Rachel's Ultimate Crab Dip

Ingredients:
sixteen oz bluish crab hook meat
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 loving cup sour cream
3/4 loving cup abrupt cheddar
ii 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon freshly set down dark pepper
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1 shallot, minced


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients EXCEPT the cheddar cheese until they are evenly distributed. Or, if y'all are similar me as well as y'all loathe mincing yet don't desire whatsoever chunky shallot bits inward the finally dip or desire brand certain the ingredients are fully incorporated, house all of the ingredients EXCEPT the cheddar as well as crab inward a nutrient processor as well as pulse until smooth. Then stir inward the crab.

Spread into a 8x8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle alongside the cheese inward an fifty-fifty layer. For bonus points, milkshake a flake of Old Bay on overstep of the cheese.

Bake for nigh xv minutes or until the cheese is melted as well as bubbling.

Serve warm alongside crackers, pretzels, breadstuff wedges, or plainly Utz chips. Cover as well as refrigerate whatsoever leftovers. Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes or as well as hence to reheat. I don't recommend microwaving.


Note: For this recipe, lineament reduced fatty sour cream as well as cream cheese volition piece of work but fine.

My thoughts:

Crab dip is serious trace concern hither inward Baltimore. We are a people who similar our (blue) crabs as well as our cheesy dips. Growing up, my household unit of measurement didn't produce much inward the agency of entertaining as well as well, crab is pricey as well as hence nosotros didn't larn far but I loved having friends whose families would larn far for vacation parties as well as such. Of course, it has been on the carte du jour of nearly every locally owned eating seat as well as pub at around indicate or another. I intend if it doesn't brand an appearance on the carte du jour at to the lowest degree once, your nutrient allow gets yanked.

Anyway, for the perfect crab dip y'all need, crab, around form of combination of cream cheese, mayonnaise (or occasionally conduct mayonnaise, no cream cheese), shredded cheese as well as lots of Old Bay. Beyond that I've had versions alongside garlic or garlic powder, onions or shallots, mustard, Parmesan cheese, as well as crab meat of every diversity of from lump to backfin. I similar to piece of work hook because it has a flavour that is stronger than lump meat (but all the same sugariness as well as non "fishy") as well as has a expert mix of big chunks as well as smaller bits of crab. I similar how the crab is distributed inward the dip if y'all piece of work hook or fifty-fifty backfin, alongside jumbo or regular lump y'all destination upwardly occasionally getting a seize alongside teeth that is only crab free. Not a work alongside the claw.

When I develop out to brand the ultimate crab dip I had around parameters inward mind. It had to move thick, creamy but non likewise mayonnaise-y, as well as spiced but non overpoweringly spicy. I am a sour cream addict as well as hence I ever convey to add together that to my dips. I intend the slight tang keeps the dip from tasting likewise rich or cloying. The fox is non to piece of work likewise much or the crab volition move spread likewise thin. You desire a dip that is thick alongside crab meat. I similar the crab flavour to move the star as well as hence I only pose a sparse layer of cheddar on the overstep (not mixed inward equally I've seen inward around recipes) as well as but plenty spices to accent the crab flavor, non overwhelm it. I ever piece of work extra abrupt cheddar but a mix of cheddar as well as Monterey Jack (in a 2:1 ratio) is a expert variation.

Crab dip is as well as hence pop hither inward Baltimore that it genuinely has spawned a spin off appetizer, the crab pretzel, which isn't quite equally mutual but mayhap it should be, it is form of a twist on the dip inward the breadstuff bowl fad of thirty years agone as well as is oddly satisfying.