There are recipes in the archive that include Cajun seasoning among the ingredients. In most of them, how to make your own Cajun spice mix is included. Still, I thought it useful to publish a stand-alone post to make it easier — for me especially — to refer to it in all Cajun-style dishes that I intend to publish in the coming days. Yes, there will be quite a number of them.
As you may have guessed, I am smitten with Cajun-style cooking. If there is anything that amazes me about American cuisine, it is the food associated with the South. I don’t care much for oversized burgers and deep-dish pizzas, but I love fried chicken and dirty rice and jambalaya when seasoned and cooked well.
I am aware that, although both were born in the South, there are disctinctions between Creole and Cajun cuisines. One is often mistaken for the other, but they are not really the same. I won’t go all academic about what makes one different from the other (I’m no expert and I won’t pretend to be one) but I’ll say this much — it is the West African influence in the food of the American South that really interests me.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend High On The Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America on Netflix which is based on the non-fiction book High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America by Jessica B. Harris. It was from the show that I learned that mac ‘n’ cheese did not originate in the United States.
But that’s an aside. This is about Cajun seasoning and let me just tell you that every cook has his or her own formula. This is the formula that we often use at home. By “often” I mean we do vary the amount of individual ingredients occasionally. The heat of cayenne powder varies from source to source, for instance, and that warrants modification.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 4 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 4 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 6 teaspoons garlic powder
- 4 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder (chili powder may be substituted)
- 4 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 9 teaspoons sea salt or 4 ½ teaspoons refined salt
Instructions
- Stir everything together. And that’s it.
- If, however, you want a Cajun spice mix powder, dump all the ingredients into a food processor and process until the desired texture is achieved.
- Keep the Cajun spice mix in a tightly covered jar. Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. It should keep for a month or so.
More recipes with Cajun seasoning
Cajun pork spare ribs
Fall-off-the-bone tender succulent meat, this dish of Cajun pork spare ribs makes a lovely main dish for a summer meal. Perfect for the holidays too!
Cajun-style jambalaya
A one-pot savory rice dish that falls within the definition of pilaf / pilau (rice cooked in broth), jambalaya derives its flavors from Cajun seasoning, Andouille sausages and the holy trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper.
Cajun dirty rice
The “dirty” look comes from a combination of sausage fat, Cajun seasoning and chopped chicken livers. But unsanitary, Cajun dirty rice is not. It is tasty beyond words.
Cajun fried chicken wings
Chicken wings marinated with our homemade Cajun seasoning are floured, fried and glazed. Our Cajun fried chicken wings were garnished with chili flakes and chives, and served with sweet corn kernels.
Cajun shrimp and mushroom spaghetti
Creamy and spicy, cooking Cajun shrimp and mushroom spaghetti is made easier and faster by using frozen shelled and deveined shrimps.
Cajun chicken and sausage rice
A full meal cooked in a two-liter rice cooker. Onion, carrot and celery are sauteed in butter, chicken, sausage and Cajun seasoning are added, then rice, broth and peas are stirred in.
