Old Bay Crabcakes Crab Cake

two slices bread, crusts removed
milk sufficient to moisten bread
one pound backfin crabmeat, picked through and cleaned
one quarter teaspoon salt
one teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
one tablespoon baking powder
one tablespoon chopped parsley
one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
one tablespoon mayonnaise
three to four tablespoons vegetable oil for frying

Since crabmeat bought in the store comes from crabs that are picked by people in a factory setting, clean crabmeat and pick through looking for any pieces of shell or cartilage. Pick over carefully to and try not to break up any of the large chunks of crab. The better crabcakes are those that have nice big chunks of crab meat visible on the outside.

Break bread into small pieces and moisten with milk; combined with the remaining ingredients and mix together well. Shape into four to six patties. Fry crabcakes in hot oil until browned; flip and brown other side.

Instead of frying, you may broil for about five minutes to each side; turning pver when one side has browned.

Serve with mayonnaise, tartar sauce or lemon wedges. Maybe served plain or on hamburger buns. Serve additional Old Bay Seasoning on the side.

June 17, 2007

How To Steam Maryland Blue Crabs Recipe

This is the classic recipe for which Old Bay Seasoning was created. At the time of the creation of Old Bay Seasoning crabs we’re so abundant in the Chesapeake Bay that they were served in bars and given away for free. The saltiness of this crab seasoning mix helped bartenders to sell more beer. The seasoning doesn’t actually get into the crabs, but instead stays on the shell and seasons the crab meat indirectly by hand contact while eating the crabs. So a variation of this recipe is to add the seasoning as the crabs are removed from the pot and are still wet (remember a little goes a long way).

Maryland Steamed Crabs

For each dozen crabs use:
2 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
3 tablespoon salt
water and vinegar

Use a large pot, such as a canner, with a raised rack in the bottom at least 2 inches above bottom of the pot (a round barbecue grill sitting on bricks or stones works well). Fill pot with equal quantities of vinegar and water to just below the level of the rack. Add craps to pot in layers, sprinkling each layer of live crabs^*** with the mixture of Old Bay Seasoning and salt. Cover and steam until crabs or red, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve crabs immediately. Because seafood spoils quickly, keep crabs warm in steamer or promptly refrigerate.

Serve steamed crab on a table covered with paper for easy cleanup and with plenty of cold beer. Melted butter seasoned with a little Old Bay Seasoning is often served on the side. Have plenty of paper towels handy.

^***When adding crabs to pot, make sure the crab is alive. Crabs spoil quickly and any dead crabs should be discarded.

June 17, 2007

Old Bay Butter Recipe

1 pound butter
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp minced onion
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

Softened butter. In a small bowl or a coffee cup, mix together the lemon juice, onion and Old Bay Seasoning. Place the butter in a small bowl and whip until soft and creamy. Add the lemon juice, onion and Old Bay Seasoning mixture slowly to the butter while whipping. Use immediately or will keep for three to five days in refrigerator.

Old Bay Butter is excellent on seafood, vegetables such as corn on the cob, with baked (or mashed) potatoes or simply as a spread for bread.

April 15, 2007

THREE NEW REASONS TO REACH FOR THE OLD BAY®

Old Bay Seasoning – Crabs, Seafood, Chicken

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THREE NEW REASONS TO REACH FOR THE OLD BAY®

HUNT VALLEY, Md. – (March 2007) – No matter how you shake it, OLD BAY® is truly the taste of summer. For years, legions of loyal fans have relied on this zesty blend of a dozen herbs and spices for seasoning shrimp, salmon, burgers, corn on the cob, and much more. Now, OLD BAY is adding three new items to give people more ways to savor their favorite seasoning. Look for them in the seafood section of grocery stores nationwide this spring.

NEW OLD BAY 30% Less Sodium Seasoning – For the first time ever, the distinctive flavor of OLD BAY is available with 30% less sodium. A less sodium variety is on-trend with people who seek more healthful choices. This versatile seasoning is ideal for all types of fish, as well as poultry, salads, meats, popcorn, and more. Suggested retail price: $1.99
NEW OLD BAY Rub – This coarse blend of OLD BAY, with a touch of brown sugar, is a perfect complement to grilled or broiled seafood. It creates a flavorful crust that seals in juices. Suggested retail price: $1.79
NEW OLD BAY Seafood Steamers – Steam and season like the pros with this great new product. Just place fresh or thawed shrimp and seasoning in the special steaming bag, shake to coat evenly and microwave 3-4 minutes. Toss the empty bag and the mess. Suggested retail price: $2.89

About Old Bay
For more than 60 years, OLD BAY seasoning has been the secret ingredient for cooks from coast to coast. This blend of a dozen herbs and spices — including bay leaf, red pepper, celery salt, mustard, and ginger – has developed a loyal following. OLD BAY’s bright yellow and blue tin has become an icon, and its distinct flavor is the ultimate in seasoning seafood and more. For more information and recipes, visit www.old-bay.com, or call 1-800-MEAL-TIP (1-800-632-5847).

