Crab dip is a great alternative to the usual dips and can be enjoyed hot or cold. When using canned crab, pay attention to the type of crab and its preparation. An easy cold recipe is to mix crab with a jar of seafood dip, while a hot recipe involves mixing cream cheese, crab, and seasonings and baking it with almonds on top. The dip can also be made ahead of time and chilled.
Most people are used to eating French onion dip or bacon and horseradish dip with their fries, but not many people think crab dip is a viable snack choice. It looks so classy and just a little swanky. However, crab dip, whether enjoyed hot or cold, is a great alternative to the usual supermarket flavors.
Crab dip is another one of those dishes that became more popular in the 1950s when canned crab was more readily available. However, people on the coast who had access to fresh crab had been eating crab dip in one form or another for years.
When cooks use canned crab, they need to pay attention to the type of crab they are buying and its initial preparation. Most supermarkets sell “crab” or just “crabmeat”, but these are different types. Lump crab and backfin crab meat are the premium types and have a white appearance and milder flavor.
General crab meat is often claw meat, which is darker in color and has a stronger flavor. It’s good in soups and gumbo. For crab dip, a cook will normally want to use a white variety of crabmeat. The meat should be well drained and the cook should look through the meat and crack it apart a bit with clean fingers, to make sure there are no shell fragments in the meat.
An easy way to enjoy cold crab dip is to mix a can of crab, drained and collected, with a jar of your favorite seafood dip. This recipe can take claw meat, by the way. The cook softens just a piece of cream cheese or other soft cheese, such as Brie, places the cheese on an attractive serving platter, and pours the fish sauce mixture over the cheese. The dip is then served with Melba crackers or toast. Another cold crab dip recipe mixes crab with softened cream cheese, sour cream, and seasonings.
One of the best ways to enjoy crab dip is to take a hot dip. One recipe calls for 8 ounces (226 grams) of cream cheese, softened; 170 grams of canned flaked crab meat, drained and collected, three tablespoons of milk; two tablespoons of finely chopped onion (chopped and dried onions can also be used); half a teaspoon of horseradish; 5-8 drops hot sauce (if desired), to taste; black pepper to taste; a pinch of garlic, to taste; and one-quarter cup (57 grams) of toasted, chopped or sliced almonds or nuts of choice.
Mix the cream cheese in a bowl until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the nuts. Mix well. Turn the mixture into a small baking dish. Top with almonds and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius), for 15 minutes. Serve with snack crackers.
This dip can also be made ahead of time and chilled. If it has been refrigerated, increase the cooking time to 20 minutes or until heated through.
To toast the walnuts: Place the walnuts, a spoonful of margarine or butter and a pinch of salt in a cake pan under the oven grill. Stir the nuts frequently until browned, but don’t let them burn!
This recipe is very forgiving and can be doubled without any problems. Onion powder can also be used if no other options are available. The dip can be seasoned to the individual taste of the family.
With such easy recipes available, there’s no reason a cook can’t spice up a feast or feast with a bowl of delicious crab dip.
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