Salt rib with acceptable seasoning (8)
I believe the answer is:
tarragon
'seasoning' is the definition.
(I know that tarragon is a type of herb)
'salt rib with acceptable' is the wordplay.
'salt' becomes 'tar' (both can informally mean a sailor).
'rib' becomes 'rag' (both can mean to tease or mock).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'acceptable' becomes 'on' (as opposed to not on, unacceptable).
'tar'+'rag'+'on'='TARRAGON'
(Other definitions for tarragon that I've seen before include "cooks may use it" , "Herb coming" , "Strangely arrogant herb" , "leaves" , "Culinary herb" .)