Is it cheaper to make your own Montreal Steak Seasoning?
Montreal Steak Seasoning is a very popular spice blend to use with grilling both steak and chicken. We also use it in our homemade burgers, meatloaf, and roasted vegetables.
Since I am on a spice blend kick lately and we use Montreal Steak Seasoning a lot, I figured it was time to see if it was cheaper to make the seasoning myself or buy it. Let’s find out!
How much does it cost to make homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning?
Thankfully making your own Montreal Steak Seasoning is quick and really easy. You basically mix together the spices and then store them in an airtight container. For the cost breakdown we are going to be using a recipe from CulinaryHill.
| Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning Ingredients | Total Cost | Cost for Recipe |
| 2 tbsp paprika | $1.00 for 2.5oz | $0.18 |
| 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns | $5.23 for 5.8oz | $0.51 |
| 2 tbsp kosher salt | $1.98 for 16oz | $0.13 |
| 2 tbsp garlic powder | $1.00 for 3.4oz | $0.16 |
| 1 tbsp onion powder | $1.00 for 3.25oz | $0.07 |
| 1 tbsp ground coriander | $3.97 for 1.5oz | $0.55 |
| 1 tbsp dry dill seed or dill weed | $1.94 for 0.75oz | $0.27 |
| 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes | $1.44 for 1.75oz | $0.14 |
| Overall Total Cost: $17.56 | Total Cost for Recipe: $2.01 |
Depending on how well your spice cabinet is stocked, you may already have some of these ingredients on hand. If you have to go out and buy them all, it will cost about $17.56 at my local Walmart. Depending on where you live, your prices may vary.
I was not happy about the cost of black peppercorns and ground coriander and really only had a limited choice, so I would definitely shop around on these to get a better price!
This recipe makes a total of 12 tablespoons and costs approximately $2.01 to make it at home. So, the cost per ounce is about $0.33 for the homemade version.
How much does Montreal Steak Seasoning at the grocery store?
Typically, there is about 10.5-12 tablespoons per ounce of Montreal Steak Seasoning, but it varies depending on manufacturer. So, we will compare 1 oz of store-bought seasoning to the 12 tablespoons of our homemade version and call it close enough!
| Montreal Steak Seasoning | Store & Price | Cost per Ounce |
| Smidge & Spoon 3.17oz jar | Kroger, $1.39 | $0.44 |
| McCormick 29oz jar | Costco, $9.82 | $0.34 |
| McCormick 3.4oz jar | Albertsons, $3.49 | $1.02 |
| McCormick 3.4oz jar | Brookshire’s, $2.86 | $0.84 |
| Stonemill 3.4oz jar | Aldi, $1.09 | $0.32 |
| Weber 5.5oz jar | Big Lots, $4.99 | $0.91 |
| Supreme Tradition 2.5oz jar | Dollar Tree, $1.25 | $0.50 |
| MARCUM 3oz | SaveALot, $1.19 | $0.39 |
| McCormick 29oz jar | Sam’s, $10.01 | $0.34 |
| McCormick 11.6oz jar | Winn-Dixie, $9.19 | $0.79 |
| Good & Gather 3.4oz jar | Target, $2.59 | $0.76 |
| Food Club 3.4oz jar | Food Giant, $2.29 | $0.67 |
| Average Cost Per Ounce: | $0.61 |
We checked 12 different stores and found the average cost per ounce of Montreal Steak seasoning was $0.61.
We found prices as low as $0.32 an ounce at Aldi, and as high as $1.02 an ounce at Albertsons.
Is it worth making your own Montreal Steak Seasoning?
It looks like making Montreal Steak Seasoning is a little cheaper than buying it, but only by a little. It really just depends on the brand you typically buy.
For example, buying the seasoning at Aldi will save you $0.01 per ounce but buying it at Albertsons will definitely be more than making it. There was not a significant difference in a small jar versus a big bulk jar.
Now if you are looking to cut out sodium, you may be tempted to make your own steak seasoning, but I found many low sodium options for the same price, so it did not help cost wise.
Since we are huge fans of grilling steak during the summer and fall time, but we are watching our sodium, we will probably start making our own Montreal Steak Seasoning!
In the case of not liking certain ingredients like onion or garlic, your best option may be to make your own, but you can probably find a version without these as well.
Now if you were able to get the black peppercorns and ground coriander at a better price, you may come close to making it for about the same cost. You will definitely want to price compare the cost per ounce on these spices.
Making it yourself does not always work out as cheaper, and if you want to see other price comparisons check out “Is it Cheaper to Make or Buy Everything Bagel Seasoning?” and “Is it Cheaper to Make or Buy Chocolate Milk?“
