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Cooking pork the same way all the time can get pretty boring. You’ll want to check out this list of spices and seasonings that go well with pork and experiment in your own kitchen!

You can season pork with a brine or a marinade. If you’re ready to cook now, you can sprinkle your favourite flavours on the uncooked pork and give it a little rub so the seasonings really stick to the meat. If you’ve already cooked your pork, just sprinkle a small amount of your seasonings over the cooked pork before you serve it. (Dried herbs can have a pretty powerful flavour when they are sprinkled on cooked food, so just use a little bit if you’re going this way!)

Basil
We love basil here. Use basil by itself or with any of the spices that are in Italian seasoning for even more flavour.

Rosemary
Rosemary can have an overpowering flavour, so use it sparingly. It tends to have a hint of citrus flavour, so try it with marjoram.

Sage
Sage is a good flavour to use with pork, but a little goes a long way. Pair sage with garlic, paprika, parsley, or thyme.

Thyme
Thyme has a similar flavour to marjoram, but without the lemony undertone. Try thyme with garlic, parsley, or sage.

Ranch
You can never go wrong with Ranch flavours! Whether you’re topping a grilled pork chop with ranch dressing or using dry ranch mix as a seasoning rub, ranch always goes great with pork.

Italian Seasoning
Pre-packaged Italian Seasoning mixes usually include a combination of basil, oregano, and thyme. Many of the pre-made spice mixes also contain salt. You can easily make your own “Italian seasoning” by combining these three herbs.

Lemon Pepper
We love using Lemon Pepper seasoning on pork. It gives it a light, fresh flavour, without too much effort. Sprinkle it on before grilling, or top cooked pork with a dash of Lemon Pepper.

Cloves
Use ground cloves with a little bit of allspice to kick up the flavour a bit more.

Garlic
Garlic goes with everything! Use garlic powder, minced garlic, or roasted garlic to give pork dishes more flavour. Garlic works well with Italian seasoning; or with any combination of basil, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

Ginger
Raw, fresh ginger can have a very “sharp” taste. The flavour will mellow with more cooking. Ground ginger is not as pungent as fresh ginger. Use it in a stir-fry (cook fresh ginger for a minute before adding the pork), or on an oven-roasted or slow cooker pork roast.

Oregano
Oregano is one of the classic Italian seasonings. Add it to basil, or use it with Italian seasoning for more flavour.

Paprika
Paprika will give pork recipes a subtle, smoky flavour. Use a bit of paprika in pork recipes with Italian seasoning, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, sage, or thyme for a little extra flavour.

Parsley
Parsley is great for a fresh flavour. Parsley works well with Italian seasoning, marjoram, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

Marinade can be used to flavour thinner cuts of beef – like steaks. Larger cuts, like roasts can be brined to add moisture and then rubbed. You can also sprinkle dried seasonings on cooked beef. Be a little stingy if you’re doing this, dried herbs and spices can be pretty powerful if they aren’t cooked first!

A ‘rub’ is when you generously sprinkle the seasoning over your cut of meat and then use your fingers to rub it in well. The seasoning that you use could be easily mixed up at home or it could be a store-bought pre-mix.  Check out our shelves in store for a wide range of our favourite spices.

Know your spices and how to work with them to bring out the best tastes to your beef cut:

Basil

We love basil on almost everything. Basil can give beef a nice “Italian” sort of flavour. Use it alone, or with a combination of oregano, rosemary, and thyme for even more flavour.

Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are wonderful for adding flavour to a large roast. Put a few bay leaves in the broth when you’re cooking a beef roast, or when you’re making beef stew or beef soup. Just remember to take the bay leaves out before you serve it – they don’t taste very good to chew on!

Black Pepper

You can never go wrong with plain old salt and black pepper. Use this as a staple whenever you’re cooking beef.

Cayenne Pepper

If you like a little more heat, then cayenne pepper might be for you. Use this in place of – or in addition to – black pepper for a little smokier heat.

Chili Powder

Chili powder is another great way to get some spice into your meat. Go easy at first, it’s always easy to add more chili powder later, but you can’t take it out if you add too much!

Cumin & Curry Powder

If you like Indian flavours, you’ll enjoy cumin and curry powder. Use them sparingly if you aren’t used to them – cumin and curry powder can be overpowering!

Garlic

Garlic goes with absolutely everything! Add some to your slow cooker when you’re making a pot roast, toss some in a stir fry, or even add it to your ground beef. You can never go wrong with roasted garlic, garlic powder, or minced garlic.

Mustard

If you like an easy flavour, mustard or dry mustard powder is it. It packs a lot of punch with only a little bit of effort.

Onion

Onion, like garlic, goes with just about everything. It’s delicious cooked with a roast, grilled to top a steak, or mixed in with ground beef for tacos or sloppy joes.

Oregano

If you love Italian seasoning, you’ll want to pile on the oregano! Oregano is one of the ingredients in most Italian seasoning blends, and it’s delicious with beef.

Parsley

Most people think of parsley as a garnish, not as a flavour. But it can add a nice fresh flavour to any beef dish.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a classic herb to include in beef broth or in the pot with a pot roast. Toss in a few sprigs of fresh rosemary anytime you’re slow cooking beef, and you won’t be disappointed!

Sage

Sage usually goes with turkey or chicken, but it’s also delicious with beef! Add a little bit of dried sage to ground beef for a rich flavour.

Tarragon

Tarragon has a bit of an anise (black liquorice) flavour to it. If you like anise, then you’ll definitely want to try a little tarragon in your next beef dish.

Thyme

Thyme is so versatile. It mixes well with garlic, parsley, and sage. Try a combination of these the next time you make ground beef, or toss it in the broth with your next slow cooked roast.