Old Bay Seasoning: The Flavor that Goes with Everything

This popular spice was created in Maryland and has been around since the 1940s. In fact, the name of the original product was actually called Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning.

It really rolls right off the tongue right?

History

Image Borrowed from https://www.cruiselinehistory.com/the-old-bay-line

Old Bay is named after the Old Bay Line, a passenger ship line. The company sailed the waters of the Chesapeake Bay from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia in the early 1900s.

In 1939, a Jewish-German immigrant named Gustav Brunn started a spice company called Baltimore Spice Company.

The Baltimore spice company (now McCormick) is responsible for old bay’s creation and the recipe includes a blend of celery salt, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, mustard seed, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and mace. It still available in that classic yellow tin.

As Far as Herbs and Spices Go

It is one of the most versatile spice blends out there. Other spices may go on a couple of things here or there, but old bay goes on so many foods.

It’s perfect for seafood but is versatile enough to be used on chicken, beef, and pork, french fries, deviled eggs, crab cakes, steamed crabs, ground beef, corn on the cob, potato salad, popcorn, uhhhhh you get the idea.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the best foods to pair with old bay and learn more about its history. We will also check out our seasoning recipe and look at some of our old bay recipes that would pair well with a sprinkle of all the ingredients.

The Original Recipe

The original recipe is largely a mystery to this day. However, there have been many attempts to recreate this seasoning brand. The exact seasoning recipe will most likely remain a secret, however, the product details can be found here.

Homemade old bay seasoning may differ slightly from household to household… mainly due to missing ingredients.

Here’s a list of staples you would need to recreate the spice blend.

• bay leaf
• celery salt
• celery seed
• paprika
• ground black pepper
• white pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes
• cayenne pepper
• dry mustard
• ground nutmeg
• ground cinnamon
• ground cardamom
• ground allspice
• ground cloves
• ground ginger

You may have Old Bay in your pantry and not even know it! This popular spice is still very popular and remains a staple in many a home.

While old bay seasoning is perfect because you can use it on so many different types of dishes. One of the most well-known occasions to use Old Bay is when you are hosting a crab boil.

No other seasoning blends can compare to the perfect mix of spices that is old bay.

How to make Old Bay Seasoning?

Original versions contain about 18 ingredients, most of which remained strictly hidden. Even though there is no known exact quantity or ratio of each of the ingredients, the mixture is being replicated several times over the years.

A good recipe will have many of the ingredients mentioned above. Paprika and nutmeg really work well together.

Here is our Homemade Old Bay seasoning recipe

Spoiler Its just these ingredients mixed together

• 2 T bay leaf powder
• 1 T ground celery seed
• 1/2 T pink salt
• 1 T dry mustard
• 2 t black pepper
• 2 t ground ginger
• 2 t smoked paprika
• 1 t ground nutmeg
• 1 t ground cloves
• 1 t ground allspice
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 t ground cardamom
• 1/4 t ground cinnamon

Mix well and store in an airtight container. If you have a small spice grinder you can use that as well.

Food Ideas

So what are some of the best foods to pair old bay seasoning mix with? Keep reading to find out!

Seafood: Shrimp, Crab, Lobster

Old bay was made for seafood… literally. But it goes well on almost any cooked food. Let’s see what the spice brings to the table when it comes to seafood.

Shrimp

Old bay is the perfect spice to use on shrimp because it enhances the natural flavor of the seafood. It’s also a bit spicy, which gives shrimp an added kick. If you’re looking for a delicious and easy seafood dish to prepare, try using old bay seasoning on shrimp!

Crab

Old bay seasoning is a popular spice mix that is used in seafood dishes. It tastes great on crab and gives it a delicious flavor. Crab is one of the many seafood delicacies that old bay pairs perfectly with.

You should try it on crab cakes or mock crab cakes if you can’t handle shellfish.

The bold, zesty flavor really stands out against the delicate sweetness of crab meat, making for a truly delicious dish.

Another seafood that old bay seasoning goes well with is lobster.

Lobster

Just like it does with shrimp and crab, this spice blend brings out the best in lobster. The spices enhance the natural flavors of the lobster meat, making for a truly delicious dish.

If you love lobster, then old bay seasoning is the perfect spice for you!

Old bay seasoning is a popular spice blend that originates from Maryland. It’s perfect for seafood, but can also be used on other types of cuisine.

It may seem obvious reading it, but old bay goes great on chicken.

