Bottom Line: While not very hot, Ragin Cajun All-Purpose Cajun Seasoning has a bold flavor and it is a must-have item for the kitchen (and you can bump up the heat as needed).
Sometimes salt and pepper just isn’t enough, and that is when you want to reach for a good seasoning salt. There are definitely plenty of those out there–some which can be quite pricey, especially if a known chef’s name is attached–but you don’t really need to spend a lot of money on this seasoning. In fact, you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry right now to whip up a batch (watch for an upcoming recipe). But if you don’t want to mess with that, Ragin’ Cajun has you covered with their “Certified Cajun” seasoning which is a simple blend and quite affordable.
You can find this in the big 16 oz. can at your local supermarket selling for under four bucks (at least that’s what I pay in my area), and it advertises that it delivers “More Spice, Less Salt” (despite the fact that salt is first in the list of ingredients). Now I haven’t done a survey of other seasoning salts to see how they compare sodium-wise, but Ragin’ Cajun is definitely not overly salty in taste and the other seasonings do stand out.
This seasoning salt has the nice, rich flavor you expect from a Cajun seasoning, and you can taste the garlic and onion in the mix. It also has that little something extra which is the celery powder, added to give it a nice twist. Despite its bold flavor, there are only a handful of spices in the can. It has salt, “spices” (which I assume includes cayenne powder and black pepper), paprika, dried garlic, dried onion, and dried celery (plus one of them fancy chemist words–Tri-Calcium Phosphate–to “prevent caking”). Think of a crab or shrimp boil with a Cajun twist, and you will have a good idea of the flavor you are getting from this can.
Heat-wise, this is barely at the mild level, but that’s okay. I just keep a jar of ground cayenne pepper close by which allows me to spice things up as needed. This salt can be added to just about anything that needs some seasoning, and by itself it won’t make a dish too spicy while it does bring plenty of flavor. So it works for those who can’t handle the heat (we weep for them), and you can kick it up as necessary with cayenne or other hot add-ins.
Ragin’ Cajun is a must for eggs, and certainly you will be using it in any Cajun dish you are making. But this is my go-to seasoning, so I add it to just about everything including burgers, taco meat (with taco seasoning as well), fish/seafood, chicken, and more. Plus, this makes a good blackening seasoning with plenty of cayenne added. This is also great to add to popcorn, and I’ll be posting a recipe that will show you how to kick up that snack.
I buy this at my local HEB, usually finding it in the seafood section. And at under four bucks for a 16 oz can, it lasts me several months. If you can’t find it in your store, it is available from online sellers, though expect to pay a bit more. This is definitely a top-notch seasoning in my book, and I always have a can of it sitting next to the stove ready to use.
Tale of the Tape:
Serving Size: ¼ Teaspoon (1g)
Calories: 0
Fat: 0g (0g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 0g
Sodium: 300mg