SPice processing in general

The process of making most spices is pretty simple. You grow the fruit that you will make the spice from (i.e. cayenne peppers). Once the fruit is dried, you grind it down using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, into the spice you want to make. Here is a list of common spices that are not necessarily evident from their name. 

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 units 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, they need to be hung, in the sun, when it is warm to dry them. Once they are dried, you can pulverize them into the spice. 

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 units paprika (or smoked paprika), 1 unit of cayenne, onion, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Then use ½ unit of basil, oregano, and thyme.