How to Make Lemon Pepper Seasoning at Home

Easy, delicious, and perfect for poultry, this homemade lemon pepper seasoning recipe is a surefire hit! Fresh lemon zest, whole black peppercorns, coarse salt, your oven, and a spice grinder are all you need to create a familiar and popular flavor profile that so many of us love. No dehydrator or other special tools required!

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Peace family,

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone personally who doesn’t love lemon pepper wings. They’re just so popular and delicious. I’ve spent many a gathering with family and friends celebrating over a pile of hot, tangy, perfectly cooked lemon pepper chicken – both homemade and from popular wing spots. There’s a national wing chain that slings excellent lemon pepper wings. If you know, you know! We practically survived on them during college.

Lemon pepper seasoning isn’t just suitable for chicken. You can also use this blend for:

There’s no shortage of store-bought lemon pepper seasoning options in any supermarket – of this I am sure and I know you are too. I counted at least six different brands on my most recent store run. But, I’m of the school of thought that if something can be made at home, and you have the tools and the time, then why not? Also, making your own seasoning is a great way of controlling your sodium intake. You can be sure that your homemade lemon pepper seasoning will be free of any weird ingredients, fillers, or preservatives.

What is Lemon Pepper Seasoning Made of?

If you’re wondering what lemon pepper seasoning is made of, then you’re in for a wild ride! This is crazy. Are you ready for it? It’s made of:

• Lemon Zest
• Whole Black Peppercorns
• Salt

Yep, that’s it. Now, if you want to get fancy there are all kinds of additions you could make to get a unique seasoning blend, such as:

• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Dried Celery

But, for the sake of purity we’re sticking to the original today.

What Tools Do I need to make DIY Lemon Pepper Seasoning?

To make this seasoning blend you’ll simply need:

• Microplane Zester/Grater
• Oven
• Spice Grinder

Spice grinders come in a wide range of price points and varieties. Many coffee grinders double as spice grinders, so it’s definitely a handy tool to have in the kitchen. There are both electric and manual varieties. Do some digging online or in your local supermarket and I’m more than certain that you’ll easily find a tool that fits you needs and budget.

If you don’t have a microplane zester – and I honestly think you should- then you can use a regular grater to zest your lemons. The size isn’t super important here since the zest will be placed into the spice grinder once it has dried.

How Do You Make Lemon Pepper Seasoning from Scratch?

Start by setting your oven to 200°F

I then washed and zested six lemons.

I placed my lemon zest on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread it out in a single layer.

I then placed the lemon zest in the oven for one hour. This allowed plenty of time for all of the moisture to be drawn out of the lemon zest.

I then placed the lemon zest into my spice grinder along with ¼ cup of whole black peppercorns and 2 teaspoons of coarse kosher salt.

I pulsed my seasoning blend for about 15 seconds. This gave me a nice powdery seasoning. If you prefer a coarser seasoning, then stop pulsing about every five seconds to check and avoid getting too fine of a mixture.

How to Store Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning

You want to keep your seasoning blend in a tightly sealed container or jar. Store it in an area that is cool and dark, away from any moisture or heat.

That’s it! I told you it was easy and painless.

As usual, try it out and let me know what you think!

Peace,

Adri

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