Old Bay is a registered trademark of McCormick & Company, Hunt Valley, MD 21031

February 11, 2007

Old Bay Fried Chicken Recipe

Maryland is one of the largest poultry and chicken produce states with the Perdue company headquarters located in Salisbury, MD on the eastern shore of Maryland. And so it’s rightly so that chicken should be one of the widely served foods in Maryland. One of our favorite ways to serve fried chicken is (surprise) Old Bay Fried Chicken. Tasty, and easy to make, this is a classic Old Bay recipe.

2-3 pounds cut up chicken pieces
1 cup flour
1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning
2 eggs
1 tbsp water
2 cups canola oil

In a large zip lock bag place flour and Old Bay seasoning. Mix thoroughly.

In a large bowl crack eggs and add water; mix well with a fork. Place oil in
a large frying skillet and heat on medium heat. Wash cut up chicken and pat
dry. Dip chicken in egg mixture and place in flour mixture. Toss chicken
in flour mixture. Press flour mixture into chicken to ensure chicken has a
thick coating of flour.

Test temperature of oil before placing chicken in hot oil. Take a drop of water and place it in the oil if it sizzles the oil
is the right temperature. Place chicken in hot oil skin side up. Repeat dipping and flouring remainder of chicken pieces. Sprinkle a little more Old Bay seasoning on chicken in skillet. Cook chicken for approximately 20-25 minutes before turning chicken over.

Periodically check chicken by carefully lifting a corning of chicken and making sure it is not getting too brown.
If the outside is browning to fast lower the heat a little. Turn chicken over and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Again check to make sure chicken is not browning to fast. Remove from oil and place on plate lined with paper towel. Serve Old Bay Fried Chicken hot or cold as both ways taste great.

January 31, 2007

Old Bay Turkey Joes Special Recipe

East meets West with this recipe modification of the San Francisco standard breakfast meal known as Joe’s Special. The Joe’s Special meal was invented in a San Fransisco Diner during the 1930’s and is a mixture of ground beef, onion, garlic, mushrooms, spinach, and eggs. We’ve switched the ground beef for lean ground turkey and added a little taste of Baltimore with Old Bay Seasoning. The results are a delicious breakfast or dinner meal.

What you need:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion peeled and thinly sliced
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
8 ounces washed and sliced mushrooms
6 ounces washed spinach leaves
4 eggs, beaten
Parmesan cheese

Cook the turkey in a large non-stick skillet until browned. Remove any excess fat from pan. Sprinkle the with Old Bay Seasoning, add the onions, and garlic, and cover . Let simmer about 5 minutes, then mix the onions and mushrooms into the cooked turkey. Continue to simmer and mix until the mushrooms and onions are cooked, about another 3 to 4 minutes. Top the mixture with 6 ounces of washed spinach leaves. Cover, let cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove cover and mix the wilted spinach into the meat, mushroom and onions. Cook another few minutes to let the moisture simmer away, and then add the beaten eggs. Stir the mixture until the eggs are set. Sprinkle each serving with 1/2 – 1 tsp Parmesan cheese.

January 28, 2007

Old Bay Chicken Wings

Here’s one of our favorite recipes using Old Bay Seasoning — Old Bay Seasoned Chicken Wings. It’s fairly easy to make, but you have to plan a head so that the wings have time to soak up the flavor in the marinade. These Chicken Wings take an hour to cook, so this is a recipe that takes about 3 hours to make from start to finish.

Ingredients
5 pounds of chicken wings
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup canola oil
2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
2 tsp Tabasco Sauce

To make
Wash the chicken wings thoroughly and place on a plate. Add the vinegar, canola oil, Old Bay Seasoning and Tabasco Sauce to a bowl and mix well. If you have a Waring Blender blend these items in the blender instead of by hand. Place the chicken wings in one or two ziploc bags, add the marinade, and place in refrigerator. Marinate for 2 hours, flipping the bags over every half hour.

Preheat oven to 500° F. We like to use disposable aluminum baking pans covered with non-stick aluminum foil to cook the wings for the easy clean up. You can use a regular baking pan, and cover the bottom with non-stick foil if you don’t have toss out heavy duty pans on hand. Place the wings in the pan in a single layer, and bake for one hour. Cook covered with aluminum foil for the first 50 minutes. Remove foil from pan for last 10 minutes to allow wings to brown.

Serve the cooked wings with Ranch Dressing along with celery, cucumber, and carrot sticks.

