Maryland Crab Dip
December 30, 2017 by Nicole Collins
Can you believe this is the last Saturday of 2017?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
It's snowy out today, so I REALLY hope that's not a preview of what 2018 will look like!
But for real, where has the year gone?
Would you say 2017 was everything you thought it'd be? It's certainly been one for the history books, that's for sure.
Though, I'm not sure that's a good thing.
I do think I've eaten better this year than I ever have, so that's a plus! So many delicious things have made it to my belly!
Today, we’re making one of my favorite things in the whole world. If someone asked me the “what would you want for you last meal” question, this would DEFINITELY be on the menu.
What are we having today? MARYLAND CRAB DIP!
Crab Dip is totally a holiday staple for my family too. There have been many Christmases, New Years, Easters, and just regular old Friday night dinners with Crab Dip as the main course. My family loves to eat appetizers as a meal. See where I get it from?
We usually have the Crab Dip with crackers (Club crackers to be exact), though most restaurants serve it with baguette. Both are amazing, so I totally support having a variety of dippers. Sometimes, I even forego the dippers and just lick it straight off a spoon. Mmmmm.
There are a lot of places where you can order Maryland Style Crab Dip, but the dip is more cream cheese than crab. You’ve got to go deep sea fishing just to find a little shred of crabmeat. So, really you’re just eating cream cheese with Old Bay. Yummy, but not the point.
That is not the case with today’s dip! There’s a whole pound of crab meat in here!!!
This recipe is also really special to me, because it’s pretty much one of the only family recipes I have. I’ve got some pretty talented cooks in my bloodline; but unfortunately, I didn’t get to spend enough time with them while they walked this earth to learn their secrets.
But, this Crab Dip has stuck with us!
I remember my uncle used to always make it when I was growing up. And, I’m guessing my mom somehow inherited the recipe from him. She’s been making it most of my life too. And one day, she passed the torch to me. Now, I make it alllll of the time!
Crab Dip…the gift that keeps on giving.
This dip is really simple to make. And, you know I like to keep it simple. The hardest part of making this dip is picking through the crab meat to get out the shells. And, if I’m going to be honest, sometimes I skip that step. It’s not my smartest move, but I’m generally too impatient to do a stellar job picking out shells.
Do as I say, not as I do though.
Speaking of crab, please make sure you’re not using crab from a can or imitation krab. Get the real stuff if you have access to it. You can taste the difference. The fresher the better.
Once the crab is picked through, we just mix it with some softened cream cheese and a dollop of mayo. The Old Bay gets sprinkled on top and not mixed in, because we really want to keep the integrity of the crab flavor. Top it off with a little shredded cheddar. Pop it in the oven. And devour!
Even though Christmas is over, don’t think I didn’t perfectly time this so you’ll have this recipe under your belt for New Year’s! You’ll be the star of the party if you serve this!
Well guys, I’m signing off for 2017. Thanks for making it a great year! Cheers to 2018!!
Be safe, enjoy, ‘til we meet again next year, and let’s eat!
Maryland Crab Dip
Serves: 6-8 Print
Ingredients:
1 lb lump crabmeat, shells removed
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp mayo
½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
crackers, baguette, or veggies for serving
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine crabmeat, cream cheese, and mayo. It's easiest to mix with your hands to make sure everything is fully combined. Transfer mix to an 8x8 glass or ceramic casserole dish. Flatten mix with your hands to distribute evenly. Top the crab mix with Old Bay, being sure to dust the entire surface area with seasoning. Top with cheese. Bake for 25 mins until the cheese is melted and the edges just start to brown. Serve!
Recipe notes:
*You can prep this dip the night before and bake it the next day. Complete recipe up until topping the dip with cheese. Cover with foil, and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake it, bring the dish out of the fridge and remove the foil while the oven preheats. The bake time will remain the same.
*I prefer this with crackers, but sliced baguette and celery are great with this too!
*As an appetizer or party snack, this would comfortably feed 6-8 people. When I make this to eat as the main course of a meal, it would serve 3-4 people.
