There's a question we hear all the time at our booth at the Nebraska State Fair, and it's one of the most honest questions a home cook can ask: How much seasoning should I actually use? Most people have either over-done it and ruined a good piece of meat, or held back too much and ended up with something bland. The truth is, there's no single right answer — but there are some real principles that can save you a lot of wasted food and disappointed dinners.
Here's what I've learned after years of seasoning everything from brisket to brussels sprouts.
The Biggest Mistake Most Home Cooks Make
It's not under-seasoning. It's over-seasoning — especially reaching for something spicy or heavy when a milder blend would have let the meat speak for itself.
I had a friend serve me chicken at a cookout once. She'd used a spicy seasoning blend, and the heat completely took over. I couldn't taste the chicken at all. Another time, someone used way too much seasoning salt on a piece of meat — and all I got was salt. No flavor, no depth. Just salt.
Both of those meals were made from good ingredients. The seasoning just got in the way.
That's the thing about a quality dry rub — it should bring out the flavor of what you're cooking, not overpower it. That's exactly what we designed Sandhill Ben's Original blend to do. Mild, smooth, and versatile. It works with the meat, not against it.
Seasoning Is Personal — Start Small and Build
Here's the most important thing I can tell you: seasoning is about personal preference. What I call spicy might be mild to you. What feels like plenty to me might not be enough for someone else.
So the rule I always give people is this — start with less than you think you need, and keep adding until you find your sweet spot.
Before you put anything on your food, taste the seasoning by itself. Get a little on your fingertip and try it. Is it mild and smooth, or strong and spicy? Does it have a lot of salt? That one step will tell you a lot about how much to use and whether it's the right fit for what you're cooking.
White Meat Versus Red Meat
This is a distinction I wish more people made before they started seasoning.
White meats — chicken, turkey, fish, shrimp — are much easier to over-season. They're more delicate, and strong flavors can take over quickly. With white meats, I always use less and go from there.
Red meats like steak, brisket, and roast are more forgiving. They can handle more seasoning and often benefit from a good coating. But even then, the goal is to complement the meat, not bury it.
Does Your Cooking Method Already Add Flavor?
This is something most people never think about — but it matters.
If you're grilling over wood chips, those chips are already adding flavor through the smoke. You don't need as much seasoning, because the cooking method is doing some of that work for you. Adding a heavy hand of seasoning on top means you're fighting with the smoke, and nothing wins.
On the other hand, if you're broiling in your oven, you're not getting any of that added smoke flavor. You'll want to season more generously to make up for it.
The question to ask yourself before you season is: Is my cooking method already adding flavor? If the answer is yes, pull back. If the answer is no, you have more room to work with.
Timing Matters More Than Most People Realize
Dry rubs are designed to marinate into your meat. The longer they sit, the deeper the flavor gets.
When I'm cooking something I've spent real money on — a good roast, a thick steak — I try to plan ahead and put the seasoning on one to two days in advance. The difference is noticeable. The seasoning works all the way through the meat, and it comes out wonderful.
Fish is a different story. Fish fillets are thinner, and the seasoning absorbs quickly. I season and cook right away.
Chicken I usually season and cook right away too — mostly because of lack of planning, if I'm being honest. But if I had the time, I'd season it the night before.
The simple rule of thumb: the thicker the meat, the more time it needs if you want the seasoning to work all the way through.
Seasoning Vegetables Is Worth Getting Right
A lot of people are experimenting with seasoning their vegetables now, which is great. But I see them reaching for seasoning salts at the grocery store, and most of the time they have no idea how much sodium they're adding.
Seasoning salts are heavy on salt. That's basically what they are. When you're putting that on vegetables, you're not really adding flavor — you're adding salt.
What I like about Sandhill Ben's Original blend on vegetables is that it's a balanced mix of spices without all that salt. It adds real flavor without turning your roasted vegetables into a sodium delivery system. In my eyes, that's a healthier option — and a better-tasting one.
Two Vegetables That Might Surprise You
If you haven't tried our seasoning on brussels sprouts, that's where I'd start. My family was skeptical. They were not brussels sprouts people. But I grill them year-round now, and everyone loves them.
Seasoned potatoes are another staple at our house. Toss them with a little oil, hit them with the seasoning, and let the grill do the work. Simple and reliable every time.
Seasoning for a Crowd
If you're cooking for a group — a cookout, a family dinner, a holiday meal — and you're not sure what everyone's tolerance is for salt or spice, go mild. Always.
Pick a seasoning that's on the lighter, more balanced side, and use less of it. People can always add more on their plate. You can't take it away once it's on the meat.
The One Piece of Advice I Wish I'd Had Earlier
I've thrown away more meat because it was over-seasoned than under-seasoned. Good meat. Meat I paid real money for. Gone, because I got heavy-handed with the seasoning.
Under-seasoned food is fixable. You can add more at the table, add a sauce, or just accept that it's a little plain. Over-seasoned food — especially something that's too spicy or too salty — there's often no coming back from it.
So if you take nothing else from this post, take this: when in doubt, use less. You can always add. You can't take it back.
That's the philosophy behind Sandhill Ben's, and it's the philosophy behind how we cook. Good seasoning doesn't shout. It just makes everything taste a little more like itself.