Grilled Chicken

When it comes to grilling chicken, old bay seasoning is a must-have spice. The bold and zesty flavor of old bay seasoning pairs perfectly with grilled chicken and brings out the best in this dish.

If you’re looking for a delicious and easy chicken recipe to prepare, try using old bay seasoning on grilled chicken!

Roasted Chicken

Just like it does with shrimp, crab, and lobster, old bay seasoning brings out the best in roasted chicken.

The spice mix enhances the natural flavors of the chicken meat, making for a truly delicious dish. If you’re looking for a delicious and easy chicken recipe to prepare, try using old bay seasoning on roasted chicken!

Fried Chicken

If you love fried chicken, then old bay is the perfect spice for you! The bold and zesty flavor pairs perfectly with fried chicken and brings out the best in this dish.

If you’re looking for a delicious and easy chicken recipe to prepare, try using old bay seasoning on fried chicken!

Beef

Putting old bay on beef was a real eye-opener for me. I had always assumed that old bay was only for seafood, but it turns out that it goes great on beef as well!

The bold and zesty flavor of old bay seasoning pairs perfectly with beef and brings out the best in this dish. If you’re looking for a delicious and easy beef recipe to prepare, try using old bay seasoning on steak and burgers.

Steak

A tender rib-eye steak really makes the mouth water, but when you add old bay seasoning, it takes the dish to a whole new level.

The bold and spicy flavor pairs perfectly with steak and brings out the best in this dish. If you’re looking for a delicious and easy beef recipe to prepare, try sprinkling some on your steak.

Burgers

If you want to spice up your burgers with a flavor you won’t forget, old bay seasoning is the way to go.

The bold and zesty flavor of old bay seasoning pairs perfectly with burgers and brings out the best in this dish. If you’re looking for a delicious and easy burger recipe to prepare, try using old bay seasoning on your next batch of burgers!

As you can see, old bay seasoning goes great with a variety of different foods. So next time you’re at the store, be sure to pick up a bottle of this versatile spice!

Pork

You can sprinkle this seasoning on any pork and it will immediately enhance the flavor of the cut. Pork chops are delicious with old bay, as are roasted pork tenderloins.

If you want to really enjoy the flavor of old bay, try it on some pulled pork. The bold and zesty spices will perfectly complement the rich and juicy flavors of the pork, making for a truly delicious dish.

There are so many different ways to enjoy old bay seasoning.

I hope this blog post has inspired you to try it on some of your favorite dishes! Try our recipe out here and see if you can make it at home.

Drinks

Old Bay also goes with several drinks most of which are alcoholic. So make sure you are 21 if you are going to try any of these.

• Old Bay Bloody Mary
• Old Bay Martini
• The Chesapeake Bay Cocktail. (Rim the glass with a little celery salt or lime salt this one is delicious.)

The company now even sells Old Bay Vodka. (You have to be 21 to enter the site)

What Does a Bay Leaf Taste Like?

Bay leaves have a strong, bitter taste if eaten whole. Their smell is more noticeable than their taste. When they are dried, their smell is herbal and slightly floral.

Helpful Tips

• old bay seasoning is a popular spice blend that originates from Maryland
• old bay is perfect for seafood, but can also be used on other types of cuisine
• try old bay on grilled chicken, roasted chicken, fried chicken, beef, steak, burgers or pork for a delicious and easy meal
• Bay leaves have a strong, bitter taste if eaten whole. Their smell is more noticeable than their taste. When they are dried, their smell is herbal and slightly floral.
• old bay is a great way to spice up any dish
• be sure to pick up a tin of old bay the next time you’re at the store!
• or experiment with your own homemade old bay seasoning recipe.

Old Bay seasoning is a popular spice blend that originates from Maryland. The spices in old bay include celery seed, mustard seed, paprika, pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, mace, cardamom, ginger and salt.

Old bay can be used on seafood dishes like shrimp and crabcakes. It is also perfect for poultry and beef. You can even use it to spice up your burgers

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a flavor that goes with everything, old bay seasoning is the spice for you! Try it on your next seafood dish and enjoy the delicious taste.

Do you have a favorite food that you like to put old bay seasoning on? Let me know in the comments below!

And be sure to check out our homemade old bay seasoning recipe.

I hope you found this blog post helpful and informative. Thanks for reading! until next time, bye! :)”

Thanks for reading! until next time! 🙂