- Prep5 min
Six spices, one jar, five minutes. This Caribbean spice blend is smoky, peppery and has a decent kick from the cayenne. There’s no chopping and no salt, and the only thing you’ll wash is a measuring spoon.
Easier still? Buy a ready-made blend and skip the measuring. Otherwise, tip everything straight into a jar, put the lid on and shake. Rub it on ribs, chicken wings or steak and dinner’s flavoured before you’ve sat down.
Can I manage this today?
- Spoon rating: 🥄🥄 Low Spoons
- Hands-on time: about 5 minutes, nothing hands-off
- Main effort: measuring six spices into a jar
- Chopping: none
- Standing and attention: none, and it can all be done sitting down
- Washing up: one measuring spoon (the jar lives in the pantry)
Quick spoon check
- No-spoons version: buy a ready-made blend, or shake smoked paprika, pepper and a pinch of cayenne over your meat.
- Low-spoon version: sit down, measure everything straight into the jar, lid on, shake. No bowl, no grinder.
- As written: the same six spices, measured properly so every batch tastes the same.
Kerry’s notes
I use this on ribs and chicken wings, and it’s the flavour behind our Caribbean Beef Bowl, which is dinner in under 15 minutes.
Steak gets it too. Rub it on and it’s Ninja Approved. Marty would have had half of it off the board before I found a plate.
Heat is yours to set. Two teaspoons of cayenne gives it a proper kick. Cut it back if you like to taste the rest of your dinner.
Curious what each spice does for your body? That’s Leigh’s department. She has the reading list, so I put the kettle on and let her tell you. Start with her Ingredients & Nutrition guides.
What’s that ingredient?
Smoked paprika. Paprika made from peppers dried over smoke, so it tastes of campfire, not capsicum. It’s in the spice aisle at most supermarkets. Check the label says “smoked”, because sweet paprika won’t give you the smoke. Keep it airtight and out of the sun. Easiest swap: sweet paprika, minus the smoke.
White pepper. The same plant as black pepper, picked ripe and skinned. It has a milder bite and a more earthy taste. Look next to the black pepper in the spice aisle. Keep it airtight. Easiest swap: black pepper, same amount.
Cayenne pepper. Ground dried hot chilli, and the heat in this blend. Brands vary a lot, so taste a pinch before you commit. Find it in the spice aisle, or get California Gold Organic Cayenne at iHerb. Keep it airtight. Easiest swap: a pure ground chilli powder (check it isn’t a mix with other spices), a little at a time.
None of these are seasonal, so buy whenever the jar runs low.
Why this recipe works
- Smoke first. Smoked paprika does the heavy lifting. You get colour and a barbecue-ish smokiness without lighting a barbecue.
- Heat you control. Cayenne is the only fire in the jar. Halve it for a milder blend.
- Two peppers. Black pepper brings the bite. White pepper is earthier and lingers a bit longer.
- Herbs for balance. Dried thyme and basil stop it being all heat. Thyme is the classic Caribbean herb.
- Nothing else in the jar. No sugar or starch, so it suits low carb and keto, and you decide how much salt goes into the dish. New to the terms? Here’s keto vs low carb: what’s the difference.
Ingredients at a glance
- Smoked paprika: the smoke and the red colour.
- Cayenne pepper: the heat.
- Black pepper: the bite.
- White pepper: a milder, earthier heat that lingers.
- Dried thyme: the herby backbone.
- Dried basil: a softer herb note that balances the heat.
No Spoon Swaps
- Measure into the jar. No bowl, no whisking, one less thing to wash. Trade-off: you won’t see it mixed until you shake it.
- Buy it ground. Pre-ground spices only, so there’s no grinder or mortar and pestle. Freshly ground pepper has a bit more punch, but ground works perfectly well here.
- Shake, don’t stir. Lid on, good shake, done.
- Pick a lid you can open. A wide-mouth jar or a flip-top shaker is kinder on sore hands.
- Bank it for later. On a better day, make a bigger jar so it’s ready for the harder ones. Making a few? Try Zing Dynasty and Rub Me the Right Way while the measuring spoons are out.
- Buy it ready-made. Perfectly fine on a no-spoons day. Check the label for salt, sugar and maltodextrin (a starch that adds carbs), and for anti-caking agent 551 if that’s something you’d rather skip. iHerb stocks USimplySeason Artisan Spice Blends, and our No Spoons to Cook iHerb Rewards link gets you a discount on your order.
Substitutions and allergens
- Smoked paprika: sweet or hot paprika works. You’ll lose the smoke.
- White pepper: use black pepper in its place, same amount.
- Cayenne: halve it for a milder blend, or leave it out if heat isn’t your thing.
- Herbs: dried only. Fresh herbs add moisture and the blend won’t keep.
Allergen notes
- Gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, soy and sesame: none in the six ingredients as listed. Spices can be packed on shared equipment, so check your labels.
- Cayenne: it’s hot. Wash your hands after handling it and keep it away from your eyes.
Storage, freezing and reheating
- Fridge: not needed for the blend. Keep it in an airtight jar in a cool, dry cupboard, away from the stove and kettle, with the date on the lid. Best within about 6 months. Cooked food made with it goes in the fridge at 5°C or below within 2 hours of cooking, and is eaten within 3 days.
- Freezer: not needed for the blend. Cooked food made with it freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, use it within 24 hours and don’t refreeze it.
- Reheating: heat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Serving ideas
- Ribs or chicken wings: rub it on before cooking.
- Steak: rub it on and leave it a few minutes before cooking.
- Caribbean Beef Bowl: it’s the flavour behind our Caribbean Beef Bowl.
- Roast vegetables: toss them in avocado oil first so it sticks.
Frequently asked questions
How hot is this Caribbean spice blend?
Hot enough to notice. Two teaspoons of cayenne gives a proper kick, one teaspoon makes it medium and half a teaspoon keeps it mild.
Does it have salt in it?
No. Salt your dish as you normally would.
How much Caribbean spice blend do I use?
Start with 1½ teaspoons per 500 g of meat, then add more to taste.
Can I put the spoon back in the jar after touching raw meat?
No. Tip what you need into a small bowl first, then season the meat. That keeps the jar clean and dry.
Can I make a bigger batch?
Yes. Keep the same ratios in a bigger jar.
Island Time – Caribbean Spice Blend
Equipment
- Small jar with a tight lid (clean and dry)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to your taste
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
Make the blend
- Measure all six spices into a clean, dry jar.
- Put the lid on and shake for about 10 seconds, until the colour looks even.
- Write the date on the lid.
Notes
- Storage: Airtight jar, cool dry cupboard, away from the stove and kettle. Best within about 6 months.
- Heat: 2 tsp cayenne is a proper kick, 1 tsp is medium and ½ tsp is mild.
- Using it: Start with 1½ tsp per 500 g of meat, then add more to taste.
- Keep it clean: Tip what you need into a small bowl first. Don't dip back into the jar with a spoon that has touched raw meat.
- Freezing: Not needed.
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A final spoon-saving note
Make it once and let the jar do the work. Shake it, rub it on, put your feet up. Next time you’re staring at a pack of chicken wings wondering what to do with them, you’ll already have the answer on the shelf. Island time.
