Spice blends are a mix of different spices and herbs that give food a rich flavor.

Some spice blends are associated with the traditional cuisine of a particular region, and they are made up of herbs and spices that can easily be found in that region.

Cajun and jerk seasoning are peppery spice mixes that are used for traditional cuisines but are also popular worldwide

Cajun seasoning is associated with Cajun cuisine, a style of cooking native to Louisiana while jerk seasoning is native to Jamaica where it is popularly used for  Jamaican jerk chicken and other Caribbean dishes.

Both of these seasoning blends are made up a unique mix of different spices which gives them their distinctive flavor.

In this post, we discuss both of these seasoning blends as well as the difference between them.

Difference between cajun and jerk seasoning

Both are hot and spicy seasoning blends that are widely used in the respective cuisines of the regions where they are native to.

They feature a variety of herbs and spices including peppers.

The ingredients used for cajun and jerk seasoning are different and each of these spice blends differ in flavor profile.

The main ingredients in jerk seasoning are allspice and scotch bonnet peppers, while Cajun seasoning contains mainly cayenne peppers, paprika, garlic powder and oregano.

Cajun seasoning

Cajun cuisine is native to Louisiana and consists of dishes such as jambalaya, etouffe, and gumbo.

It draws influences from African, French and Native American cuisine.

Cajun seasoning is used in various recipes in Cajun cuisine.

This seasoning is made up of a rich blend of herbs and spices which are also readily available.

Cajun spice mix can be homemade or can be bought from grocery stores.

This seasoning blend is packed with different types of peppers including hot ones like cayenne pepper.

Cayenne peppers have a scoville heat unit of between 30,000 to 50,000.

They are also the major source of heat in this spice blend.

The amount of cayenne pepper used in this spice mix can be reduced for a milder heat.

Other spices and herbs that are added to make Cajun spice blend are paprika, bell pepper, black pepper, salt, thyme, garlic powder and oregano

Cajun seasoning is quite similar to creole seasoning in its flavor profile, however, creole seasoning is not as hot as Cajun seasoning.

Cayenne pepper could be added to creole spice blends and can be used to substitute Cajun seasoning when it is not available.

Jerk seasoning

Jerk seasoning is a hot and spicy mix of different spices.

This blend of spices is used for jerk cooking; jerk is native to Jamaica but it is also common in other parts of the Caribbean.  

Jerk seasoning is characterized by its heat, as well as its unique flavor which comes with the mixture of spices.

Its recipe may vary slightly, however the main ingredients are largely allspice and scotch bonnet peppers.

Scotch bonnet peppers have a lot of heat as they are about 100,000 to 350,000 units on the scoville heat scale.

Other herbs and spices that usually make up the jerk spice mix are cloves, scallions, cinnamon, thyme, nutmeg, ginger, ground chiles, and black pepper.

Some recipes of this spice blend also make use of brown sugar and salt.

Jerk seasoning is popularly used as a marinade to to marinade chicken, pork, seafood, and other types of meat. They are sometimes used for vegetables as well.

The spice mix could be made into a sauce or rubbed dry on meat before grilling

One popular recipe that is seasoned with jerk seasoning is the jerk chicken.

This spice blend can be home made and could also be bought from grocery stores.

In conclusion

Jerk and cajun seasoning blends are used in hot and spicy recipes.

They are made from a mixture of different herbs and spices that are peppery and also rich in flavor.

Each of these seasoning blends give dishes in their respective cuisines a unique flavor.

These spice blends usually contain herbs and spices that are readily available, and they are therefore easy to make at home.