This Beloved American Seasoning Is Underrated And Underused — Here's What Experts Put It On

The spice blend can be used for way more than just seafood.

Summer is peak season for cooking with Old Bay, when the warm weather inspires people to get together for seafood boils. While the exact recipe hasn’t been disclosed, Old Bay contains celery salt, red pepper, black pepper, paprika and a number of other spices that combine to make a distinct flavor.

If you live in the mid-Atlantic, there’s a solid chance that you break out the Old Bay any time you’re cooking seafood. Especially in Maryland, many people are flat-out obsessed with Old Bay. According to The Washington Post, special edition Old Bay goldfish crackers sold out in nine hours. A Maryland-based brewery even sells Old Bay beer.

Michael Correll, the executive chef at Ruse in St. Michaels, Maryland, and a 2025 James Beard semi-finalist, grew up with Old Bay and uses it in his cooking today. “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 told 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,” said Chelsia Green Ogletree, the founder and chef at Her Majesty Kitchen in Georgia. But Ogletree emphasized that there are more ways to use the blend than just in seafood. Other chefs we talked to said this, too.

Here, they share seven unexpected ways to cook with the seasoning, proving it can be a year-round cooking staple.