Category: Sobo

Posted on

Recipe: Easy Cocktail Sauce

…for steamed shrimp and other seafood of course.

Yes, you can buy cocktail sauce, ready-made, in a jar to keep in your fridge – and have some mediocre sauce for dipping.

Or you can keep some fresh horseradish in your fridge and combine it with two other ingredients that you (likely) already have, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Mr. Bill likes to mix his favorite* cocktail sauce up fresh – as needed. Yup, only three ingredients to make great tasting and FRESH cocktail sauce whenever you want.

Here’s what it takes…

Crab Claw Open Vertical
Open Crab Claw

Ingredients:

  1. A good thick red ketchup. Use a well-known name brand – Heinz is great – just don’t use a watery “house brand.” Or you might as well buy that ol’ pre made cocktail sauce in a jar
  2. Worcestershire Sauce – again, use a name brand such as Lee & Perrins. You can keep a small bottle for a long time before it goes bad (probably take 100 years) and you’ll only use a little at a time.
  3. Horseradish. Here’s the tricky part – fresh ground is absolutely the best, like we used to buy from the “Horseradish Lady” at Baltimore’s Cross Street Market on Saturday mornings. In lieu of that you can buy horseradish in a jar – just make sure it the ground pieces and not a puree or white sauce. Cocktail sauce is best with a bit of texture from the horseradish.

Mr. Bill mixes it “to taste,” which is basically a lot of ketchup, about 1/3 that amount of horseradish, and a couple splashes of the Worcestershire sauce. (If you like a bit more “heat” to go with the horseradish, feel free to add a couple splashed of your favorite hot-sauce.)

Here’s a good place to start – use large shot glasses for measuring. They can then be used for dipping.

*Why is this SoBo Bill’s favorite? It’s his recipe, of course. 🙂

Posted on

Recipe: Maryland Style Steamed Shrimp

Do-It-Yourself has never tasted so good as with this quick and easy recipe for steaming shrimp – in the Maryland “style” of course – often called “Old Bay Shrimp.” Here’s what it takes…

Ingredients:

SouthBmore Shrimp on a Plate
Steamed Shrimp Ready to Serve
  • 1 pound raw shrimp (the shell can be on or off)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup beer (Don’t use an expensive brand. A simple Budweiser will do.)
  • 3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

Directions:

  1. Combine water, beer, and Old Bay Seasoning in a large pot and bring it to a boil.
  2. Place a steaming rack in the pot over the water and add the Shrimp. If you would like your shrimp to be a bit spicier you will want alternate layers of shrimp and sprinkling Old Bay Seasoning to taste.
  3. Cover and steam for 2 to 3 minutes until they are done. You will know they are done when they have turned pink.

Variations:

  • You may wish to use ½ cup of water instead of beer.
  • Some people like to add a couple of celery stalks chopped into large pieces to the pot. If you choose to do this, add the celery when you add the water, beer, and Old Bay Seasoning.
Posted on

Recipe: Steamed Maryland Blue Carbs

Do-It-Yourself has never tasted so good as with this easy recipe for steamed crabs. So, you want to know how to cook crabs? Here’s what it takes…

Ingredients:

Steamed Crabs with Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 dozen Maryland Blue Crabs
  • 1 cup beer (Don’t use an expensive brand. A simple Budweiser will do.)
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cups Old Bay Seasoning (or more if you like them spicy!)
  • MORE Old Bay Seasoning!

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, stir together the beer, white vinegar, and Old Bay seasoning.
  2. Place a steaming rack in the pot making sure that the steaming rack is above the liquid.
  3. Bring the liquid to a boil then place Maryland Blue Crabs in the pot on the steaming rack.
  4. Sprinkle your desired amount of Old Bay on top of the Maryland Blue Crabs.
  5. Cover and steam until they are done, approximately 20 minutes (for large crabs). You will be able to tell if they are done because they will be bright orange in color instead of blue/green.

Variations:

  • You may wish to use 1 cup of water in place of the cup of beer. However, true Marylanders use the beer.

Tips:

  • The best way to eat Maryland Steamed Blue Crabs in to expect to get messy! Lay down some newspaper or brown craft paper, get out some knives and mallets (used in helping to open the crabs and to get the meat out, and enjoy!
  • Wait until the crabs have just started to cool down to a comfortable temperature for touching them and that is the time when you will have your best shot at pulling big chunks of crab meat out when you pull the legs off.
  • You may choose to serve Maryland Crabs with little cups of melted butter or extra Old Bay Seasoning for dipping.
  • Marylanders love to have their steamed crabs with fried chicken and corn on the cob on the side.