Old Bay Seasoning

[Morning Glory]

This was mentioned recently here. But I've noticed Old Bay Seasoning crops up so often in American recipes! So - it must have something really good going for it. Here in the UK its available on-line (at a price). In the UK we don't tend to use ready made spice mixes and I certainly can't think of a well known brand.

There doesn't seem to be a comprehensive list of ingredients for Old Bay - although there are numerous 'copy-cat' recipes on the internet. There are lists of ingredients available but there is then that mysterious 'and other spices' - which could mean anything. I thought - well I'll have to try it and then I can try to replicate it. So I've ordered at stupid expense this tin:

I look forward to discovering this magical ingredient... Do any of you make your own version or know what all the ingredients are?

 

[Toffeeapple]

I have that size tin, one of my American nieces brought it over for me last Autumn. It is mostly celery seed and pepper listed on the tin but I think there is more to it than that. I do use it a lot especially in soups.
Here is a list of ingredients from a blog that I read:

Make Your Own Old Bay Seasoning: Mixtogether 2 TBS Powdered Bay leaf (do this in a spice or coffee grinder) 2 TBS celery salt, 1 TBS dry mustard powder, 2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp ground mace, 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. Mix together well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.

This is from the blog https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.co.uk.

 

[rascal]

Hmmm. Never heard of it. The ingredients don't inspire me to much. I think I'll flag this one.

Russ

 

[buckytom]

Old Bay seasoning is most often used with seafood such as crab and shrimp. Although, I wouldn't go as far as to say it is used in a lot of recipes. You have to really like the blend to put it in other dishes like devilled eggs, or on corn on the cob, or in scalloped potatoes.

I like Old Bay every once in a while, but only if it is used sparingly.

Very often seafood restaurants will feature a dish of Old Bay crabs, or shrimp, or fish, and it comes out practicaly crusted in the seasoning so you can no longer taste the protein.

 

[Morning Glory]

Old Bay seasoning is most often used with seafood such as crab and shrimp. Although, I wouldn't go as far as to say it is used in a lot of recipes. You have to really like the blend to put it in other dishes like devilled eggs, or on corn on the cob, or in scalloped potatoes.

I like Old Bay every once in a while, but only if it is used sparingly.

Very often seafood restaurants will feature a dish of Old Bay crabs, or shrimp, or fish, and it comes out practicaly crusted in the seasoning so you can no longer taste the protein.

Is it a bit like Cajun seasoning?

 

[CraigC]

Is it a bit like Cajun seasoning?

Old Bay is a staple for Maryland style steamed blue crab and shrimp. It isn't as spicy as the seasonings used in a Cajun, crawfish, shrimp or crab boil. Used with with equal amounts of white vinegar and water, which bring out the sweetness in the crab and shrimp IMO, the Old Bay is mixed with salt and sprinkled over live crab which are layered in the steaming pot. Layering the crab pot is the most exciting part if you don't really chill the crabs first. Some folks can be pretty heavy handed with the Old Bay on the crabs. For steamed shrimp, I mix it in with water, vinegar and salt. One pound of shrimp only calls for 2 Tbsp. We also use it in crab cakes. If I were to compare Old Bay to a Cajun/Creole seasoning, for spice, it would be Tony Chachere's (satch erie) Creole seasoning. Some folks like to sprinkle this over crawfish after they have been spread out on the newspaper covered table.

 

[Morning Glory]

I'm now in receipt of the Old Bay. My first thought on tasting a bit on its own was was 'salty' - then mace (or possibly nutmeg) plus heat from chilli/paprika. The dominant taste was the mace. Interesting - mace is used as a spice in UK 'potted shrimps' (tiny shrimps not prawns).

So celery salt , mace, ground bay leaves, chilli, paprika... perhaps

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

This is the only prepared seasoning mix I ever use. I stopped using "curry powder" when I found out I could make my own. Likewise, Chinese 5-Spice Powder and "Cajun Seasoning" (which can be a wide range of things...I just want to be able to pick what those things are).

But, as I mentioned in the referenced post, Old Bay brings out the sea without obscuring the seafood, unless someone is heavy-handed with it as @buckytom mentions above.

Very often seafood restaurants will feature a dish of Old Bay crabs, or shrimp, or fish, and it comes out practicaly crusted in the seasoning so you can no longer taste the protein.

Aren't there maritime laws by which restaurants can be prosecuted for crimes against seafood? Oh, I know there aren't, but sometimes I swear there should be.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I use it!