Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
From Maryland to Georgia, crabs are a prized part of the African-American diet. If the crabs need to be boiled before other steps in preparation (as are the pickled shrimp above), a commercial crab boil such as Old Bay seasoning is often used. For the lucky few, though, there's homemade crab boil, an all-purpose seasoning that, besides for shrimp and crab, can also be used for crawfish.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
1/4 cup pickling spices
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon celery seeds
2 tablespoons dried hot red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons ground ginger
5 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced dried chives
1/4 cup sea salt
Preparation
In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse until mixture forms a coarse powder. Crab-boil spices keep in a well-sealed container for several months in a cool, dark place.
