You may know Old Bay seasoning best as an indispensable ingredient in a classic crawfish boil or crab cakes with a lovely lemon sauce. But who said it’s exclusively the domain of seafood? Go on. Shake the seasoning on everything else…
Why Our Testers Loved This
The testers are sprinkling this on everything they can find, and for good reason. They loved that this homemade Old Bay spice blend tastes authentic yet doesn’t contain preservatives. Many of them look forward to adding this to their arsenal of homemade food gifts to share with friends and family.
Brenda C. “enjoyed the freshness of the homemade version, which was well-rounded and complete.” Hubba, hubba!
What You’ll Need to Make This
- Celery salt–Made from a combination of ground celery seed and salt, this contributes plenty of saltiness to the Old Bay-style seasoning blend. Keep this in mind when seasoning your food, as it may not need any additional salt.
- Paprika–This spice, made from ground red peppers, adds depth of flavor to the spice blend. We recommend regular paprika here.
- Ground mace–This is ground from the outer coating of the nutmeg seed. You can substitute ground nutmeg if necessary.
How to Make This Recipe
- Combine all of the spices in a small bowl.
- Stir until thoroughly combined. Transfer to an airtight jar or container and store at room temperature for up to 2 months.
Common Questions
Like most spice blends, it will keep for up to 6 months if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Given the options listed above, we doubt it will last you anywhere near that long.
The original Old Bay seasoning blend was created in 1940 by Gustav Brunn, a German spice maker who came to the US as a Jewish refugee during World War II.
The spice blend was created in Maryland and was originally sold under the name Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning, before being changed to Old Bay Seasoning. The rights to the spice blend were purchased by McCormick in 1990.
What Can I Do With Old Bay Seasoning?
– Mixed into crab cakes, natch
– Sprinkled on sweet corn on the cob
– Shaken or stirred into a Bloody Mary
– Dumped on fries
– Incorporated into the flour for dredging pan-fried fish or pan-fried chicken
– Dumped into seafood gumbo
– Stirred into Spanish gazpacho
– Strewn atop a baked potato
– Dusted daintily over naan
– Stirred into egg salad without mayo
– Rubbed on grilled fish that’s destined to be wrapped up in soft corn tortillas (that is to say, grilled fish tacos)
– Melded into hot crab dip
– Tossed with homemade popcorn
– Whisked into egg white omelets
– Swirled into seafood soups and stews
– Whirled into homemade tartar sauce
– Dissolved in a brine for pork or poultry
– Sprinkled in bread crumbs for, well, just about anything
– Mashed into deviled eggs Injected into chicken or turkey
– Mixed into the coating for onion rings
– Heaped on homemade potato chips
– Added to mayo for a quick dip
– Mashed with butter, garlic, and Parmigiano-Reggiano and slathered on warm bread
– Rubbed between the meat and skin of a hen prior to roasting
– Sprinkled on homemade tortilla chips as they’re pulled from the oil
– Tossed with breakfast oven fries
– Added to stuffing or, if you prefer, dressing (and we’re quite certain you know the difference between them…right?)
– Combined with hummus
– Strewn on crawfish anything
Helpful Tips
- For the most potent flavor, grind your own spices. Always measure the spices after grinding.
- If you plan on using this seasoning mix frequently, double or triple the recipe.
- If you prefer to be more precise in your measurements, a “pinch” can be measured as 1/16 of a teaspoon.
- Store the spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Benefits
There are several great reasons to make your own homemade Old Bay seasoning. You can whip up as big or small a batch as you like, depending on how frequently you use it. You can also adjust the seasoning and blend of spices to accommodate your personal preferences, allergies, or dietary needs.
More Great Seasoning Blend Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Homemade Old Bay Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch ground dry mustard
- 1 pinch ground mace, (may substitute a teensy pinch nutmeg)
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cardamom
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground ginger
Instructions
- Stir together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Transfer to a container of some sort that has a tight-fitting lid—a glass jar with a screw-top lid works spectacularly.
- Set aside in a cool, dark place and use within a couple months.
Notes
- Scale up the recipe–If you plan on using the spice blend frequently, double or triple the recipe.
- Storage–Old Bay seasoning should be stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to 2 months.
- Grind your spices–For the strongest flavor, grind your own spices. Always measure the spices after grinding.
- Measuring a “pinch”–If you prefer to be more precise in your measurements, a “pinch” can be measured as 1/16 of a teaspoon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is a direct rip-off of Todd Wilbur’s copycat recipe published in one of his Top Secret Recipe books, with no credit given.
Bill, the recipe does come from Todd Wilbur’s book. He is credited at the top of the post and the book is also credited in the recipe with a link to purchase his book.
After comparing this to another “Old Bay” recipe, I realized there are no bay leaves in this one. The McCormick website says there are bay leaves in Old Bay, so was this a conscious decision, or an oversight? Thanks.
Mike D., we don’t know exactly what the author had in mind. I do know the recipe is great, and we use it often. When I check their site, it lists these ingredients: Celery Salt (Salt, Celery Seed), Spices (Including Red Pepper and Black Pepper), and Paprika.
Just someone, I’m so, so sorry that you had an unpleasant experience. The fish does look nice, though! But what confuses me is that for a person who never adds salt to their food, why you would even think of adding celery salt? It’s almost all salt!! Confounding!