Editors Note: YES, 500 degrees is correct. Use the meaty whole chicken wings (as pictured) that you get at the grocer in the large package — not the wingettes. Cover the pan for the first 50 minutes, and then remove to let wings brown. When placing wings in the pan, place them close together and do not try to drain the marinade from the wings. Take them straight from the ziploc pack and place the directly in the pan. This is an adaptation of this tried and true Buffalo Wing Recipe we’ve used for years.

January 26, 2007

Old Bay Chicken Soup

This Chicken Soup is a delightful change from the standard taste of standard Chicken Noodle Soup. Seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning, the soup makes a great weekend main course or appetizer. Cooking time from start to finish is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. We used 1 1/2 tbsp of Old Bay Seasoning. Some folks like more Old Bay Seasoning in their cooking so you could either add more Old Bay while cooking, or serve Old Bay in a shaker at the table for your guests to add more on their own.

A 4 to 5 pound whole chicken
1 1/2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
2 Bay Leaves
32 ounce carton low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce
Pasta of your choice, we used Wagon Wheels

Remove the pouch of livers and other parts from the chickens cavity and then wash well. Place chicken in a large stock pot. Wash your hands well and then add the chicken broth, carrots, onion, Bay Leaves and sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning. Fill with water to cover chicken (2 – 3 quarts). Cover, place on stove, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer the chicken until it is well cooked and ready to fall off the bones, about 2 hours. Remove the pot from the heat.

Carefully remove the chicken from the pot to a large plate. We do this with two people. One holds the plate close to the pot level with the top of the pot. The other person uses a large heavy fork inside the cavity, and a large heavy spoon supporting the body of the bird to remove the chicken from the pot. Be careful not to let the bird splash back into the hot broth.

Let the chicken cool to a temperature you can work with. Then remove the bones and rip up the chicken meat into small and larger mouth sized pieces (don’t make them so small that the look like the pitiful pieces of chicken meat in canned chicken soup).

Remove the Bay Leaves from the broth, and return the chicken meat back to the pot. Bring the soup back to a boil. Taste the broth and add more Old Bay Seasoning to your taste. Remember you can always add more at the table but it can’t be taken out. Add the Tabasco.

Add about 1/2 pound of your favorite pasta and cook in the broth according to the package directions.

Serve in a large bowl as a meal, or in a small cereal bowl as a side entree. Makes about 1 gallon of delicious Chicken Soup.

January 25, 2007

Shrimp made with Old Bay Seafood One-Step

Old Bay Seafood One Step seasoning is a great way to make a quick meal without thinking about how to blend spices and how much vinegar or lemon to add. Everything is already mix and is in the sealed package. Now, Old Bay Seafood One Step isn’t simply Old Bay Seasoning mixed with flavors of vinegar and lemon, it’s a mix with some interesting heat and flavors. We have already made a post about Old Bay Steamed Shrimp, so if that’s what you want here is the Old Bay Steamed Shrimp recipe.

Here is a close up picture of Old Bay Seafood One Step Spicy Blend. If you look closely, you’ll see it’s made with a variety of spices. The official ingredient list on the box says “Ingredients: Spices (Including Red Pepper, Mustard Seed, Black Pepper, and Coriander), and Lemon Peel.” Looking at the picture of the spices in Old Bay Seafood One-Step I also see Whole Black Pepper, crushed Bay Leaves, Cloves, Fennel, & Poppy Seed. When you open the package you’ll know there is lemon peel in the mixture. Believe Me!

So this is such a simple way to make steamed shrimp. What you do is bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large stock pot, and then add the Old Bay Seafood One-Step. Mix well, then add up to four pounds of shrimp, mix well, heat back to a full boil and cook over medium to high heat for 7 to 8 minutes or until done. Then drain and let cool some before serving (you can see the steam rising off our serving in the picture above). Serve with cocktail sauce.

January 25, 2007

Old Bay Catfish Fillets

Old Bay Seasoning is an excellent blend of herbs and spices and has a natural affinity for seafood. Originally developed for use in the bars of Baltimore for seasoning the crabs they served, Old Bay Seasoning tastes great on many on seafoods. Our recipe today is Old Bay Seasoned Catfish Fillets and this one is about as simple as it gets. Yet it’s got a great flavor, both from the flavor of the fish, and from the excellent seasoning it receives.

To make this recipe, simply season both sides of catfish fillets with Old Bay Seasoning, and pan fry until lightly browned, turn, and cook the other side. We used frozen catfish fillets in the recipe pictured here, and cooked the fillets for about 10 minutes on low for the first side, and 7 minutes after turning. If the fillets are really thick and meaty, you could use a lid on the pan while cooking the catfish on the first side so they thaw on the top while the bottom is cooking, and then cook uncovered after turning. Make one fillet per serving, and serve with a tossed salad.