Last Updated July 26th, 2022 at 11:40 am by Lisa
Pickling Spice is an easy seasoning mix to create amazing quick and canned dill pickles, corned beef brisket, braised stews, rice, and for use in marinades to flavor meat!
Be sure to try it in my wildly popular Spicy Pickled Eggs recipe...
Pickling Spice Recipe
This is a classic pickling spice recipe. It has black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, dill seeds, allspice berries, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed
- 1 tablespoon dill seed
- 1 cinnamon stick (crush with fingers)
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 dry bay leaves (crush with fingers)
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns black, pink, white, or mixed is fine
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- In a small bowl, combine all your spices.
- Crush the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks with your fingers into the bowl.
- Add some of the optional ones I listed for additional flavor.
- Keep your spice mix in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, and use it within 6 months.
What Else Can I Add?
You can add additional other spices to this recipe, try some or all of these:
- a few whole cloves
- a couple of star anise
- some juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- a couple of cardamom pods
- a teaspoon of anise seeds
Storage Tips
Store your mix in an airtight container out of direct sunlight, small mason jars work really well.
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Use within a few months. The fresher your spices, the stronger your seasoning blend will be in dishes.
PRO TIP: One of the most popular ways to use homemade pickling spice is on Corned Beef, try my recipe!
Pickling Spice FAQ
Homemade Pickling Spice is an excellent general seasoning. They can also be used in Pickled Eggs, and to make Quick Dill Pickles. These spices add characteristic flavor to pickles, but it also adds complex flavor to braised stews, beans, and rice dishes.
For meat stews, you can tie the spice mix into a piece of cheesecloth tied with a long piece of butcher string and braise in the pot or slow cooker until the meat is deliciously tender.
How Do I Make A Corned Beef Pickling Spice Packet?
To make a traditional corned beef for St. Paddy's day, a top chef's tip is to make your own corned beef spice packet. PRO TIP: Toss the one that comes with the meat from the grocery store. The seasoning packets will vary by brand but are mostly just peppercorns, bay leaves, dill, and mustard seeds. You can make it fresh and flavor-packed at home.
Simply measure and mix these spices below in a small bowl. Spread and coat meat (a flat cut corned beef brisket) with ¼ cup of Dijon mustard, and sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of this seasoning mixture on top.
1 tablespoon coriander seed
½ cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon dill seed
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 dry bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns (pink, white, or mixed whole peppercorns all work!)
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
Mix in a small bowl. It will store at room temperature in small glass jar or airtight container for 3-4 months.
Optional Variations & Additions
2 star anise, 8 whole cloves, 4 juniper berries, 1 teaspoon ground ginger
or 2 cardamon pods.
Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour per pound in a roasting pan with a good stout beer until internal meat temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. 
More Ways To Use Pickling Spice
Baked Corned Beef Brisket has a delicious spice crust and juicy fork-tender slices. Make old-fashioned homemade deli-style Pickled Eggs with jalapenos, garlic, and pickling spice.
Tavern Bar Style Pickled Eggs are a popular bar food served for hundreds of years to hungry patrons. These spicy eggs get their bright cheery yellow color from chili peppers, turmeric, and pickling spice. This fun easy pickled egg recipe can be a healthy snack, appetizer, or cold hor d'oeuvre.
More Seasoning Recipes
Take a look at all my homemade recipes for spices, seasonings, and flavor infusions, they make great gourmet food gifts!
My most popular seasoning mixes are this easy Homemade Grill & BBQ Rub to use as a rib rub, steak rub, chicken seasoning, or dry rub for pork. This Cajun seasoning mix goes so well on shrimp, oven fries, or in recipes for jambalaya, and classic gumbo.
Fire up the grill and use a Burger Seasoning that makes the juiciest flavor-filled Grilled Hamburgers. Mix up a batch of hamburger seasoning for your next cookout, grill, or BBQ party.
Pickling Spice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon dill seed
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 dry bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns black, pink, white, or mixed is fine
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
Optional Variations
- 2 star anise
- 8 whole cloves
- 4 juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cardamon pods
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all your spices. Add some of the optional ones I listed for addition flavor.
- Keep in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid, and use within 6 months.
Notes
Flavor Variations
You can add additional spices to add to your basic mix, try some or all of these:
- a few whole cloves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- a couple of star anise
- some juniper berries
- ground ginger
- a couple of cardamon pods
This pickling spice blend is amazing. My Grammy always made sweet pickles in the fridge but always used the store-bought pickling spice. The flavor was so much better with yours. Thanks Lisa!
This is my go-to pickling spice for my Grandmother's bread and butter pickles recipe!! So easy to make and so much better than store-bought!
Wow! Oh Jessie that is so great that you are using this recipe on your Grandmother's pickles. Made my day, thank you so so much for your comment, and happy pickling this summer!
Love this pickling spice with your Jalapeno Pickled Eggs Recipe! Delish!! I'm trying it next with pork chops!
Love that I can make this simple yet really flavorful pickling spice at home with simple, store-bought ingredients!