I made a small jar using this recipe. I used only ground celery seed and omitted the celery salt. Added just a tablespoon of kosher salt at the end. The taste is good. Old Bay may have more paprika and/or red pepper in it. Haven't used it in any recipes yet. Gotta find some fresh crabs and shrimp.
If you use this recipe, double it. The yield isn't that much.
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan- near Clare. (dead center of lower peninsula)
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
I agree with you that Old Bay is too salty and (to me) a bit too harsh. I've never made my own, but I asked Heaven Made Products if they could create their own version with their own proprietary "flavor base", and they delivered. I am not sure when they will actually get around to designing a label and releasing it for sale on their site but I am excited for everyone to try it when they do, it's amazing. Here's some more info on Heaven Made Products and why I love them, plus a discount. No, I don't get paid to say that I just love their stuff.
Steve B Same! I keep urging my contact there to get the new take on Old Bay for sale soon. It is amazing on pork chops, chicken, burgers you name it, not just seafood & shrimp.
It might be fun to reverse engineer one. There's not a lot of ingredients in it, but you'd have to figure out what other spices in addition to ones listed. Who knows, you might stumble into something you like better.
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan- near Clare. (dead center of lower peninsula)
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
I don't mean to hijack this topic, but here's a link if any one is interested in a new version of Old Bay from Heaven Made Products called Nu Bay. (It's awesome if you ask me) https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...071#post989071
Thanks for all the replies. Great stuff. I always say you can add salt but you can't take it away. Wifey loves the flavor of Old Bay. I do too. Neither of us like that it is so freaking salty.
Yep, it's cheaper for the makers to add more salt. Costs more to buy the same volume/weight container with less salt and expensive spices in its place.
Marylander here and this is spot-on. We steam our own crabs and only use J.O. in the steamer. When we're picking crabs, we dump little piles of Old Bay on the paper, and dip the meat in them. We also use Old Bay in recipes but never steam them in Old Bay. Always J.O. It has a better texture, because of the rock salt.
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