Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend
A bright, savory homemade seasoning blend made with real lemon zest, mixed peppercorns, herbs, and spices. This rustic blend is perfect for seafood, chicken, vegetables, potatoes, and grilling.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp dried lemon zest, from about 4–6 lemons
- 2 tbsp mixed pepper blend
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Wash and dry the lemons well before zesting. Using a microplane or zester, remove only the yellow outer peel, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible since the pith can taste bitter.Spread the lemon zest onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a thin, even layer. Try to separate any clumps so the zest dries evenly.Place the tray into a 200°F oven and dry the zest until completely crisp and crumbly, stirring or gently moving it around every 10–15 minutes. Drying time can vary quite a bit depending on the size and thickness of the zest. A very fine microplane zest may dry in as little as 20 minutes, while thicker strands from a larger zester can take 35–40 minutes or longer.The zest should feel completely dry with no soft or damp spots remaining. Be careful not to brown it, since browned zest will lose some of its bright fresh lemon flavor.Once fully dried, remove from the oven and allow the zest to cool completely before blending. Blending warm zest can create condensation in the seasoning mixture.Add the celery seed and red pepper flakes to a spice grinder first and pulse several times to begin breaking them down. This helps distribute the celery seed flavor evenly throughout the blend and keeps the red pepper flakes from remaining in large pieces.Add the mixed pepper blend and pulse again a few times.Add the dried lemon zest, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme. Pulse just until everything is combined. The seasoning should remain slightly coarse and rustic rather than finely powdered.Transfer the seasoning blend to an airtight spice jar or container and store in a cool, dry place.
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