Cranberry Spice Dry Rub Recipe for Pork, Chicken, and Turkey

Can I make your life a little easier this season? Try this simple shortcut to vibrant autumn flavor: Cranberry Dry Rub. It may not sound flashy, but it’s delicious. Bright, savory, and warmly spiced, this blend combines dried cranberry with thyme-forward poultry seasoning, ginger, nutmeg, and a hint of cardamom. Finish with fresh orange zest when you’re ready to use it. Rub it on turkey, venison, beef, pork, fish, or roasted vegetables to add a depth of flavor that’s hard to match with store-bought mixes.

Why make your own dry rub instead of buying one? Two good reasons:

You control every ingredient. Making the rub yourself ensures the spices and dried fruit are fresh and exactly what you want.
There are no hidden additives. This Cranberry Dry Rub contains only recognizable ingredients—no vague “natural flavors” or mystery fillers—just clean, great-tasting components.

Wondering how to use it? I’ll be sharing several recipes on the blog that showcase this rub, including cranberry-dry-rubbed turkey breast and sweet potato croutons—both delicious ways to enjoy the blend.

Cook’s Notes

Use truly dry cranberries for this rub—drier than typical craisins. If your dried cranberries are too soft they’ll form a sticky paste in the blender and won’t distribute evenly on meat. To dry them further, spread craisins on a baking sheet and place in a very low oven (around 170–200°F) or in a dehydrator until they feel crisp. This can take a couple of hours; watch the oven carefully to avoid scorching. Alternatively, use commercially labeled low-moisture or freeze-dried cranberries; freeze-dried works especially well because it breaks up easily.
Add dried parsley flakes after blending. Stirring parsley in at the end preserves the flakes’ appearance; otherwise they get pulverized.
Do not add fresh orange zest to the stored dry rub—zest will introduce moisture and turn the mix pasty. Instead, sprinkle the orange zest directly on the meat or fish when applying the rub (see usage note below).
Store leftover rub in an airtight container at room temperature for up to six months. If it clumps, break it up with a fork before using.

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Cranberry Dry Rub

Rebecca Lindamood

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Ingredients

For the Dry Rub:

2/3 cup super dry cranberries
1/3 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup dry onion flakes
2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes

When you use the dry rub:

Add 3/4 teaspoon of fresh orange zest for every 3 tablespoons of dry rub you use.

Instructions

To Prepare the Dry Rub:

Place the super dry cranberries, raw sugar, dry onion flakes, kosher salt, poultry seasoning, ground ginger, granulated garlic, cracked black pepper, ground cardamom, and ground nutmeg in a blender. Pulse until the cranberries break into a coarse powder. Stir in the dried parsley flakes. Transfer the mixture to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and store at room temperature for up to six months.

To Use the Dry Rub:

Use about 3 tablespoons of dry rub per pound of meat or fish. Lightly drizzle the protein with olive or sunflower oil, sprinkle on the fresh orange zest, then coat with the dry rub and rub it in with your hands. For poultry, apply up to 12 hours before cooking. For fish, rub no more than 15 minutes before roasting, grilling, or frying.

Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate exact nutrition using the specific ingredients and amounts you use.