Some common spices & replacements
In a survival situation, it may be necessary to create your own spices from scratch. Some common spices that can be created include dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano; ground spices like paprika and turmeric; and even hot peppers for making your own chili powder. Of course growing your own spices is always an option too. Here is a spice kit I found that I am currently growing.
Common spices
- Allspice – Comes from the Jamaican Bayberry Tree. A substitute can be made from cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, where you combine them in equal parts. If you want a milder flavor, you can use a ratio of 1 cinnamon to ½ of nutmeg and cloves.
- Poultry seasoning – 2 unites of dried sage, 1 ½ units of thyme, 1 unit of marjoram, ¾ unit rosemary, ½ unit nutmeg, ½ unit of black pepper.
- Paprika – Can be made from any red pepper (even bell peppers), however, the Boldog pepper is a great option if you can find seeds before SHTF. Once you harvest your peppers, you will need to dry them, by hanging them in the sun, when it is warm. Once they are dried, you can pulverize them into the spice. You can also use this method for Cayenne pepper and any other pepper you decide to grow or harvest.
- Smoked paprika – Cut open the peppers of your choice, remove the seeds, and cut the peppers into strips. Place the peppers into a smoker and smoke them with whatever wood you are used to using. Leave the peppers in the smoker until all of their moisture is gone. You can also smoke them in your smoker for a while and then transfer them to a food dehydrator.
- Cajun seasoning – Combine paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, and thyme. Adjust this recipe to fit your needs and spice tolerance.
- Blackening seasoning – 2 Tablespoons paprika (or smoked paprika), 1 tablespoon of cayenne, onion, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Then use teaspoon of basil, oregano, and thyme.