My Crab Dip on Carnival Eats with Noah Cappe

My crab dip will be featured on the "Carnival Eats" series.

Noah Cappe, the host of Carnival Eats will be making crab dip with me on location Memorial Day Monday before the public arrives.  I hate being on camera but it's all in a day's work.  This television show is set to air on the Cooking Channel, and Great American County in the states and Food Network in Canada.  I realized people across the country may not know what Crab Dip is...hmmm to me crabs are part of every day life. 

Kevin, one of my customers, is eating a crab dip like a cheeseburger. 

Okay, whatever works.

I'm from Baltimore and crabs are big here. Back in the day when I was growing up, no one wanted to pick or eat them and you could get them really inexpensive. Over time they became one of Baltimore's staples and now expect to pay $85-$100 for a dozen steamed crabs.

The Crap Dip Empire

So how did I start making crab dip? My mother grew up in Salisbury, she's from the Eastern Shore. She always made crab dip on pretzels and pretzel sticks.  It was a way to use the meat into something tasty and inexpensive for entertaining.  Restaurants sell it with croutons or pieces of bread or crackers. It can be made a million ways.  Most recipes for crab dip are similar but the bases can be different.  I didn't like it tasting like chicken, and I don't like it made with crab base.

My cousin eating crabs with us at Crab Quarters in Essex, MD

Over time I have found a way to make it taste like it should, creamy and smooth with a hint of Maryland's Ole Bay. I  tailored my recipe into something gourmet.  My recipe is  loaded with crab and three cheeses and simply yummy in the tummy.   I know people who don't even like crab who wait in line for my dip.

The crab dip is yummy and pleasing to the senses.

On site at fairs, or festival, I bring a small pizza oven and make these in small batches.  If  you are making in the restaurant or at home, it's hard to tell in a deep bowl if all your cheeses are melted and the dip is up to temperature. I make sure that mine is temping correct in the center by using a great themometer  as pizza oven temperatues may vary if you are using it alot.  Otherwise, at home I suggest making on pretzels or pita bread, as it will be a bit easier to deal with.  Crab melts on English Muffins are a family favorite, too.  Nothing like that dip getting in the nooks and crannies.  Many people top with cheese at the end, like so:

Wife and I devoured this together, yum.

I'll post more updates after the filming, but until then.......have fun eating steamed crabs as the weather is right!

Speaking of thermometers,the best Bluetooh BBQ Thermometer on the Market is also the cheapest on the market with 2 probes and screen. You can select your target temperature directly from the thermometer directly. Or you can use the free app to select your type of meat and your desired cooking temperature. Choose from "raw" to "well-done" Choose temperatures settings: Gourmet or USDA standard. See your last 10 Grills in the history information. Enter up to 10 alarms, so you don not forget to turn the roast. And many more features. Note: Only compatible with Bluetooth 4.0 devices. Support iOS/Android. 2 Steel temperature Japanese sensors. Temperature range: -20-200 C (-4-392 F). Distance: up to 30m (100ft) in open area.

page last updated 1.11.15