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Updated on 03/11/24
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/diana-rattray-3034029-214a20a1b27243df822f3a300f26dc59.jpg "Mix Up Your Own Copycat Old Bay with This Easy Recipe (1)")
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Yield: 1/4 cup
163 ratings
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Fans of Old Bay love to use the classic spice mix to season all kinds of seafood and other dishes, especially Maryland-style steamed or boiled crabs and crab cakes. It's also great on chicken, vegetables, and fries.
Whether you can't find Old Bay where you live or you prefer to mix up your own spice blends to keep them fresh-tasting, save money, or customize them, it's easy to make copycat Old Bay from scratch. You won't be able to tell the difference between the real thing and this recipe—unless you want to tweak it and make it your own.
The great thing about making your own spice blends from scratch is that you can dial up ingredients you like and cut those that you don't like down or out. This is especially great if you or somebody you are cooking for needs to cut down on added sodium or has an allergy or aversion to a certain ingredient in the blend.
What Goes Into Old Bay?
While the exact ingredients are not revealed on the label or the brand's website, Old Bay reportedly has a mix of 18 spices. It has a complex savory flavor, with bay leaf, celery salt, dry mustard, and pepper at the forefront. Paprika and various other spices add depth and make this a well-rounded seasoning.
If you don't have every ingredient listed, make sure you include the most prominent ones and make substitutions sparingly if you want this to taste like a true copycat. Otherwise, feel free to tweak it however it suits you.
What's the Difference Between Old Bay and Cajun Seasoning?
While the two include some of the same ingredients, this Old Bay replica uses more spices and has a bay leaf, celery salt, and mustard base.Cajun seasoningconcentrates on paprika and is a little spicier because of the cayenne pepper. In many recipes, they could be used as substitutes for one another, though each will contribute a distinctly different flavor to a dish.
Powdered vs. Whole Spices
You can use powdered spices or whole spices for this recipe. If you use whole spices, use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to grind them into a fine powder and then measure them. Whichever you use, remember that your blend is only as fresh as the spices that go into it.
What's the Deal with Ground Dried Bay Leaves?
The hardest ingredient to find for this blend is ground, dried bay leaves. You can sometimes find ground bay leaf at the supermarket, but you may have to grind it yourself. Be sure to use dried bay leaves, not fresh; they grind more quickly and thoroughly into a powder. It will take 15 large bay leaves to result in 1 tablespoon of ground bay leaf. It's a great way to use those broken bay leaves that are in the container.
How to Reduce the Sodium in Your Spice Blend
The added sodium in this spice blend comes in the form of celery salt—a prepared mixture of salt and ground celery seed. To reduce the sodium, you can replace some or all of the celery salt with more celery seed. Even if you don't have a health reason to cut down on salt, you might want to consider reducing or omitting the celery salt so you can add more seasoning mix to whatever you're cooking without over-salting the dish.
How to Use Your Copycat Old Bay
This Old Bay substitute is a very versatile spice mix. While it's famously used for shellfish and other seafood, it works wonderfully on a wide variety of dishes. It has a six-month shelf life, so you'll have plenty of time to explore its many uses. Here are a few of our favorites.
- Use it as a spice rub for fish fillets, chicken breasts or thighs, or pan-fried pork chops.
- Use it to flavor soups and stews.
- Sprinkle it on roasted or sautéed vegetables.
- Use it as a seasoning for a low country boil or crab boil.
- Mix it into mashed potatoes or sprinkle it on roasted potatoes.
- Stir it into egg salad or chicken salad.
- Use it in your deviled egg filling.
- Mix with sour cream to make an easy appetizer dip.
- Sprinkle on corn on the cob, popcorn, or fries.
- Add it to your burger meat blend or stir it into mayo to top burgers.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/old-bay-seasoning-mix-480917-hero-01-4df9bb90da1a42b5b24e5abd68bc34d8.jpg "Mix Up Your Own Copycat Old Bay with This Easy Recipe (2)")
What You'll Need to Make This Old Bay-Style Seasoning Recipe
"This was easy to make and quite inexpensive if you have a well-stocked spice rack. The flavor and spice level were very close to the commercial mix. For the hard-to-find bay leaf powder, it takes approximately 15 large bay leaves to make 1 tablespoon of powder in a coffee grinder." —Diana Rattray
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/old-bay-seasoning-mix-480917-d-rattray-20201-5582b1ce8d3f492dbe3349e01047b39b.jpg "Mix Up Your Own Copycat Old Bay with This Easy Recipe (6)")
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place. Use in your favorite recipes and enjoy.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/old-bay-seasoning-mix-480917-step-01-1e93c9de88f844c487d5b05296484c30.jpg "Mix Up Your Own Copycat Old Bay with This Easy Recipe (7)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/old-bay-seasoning-mix-480917-step-02-1c81397a63234e2b8b381c7136449c19.jpg "Mix Up Your Own Copycat Old Bay with This Easy Recipe (8)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/old-bay-seasoning-mix-480917-step-03-3392d18c47554545838a2970fb14e22c.jpg "Mix Up Your Own Copycat Old Bay with This Easy Recipe (9)")
How to Store
This mix will keep well for about six months when stored correctly in an airtight container. Never store spices near the stove because the heat causes them to lose potency more quickly. Store them in the dark, as sunlight—especially direct sunlight—can affect the flavor as well. Spice mixes can all look alike when several are stored together: Make sure to label any seasoning mix with the name, the date it was made, and the date it should be discarded.
Recipe Variations
You can change the amounts and proportions of the ingredients to your liking:
- If you like spicy foods, use more of the dry mustard and crushed red pepper flakes.
- To reduce the sodium, replace some of the celery salt with more celery seed.
- For a smokier flavor, use smoked paprika and increase the amount.
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| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 3 | Calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 0g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 24 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 3 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 103mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate 0g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 0g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 1% |
| Calcium 5mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 9mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- seasoning
- old bay seasoning
- american
- cookout
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