There are things you can easily buy that save you a ton of time — and I’m all for that. Life gets busy, and making cooking simple and sustainable is always the goal. I go in spurts: sometimes I love making things from scratch, and sometimes my brain genuinely cannot handle the extra steps. Both are valid.
But this summer, my garden has been quietly reminding me to slow down. To do some things the longer way. To actually enjoy the process instead of always optimizing for speed.
So when my partner and I were craving lemon pepper wings, I thought — why not try making the seasoning myself?
It turned out to be one of the most satisfying little kitchen projects I’ve done in a while. Three ingredients. A dehydrator or oven. And a result that tastes better than anything from a jar.
Here’s how simple it actually is.
You need lemons, whole peppercorns, and salt. That’s the entire ingredient list.
Take 5 lemons and peel off just the yellow part — try to leave as much of the white pith behind as possible, since that’s where the bitterness lives. Lay the peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or your dehydrator tray), making sure to leave space between each piece so air can circulate.
Set your oven to its lowest possible temperature, or your dehydrator to 130–140°F. Walk away. Check after 2 hours, then once an hour after that until the peels are fully dried — no softness, no moisture left. The time varies depending on your oven or dehydrator, but you don’t need to hover over it. It’s a great thing to do on a day when you’re home but busy with other things.
Once the peels are fully dried, put them in a coffee grinder with ¼ cup of whole peppercorns and pulse until you get a rough blend — you want some texture, not a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl, add 1–2 teaspoons of salt, and mix together. Taste it. Adjust the pepper and salt until it’s exactly what you want. That’s it.
Store in an airtight container and use it on wings, drumsticks, steak, fish, chicken with a butter sauce — honestly almost anything that wants a bright, peppery kick.
It’s funny how something this small can feel so rewarding. There’s something about making a seasoning from scratch — something you’d normally just grab off a grocery store shelf without thinking — that makes the meal feel like it has a little extra love in it.
What do you like to make from scratch that brings that something extra to a dish? I’d love to know — reply and tell me.
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