s a nice touch in terms of flavor. You can leave it out if you don’t want any sugar in your mixture.
- Optional: For a bit of heat, add ½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste.
How to make seasoning for lamb?
- Grind the spices for lamb: Place all the ingredients in a large mortar (1). Crush them with the pestle until they are a bit finer, the dried herbs will not turn into a powder, but they will be a bit finer (2).
- Alternatively, use a spice or coffee grinder, but only very briefly; don't turn the mixture into a powder; it should be finer, but you should still be able to recognize that there are dried herbs in it.
- Whisk the lamb seasoning to combine and transfer the blend to a jar.
How to use homemade lamb spice mix?
- Use it as a dry rub for seasoning any lamb cuts, for instance, lamb chops, rack of lamb, roast leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, roasted lamb ribs, slow cooker lamb ribs, or lamb steaks.
- I often use 2-3 teaspoons to season ground lamb to make Cast-Iron Skillet Shepherd’s Pie or lahmacun - Turkish pizza (in this case, I always add some ground cumin and coriander).
- You can add some to Lamb Soup, Lamb Casserole in the Slow Cooker, or Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu.
- When rubbing the blend on the surface of the meat, dry the meat first with paper towels. After drying it, you can lightly rub it with olive oil, but that’s not mandatory.
Expert Tips
- Mortar and pestle: It’s great if you use it; this way, you can grind the dried herbs a bit finer. Alternatively, you can grind the spices in a small food processor or spice/coffee grinder; however, don’t turn everything to a powder; you should still be able to recognize the herbs in the mixture.
- Don’t eyeball the amounts; using teaspoons and tablespoons is better to keep the correct ratio between the different spices.
- Mint: If you don’t like it (many people don’t), you can leave it out. However, you might want to try it first; mint is excellent with lamb.
- Salt: Try to use sea salt or kosher salt for making this lamb spice mix. Table salt (iodized) is too potent, and the seasoning will be too salty. If you still want to use it, reduce the amount a bit.
Recipe FAQ
About ¾ cup/ 180 g/ 9-10 tablespoons.
Lamb chops: You will need about ⅓ cup for 6 large chops.
Lamb shoulder or leg: All or most of the blend for seasoning a large piece.
Ground lamb: About 1 tablespoon per pound/ 450 g.
This can differ from recipe to recipe. You should be safe with following the measurements indicated in a recipe, but you can always adjust to taste.
Keep the lamb seasoning mixture in a small, closed jar or another small airtight container. Keeping all spices in a dark, dry place like a cupboard is preferable. This keeps the moisture out and prevents the spice mix from getting clumpy or hardening.
Exposure to light and a warm storage place is unsuitable for spices; they will diminish their quality.
It will last at least 3 months, probably longer when stored correctly.
No. Fresh herbs would spoil quickly.
You can use fresh herbs only if making a single small batch that you will use immediately.
More homemade condiments
Homemade Lamb Seasoning
Equipment
- Mortar and pestle optional Note 1
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons fine sea salt or Kosher, Note 2
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper Note 3
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder Note 4
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- ¾ teaspoon mint
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Grind spices: Place all the ingredients in a large mortar. Crush them with the pestle until they are finer, the dried herbs will not turn into a powder, but they will be a bit finer.1 ½ tablespoon sea salt + 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper + 2 teaspoon garlic powder + 2 tablespoon oregano + 1 tablespoon rosemary + ¾ teaspoon mint + 1 teaspoon sugar
- Whisk the lamb seasoning shortly to combine and transfer the blend to a jar.
- Store: Keep in a dark, cool place (cupboard) for up to 3 months.
- Use according to the recipe and your personal taste. Naturally, this can differ from recipe to recipe. You should be safe with following the measurements indicated in a recipe, but you can always adjust to taste.
- Lamb chops: You will need about ⅓ cup for 6 large lamb chops.Lamb shoulder or leg: All or most of the blend for seasoning a large piece.Ground lamb: About 1 tablespoon per pound/ 450 g.
Notes
- Mortar and pestle: It’s great if you use it; this way, you can grind the dried herbs a bit finer. However, if you don’t have it, you can leave the mixture as it is. Alternatively, you can grind the spices in a small food processor or spice/coffee grinder; however, don’t turn everything to a powder; you should still be able to recognize the herbs in the mixture.
- Salt: It’s preferable to use fine sea salt or kosher salt. Table salt (iodized) is too potent, and the seasoning might be too salty. If you still want to use it, reduce the amount a bit.
- Pepper: The black pepper I used is finely ground but not powdered. If using powdered pepper, you will also need a bit less.
- Garlic: If using granules, use about 2 ½ teaspoons and try to grind them as finely as possible in a mortar and pestle before adding the rest of the spices to the mortar.
- How much do I have? About ¾ cup/ 180 g/ 9-10 tablespoons.
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