This Beloved American Seasoning Is Underrated And Underused — Here is What Specialists Put It On

Summer season is peak season for cooking with Outdated Bay, when the nice and cozy climate evokes individuals to get collectively for seafood boils. Whereas the precise recipe hasn’t been disclosed, Outdated Bay accommodates celery salt, pink pepper, black pepper, paprika and quite a few different spices that mix to make a definite taste.

In the event you reside within the mid-Atlantic, there’s a stable likelihood that you simply escape the Outdated Bay any time you’re cooking seafood. Particularly in Maryland, many individuals are flat-out obsessive about Outdated Bay. In keeping with The Washington Put up, particular version Outdated Bay goldfish crackers offered out in 9 hours. A Maryland-based brewery even sells Outdated Bay beer.

Michael Correll, the manager chef at Ruse in St. Michaels, Maryland, and a 2025 James Beard semi-finalist, grew up with Outdated Bay and makes use of it in his cooking right now. “The blend of spice and earthiness brings out the inherent sweetness of shellfish. It can be overused for sure, but used moderately, it can transform a mediocre piece of seafood into an outstanding one,” he instructed HuffPost.

“Most folks know Old Bay for seafood boils, and for good reason. It’s salty, smoky and just enough spice to stand up to crab legs, shrimp and potatoes all simmering together. It ties the whole pot together like the final chord of a song,” mentioned Chelsia Inexperienced Ogletree, the founder and chef at Her Majesty Kitchen in Georgia. However Ogletree emphasised that there are extra methods to make use of the mix than simply in seafood. Different cooks we talked to mentioned this, too.

Right here, they share seven sudden methods to cook dinner with the seasoning, proving it may be a year-round cooking staple.

In the event you’ve solely ever used Outdated Bay to taste seafood, one simple solution to enterprise into utilizing it in different methods is to make use of it to taste hen, pork or different meats. Sean Ferraro, the top chef and proprietor of Madison Avenue Pizza in Dunedin, Florida, mentioned Outdated Bay is the signature spice for the restaurant’s hen.

“For our seasoning blend, we [pair] Old Bay with a few extra additions and we use it for our chicken breading, our grilled chicken and dry-rub wings. It brings a well-rounded base of seasoning without being too overpowering, and it doesn’t burn on the grill or in the fryer,” he mentioned.

Kyle Taylor, the creator of the culinary recipe model and library He Cooks, shared that he makes use of Outdated Bay in compound butter to unfold on meat as soon as it’s finished cooking. All you do to make it’s combine the Outdated Bay with softened butter. Straightforward peasy.

Monique Mickle, the manager sous chef at The Darling Oyster Bay in Charleston, South Carolina, instructed HuffPost that she makes use of Outdated Bay in a marinade for her racks of lamb. “The use of Old Bay makes a great semi-burnt crust, and it adds a little spice to the meat. The pairing works well because both lamb and Old Bay have distinct flavors. Instead of overpowering each other, the strong flavor profiles begin to complement one another, while still leaving room to indulge in the flavors of the lamb,” she mentioned.

Sophina Uong, the manager chef and co-owner of Mister Mao in New Orleans, shared that spending a summer time in Maryland impressed her to start out utilizing Outdated Bay in her cooking, each personally and professionally. She instructed HuffPost that after spending a number of days snacking on Outdated Bay caramel popcorn, she was impressed to include the mixture of caramel and Outdated Bay in a Vietnamese-inspired sauce she was making for a pork stomach dish.

“The dish is made with tender pork belly simmered in a sweet, savory caramel broth with fish sauce and coconut water. It melts in your mouth and is best over warm rice with some pickled mustard greens on the side. I like to add lemongrass and a little Old Bay to give it my own kick,” she instructed HuffPost.

Uong shared that she additionally makes use of Outdated Bay when making crab dumplings, impressed by consuming Outdated Bay-seasoned blue crabs when she was in Maryland. “For the crab dumplings, I make an Old Bay slurry — which is when spices are toasted in oil — to replace the other seasonings,” she mentioned.

In the event you’re from the mid-Atlantic, it’s possible you’ll be no stranger to Outdated Bay-seasoned popcorn or french fries, however in case you reside elsewhere within the nation, it might have by no means dawned on you to make use of the mix on this manner. But it surely’s a go-to for a number of of the cooks we talked to, together with Taylor. However he emphasised that a little bit goes a great distance, so resist a heavy hand.

“We offer a ‘tossed in Old Bay’ option for our hand-cut fries on our menu, and I’ve also used it on burgers and on oven-roasted potatoes,” mentioned Ferraro. Keep in mind, only a sprinkle is sufficient to add taste.

“I love using Old Bay on Southern-style street corn,” mentioned Omar Collazo, the manager chef at Omni Amelia Island Resort in northeastern Florida. To make use of it this fashion, he mentioned, coat candy corn in mayonnaise, lemon zest, Parmesan and contemporary dill earlier than sprinkling on Outdated Bay as a last contact. “The warming spices play beautifully with the sweetness of the corn, while the lemon zest adds brightness and the dill adds a fresh herbal lift. It’s a unique twist that surprises people in the best way,” he mentioned.

Outdated Bay for brunch? Completely. Equally to how the spice mix works properly on french fries, Ogletree mentioned considered one of her favourite methods to make use of Outdated Bay is in her cheese-loaded hashbrown casserole. “Potatoes are like a blank canvas, and Old Bay paints them with depth. You get the creamy comfort of cheese and sour cream, then that little spark of seasoning that makes people pause mid-bite and say, ‘Hold on, what’s in this?’ I tried it on a whim, chasing that seafood-boil flavor I love, and it just worked. Now, it’s a staple on my brunch table,” she mentioned.

In addition to spicing up your meals, Outdated Bay can provide some further oomph to your cocktails. Taylor mentioned that he likes to make use of it to rim the glasses of margaritas and bloody marys. Collazo likes utilizing it to rim a bloody mary glass, too. “It adds a savory kick and just the right amount of spice to complement the drink’s bold flavors,” he mentioned.

Outdated Bay’s mix combination of savory, salty and barely candy can provide a welcome kick in dishes individuals least count on it, like chocolate-based desserts — a technique Michelle Wallace, a “Top Chef” Season 21 contestant and the chef, proprietor and pitmaster at B’tween Sandwich Co. in Houston, likes to make use of it.

“I’ve used Old Bay in chocolate ganache before and it worked wonderfully,” Wallace mentioned. She defined that she needed to offer the dessert a kick however needed an ingredient with extra layered taste than dried chilis. “I know chocolate isn’t the first thing that you think of when you’re planning on using Old Bay, but the slight sweetness and the warm spices that are in the blend make it perfect for pairing with chocolate,” she mentioned.

As you may see, there are far more makes use of for Outdated Bay than seasoning seafood. Particularly on the subject of meals that may style fairly bland on their very own (like hen, popcorn or potatoes), a pinch of Outdated Bay can add an entire lot of taste. It’s definitely simpler than reaching for 18 completely different spices.