Old Bay Seasoning Recipe - An Authentic
Taste of Maryland and Chesapeake Bay!

This classic old bay seasoning recipe is just the blend for you if you're thinking about cooking as they do in the coastal regions of Maryland and the Gulf of Mexico. Excellent if fish, lobster, crab, shrimp and other shellfish are on the menu and it can be used as a seafood boil or as a general fish rub or seasoning.

What You'll Need: (makes 15-16 tablespoons)

6 tbsp coarse sea salt
6 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp ginger powder
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp celery seeds
2 tsp grated nutmeg
2 tsp cloves
3 inch piece cassia cinnamon
8-10 dried bay leaves
Seeds from 5 green cardamom pods

tbsp = tablespoon
tsp = teaspoon

Directions:

Break up the cinnamon and crumble the bay leaves

Coarsely grind the cinnamon pieces, bay leaves and cardamom seeds along with the salt, peppercorns, mustard and celery seeds and cloves

Add to a bowl

Stir in the pre-ground powders and grated nutmeg

Store this Old Bay seasoning recipe out of direct sunlight in an airtight jar. Use within 6 months before making a fresh amount.

Note: You can dry toast the cloves, mustard, cardamom and peppercorns before grinding. This releases fabulous aromas and greatly intensifies the flavours.

See the grinding page for info and photos on toasting and grinding. (Link opens in new window)

A Little Bit of History

This classic American recipe was created by a German immigrant Gustav Brunn, and dates back to the 1940's.

So plentiful were the crabs and shellfish back in those days, they were given away free liberally seasoned with the salty spice in the bars and taverns of Baltimore and coastal resorts of Chesapeake Bay to encourage customers to drink more!

This mix gets its name from the Old Bay Line, an overnight passenger steamship line that sailed the waters of the region.

If the history interests you, click here to read more about Gustav Brunn and how he developed the classic Old Bay seasoning recipe. (Link opens in new window)