This authentic Nashville hot seasoning recipe will remind you of your favorite hot chicken shack in Nashville. If you’ve never been to Nashville, it’s a fun city and the birthplace of the famous Nashville hot chicken recipe that’s all the rage these days.
I don’t call this Nashville hot chicken seasoning because it’s such a versatile seasoning, it would be a shame to reserve it just for deep fried chicken.
Jump to RecipeWhat Is Nashville Hot Seasoning Used For?
Of course this seasoning is the perfect companion for your favorite fried chicken. Add a few slices of white bread and pickles to those chicken pieces and you’re in for a flavor overload.
That said, this Nashville hot seasoning is also great on pork chops, fish, and roasted vegetables. A couple of my personal favorites are Nashville hot chicken burgers, Nashville hot roasted corn on the cob, and of course this Nashville hot roasted turkey.
Adjusting The Heat
I find this Nashville hot seasoning recipe to be just the right amount of heat. It’s not going to burn ya down by any stretch, but it’ll knock politely on your taste buds and say “I’m here!”
If you like a little more heat, add an extra tablespoon (or two) of cayenne pepper. If you like things a bit more on the mild side, cut the cayenne back by a tablespoon or so.
Tips For Making and Storing
- Mixing: Be sure to use a fork to mix the different spices together. Brown sugar tends to clump. A fork allows you to break up the clumps and incorporate the sugar into the Nashville hot seasoning.
- Storage: Keeping this seasoning in an airtight container, and stored in a cool dry place will extend its life without losing flavor.
About The Ingredients
Cayenne: This is where the heat comes from, feel free to adjust the amount of this to your liking.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar makes for a much better flavor than white sugar, but it tends to clump. Be aware of that and use a fork to break up any clumps.
Garlic Powder: Don’t mistake this for granulated garlic. They taste the same, but granulated garlic is a bigger granule size. Garlic powder maintains a more consistent granule size with the other ingredients.
Smoked Paprika: I highly recommend using smoked paprika in this recipe. There’s real flavor in smoked paprika, whereas “sweet” paprika isn’t sweet at all; it’s almost flavorless and is used mostly for color.
Kosher Salt: Use the fine grind here, the coarse grind works but will settle to the bottom of a storage jar. I use Morton’s brand, if you’re using Diamond Crystal brand you’ll likely need more salt as it’s not near as “salty” as Morton’s.
How To Make Nashville Hot Seasoning
Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: N/A | Serves: N/A
Ingredients
¼ cup cayenne pepper
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp fine kosher salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp fine ground black pepper
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Using a fork, mix the seasonings well, ensuring to break up any clumps of brown sugar by crushing them with the fork.
Step 3: Use right away, or store in an airtight container for three to four weeks.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp fine kosher salt
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 2 tsp fine ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Using a fork, mix the seasonings well, ensuring to break up any clumps of brown sugar by crushing them with the fork.
- Use right away, or store in an airtight container for three to four weeks.