Poultry seasoning is a blend of herbs, spices, and oils used to flavor whole birds or bone segments. It can be applied as a dry rub, mixed with liquids for basting, or added to stuffing. Different herbs and spices can be used, and flavorings like garlic and lemon can be placed inside the bird for added flavor.
Poultry seasoning refers to any mix of herbs, spices, oils and other flavorings that can be applied to turkey, chicken, Cornish hens, duck, venison or goose. Such condiments, often including ingredients such as thyme and sage, can be used as a dry rub, mixed with liquids in a baste, or added to a bread-based filling. When a poultry seasoning is added inside a bird instead of directly on the skin, the actual meat will be flavored more intensely. Poultry seasoning usually refers to types of seasonings applied to a whole bird or bone segments, rather than chunks of meat used in stews, soups, or salads.
A typical poultry seasoning consists of a blend of herbs and spices, often applied as a dry rub. Such a rub can be used for roasting in the oven or for grilling. Most poultry seasoning rubs include thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and might also include marjoram, ground cloves, nutmeg, parsley, or basil. Different herbs and spices can vary greatly by country or culture. Typically, such herb and spice blends are applied less liberally than other types of dry rubs due to the potent and pungent nature of the herbs used.
Basting is often done as a poultry seasoning for larger birds, such as turkey, which tend to dry out easily over a long cooking period. The same herbs and spices used in a dry poultry rub can be mixed with liquids such as vinegar, brandy or orange juice. Adding oil, usually olive oil, will also help the bird dry. Fats, such as those found naturally in meat or in oils and butters, keep meat moist over long cooking periods.
Sometimes poultry seasoning is applied to a stuffing to be placed in a bird, which is also quite typical of turkey or goose. This method allows you to season the meat from the inside, as well as provide a well-seasoned side dish. The standard filling is pieces of bread, celery and onions mixed with spices. Additives such as sausage and chestnuts may also be present in stuffing, especially in traditional Thanksgiving Day stuffing in the United States.
Flavorings such as herb clusters, lemon wedges, small onions or garlic cloves can also be placed in the cavity of a chicken or other small bird. This is another type of poultry seasoning that ensures that the meat is fully flavored, as some seasonings and spices may not penetrate much beyond the skin. The garlic cloves and herb butter can also be applied directly under the skin rather than just over it.
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