Copycat McCormick Smokehouse Maple Recipe
Description
This Homemade Smokehouse Maple Seasoning is a 5-minute copycat of the McCormick Grill Mates favorite — a smoky-sweet blend of brown sugar, maple, and smoked paprika that's perfect on pork chops, ribs, chicken, salmon, and roasted veggies. No anti-caking agents, no fillers, and you control the salt and sugar.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed — or maple sugar for deeper maple flavor
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon maple extract, or 1 tablespoon maple sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried orange zest, or orange peel powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional, for heat
Instructions
- Combine. Add the brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, chili powder, dried orange zest, black pepper, and cayenne (if using) to a small bowl.
- Add the maple. If using maple extract, drizzle it in and whisk thoroughly so it distributes evenly and no clumps remain. If using maple sugar, simply add it with the dry ingredients.
- Whisk well. Stir until the blend is fully combined and uniform in color, breaking up any brown sugar clumps with the back of a fork.
- Store. Transfer to an airtight jar and store in a cool, dark cabinet for up to 6 months.
Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Airtight jar or spice container
Notes
- Use it like a rub: About 1 tablespoon per pound of meat. Pat protein dry, oil lightly, then coat before grilling, roasting, or pan-searing.
- Watch the sugar: Because this blend contains sugar from the brown sugar and maple, it caramelizes quickly — cook over medium heat and keep an eye on it to avoid scorching.
- Lower sodium: Cut the salt to 1 teaspoon and bump the garlic and onion powder up by ¼ teaspoon each.
- No maple extract? Maple sugar gives the truest flavor; in a pinch, a teaspoon of pure maple syrup works, but add it just before using since it will clump in storage.
- Scale it up: Multiply every ingredient by 4 to fill a small jar and never run out.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 7kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 196mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 219IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.1mg