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Is there anything that Tajín isn’t good on? Many fans of the popular Mexican spice blend say there just aren’t any foods it can’t improve, including fresh fruit, grilled corn, dry-rubbed steak and even vanilla ice cream. If you haven’t yet come across one of the distinctive shakers with the zippy red-and-green logo, then you’re in for a whole new sweet-hot-tart flavor experience.

The seasoning powder, pronounced ta-HEEN, is known as salsa en polvo in Spanish. It’s a proprietary blend of chile peppers, salt and dehydrated lime juice. In many Mexican restaurants, it sits right the table, ready to be sprinkled on fresh fruit like mango, watermelon or pineapple. Or it can be dusted over vegetable platters of cucumbers or jicama. It’s a key ingredient in many dry rubs and marinades.

For cocktails, it’s a popular rimmer for Bloody Marys and Margaritas. You can even create an in-the-can michelada by adding a swipe of lime and a shake of Tajín right on the rim of the can.

How chefs are using it

At Los Angeles Tex-Mex restaurant Bar Amá, chef Josef Centeno puts it in signature salsa and uses it to rim cocktails. Chef Felipe Riccio of Houston’s Goodnight Charlie’s uses Tajín compound butter to baste redfish on the half shell. For the rock shrimp taco’s at Madison, Wisconsin-based Canteen, chef Jason Van Ommeren makes his own grits by braising yellow corn meal with roasted Mexican street corn (elote), then adding cream, Tajín and cotija cheese, the rock shrimp and serrano chiles and minced bacon as a topping.

What’s next

It’s a spice blend you’ll definitely be seeing more of in the months ahead. Think of how quickly sriracha took off, and prepare yourself for a similar ride. This summer’s announcement by Tyson Foods, Inc. that it would be teaming up with Tajín to launch a line of new products featuring Tajín’s Clásico Seasoning was probably just the beginning. So get a few bottles (or make your own in-house version) and start finding new ways to add some Tajín zing to your favorite recipes.

Resources

New York Times — “Tajín is a Lifestyle”