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Enhance your seafood dishes with your own homemade Old Bay seasoning blend. This carefully curated blend of herbs and spices will add a new dimension of flavor to your meals.
1 tablespoon ground bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
Use on seafood, fish, chicken, or vegetables.
Try toasting the whole spices (if using any) before grinding them for deeper flavor.
Try adding small amounts of other spices to taste, such as allspice, mace, or cardamom, to create a unique twist on the classic Old Bay seasoning.
Remember to label your spice blend container with the date it was made, so you'll know when it's time to make a fresh batch.
Use your homemade Old Bay seasoning sparingly at first, as homemade blends can be more potent than store-bought versions. You can always add more to taste.
Yes, you can use whole bay leaves if you don't have ground bay leaves on hand. To do this, grind the whole bay leaves into a fine powder using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle before combining them with the other spices.
The heat level in this Old Bay seasoning blend can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of cayenne pepper. If you prefer a milder seasoning, reduce the cayenne pepper to 1/4 teaspoon or omit it altogether. For a spicier blend, you can increase the cayenne pepper to taste, but be cautious as it can become very hot very quickly.
The blend can be used as a flavorful rub for grilling seafood, fish, chicken, or vegetables. Simply rub a generous amount of the seasoning onto your food before grilling to infuse it with the distinctive Old Bay flavor. The blend can also be mixed with a little oil to create a paste, making it easier to adhere to the food's surface.
Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids or small spice containers work well for this purpose. Proper storage will help maintain the freshness and potency of the spices for up to 4 months or even longer.
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reviews & comments
August 9, 2013
I live out in the sticks and can't get Old Bay easily (only on shopping trips to the "big city"). This is a great substitute and if you have lots of spices on hand it's cheaper to make (more expensive if you have to go out and buy all the spices but I do a lot of cooking so I usually have these).