Back when we were growing up, seasoning meant whatever came in the red cap and a whole lot of hope. These days, we know better.

Making your own jerk seasoning isn’t about being fancy, it’s about control. Control over the heat, the salt, and the story your food tells. Store-bought blends play it safe; this one does not. It’s bold, layered, and unapologetic, the kind of flavor that reminds you grown folks do things their own way now. Mix it up, own it, and season like you mean it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme (or use 1 teaspoon ground thyme)
• 2 teaspoons sugar (or use brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Whisk all ingredients together and even make extra to store for later.

Once you make your own jerk seasoning, there’s no going back. You’ll start looking at store-bought blends like an old mixtape that skipped nostalgic, but not it anymore. This seasoning is your foundation: bold, flexible, and ready for whatever you throw it on. Use it on chicken, seafood, veggies… or take it all the way and put it to work in this  Jerk Pork Tenderloin recipe where the flavor really shows out. Because when you build it from scratch, the results always hit different.

I believe what you build from scratch, whether it’s a meal, a mindset, or a new season of life, always carries more meaning. So try the recipe, trust your instincts, and let this be another reminder that you’re allowed to do things your way now. If it nourished you, pass it on. Somebody else might need this lesson too.