The Iconic Seasoning Blend That Belongs In Your Pickles

Pickles never disappoint when it comes to adding a salty, sour kick to sandwiches or when enjoying them as a crunchy snack. You might think that pickles can't get better than they already are, but a surprise seasoning blend says different. Enter Old Bay, the spice mix for crab cakes, seafood boils, and... pickles. While it may sound odd at first, adding this seasoning to your pickles infuses them with deliciously spicy, sweet, and savory flavors.

Old Bay gets its signature bold taste from 18 herbs and spices. We won't try to list them all, but some key ingredients include paprika, celery seed, mustard, and red pepper. This seasoning's popularity in various dishes spans decades, but Old Bay pickles are actually a fairly recent invention. Although she wasn't the first to make Old Bay pickles, TikTok creator @iz_eatz helped spearhead this trend thanks to her 2023 viral video showcasing a recipe for these spiced pickles.

She cuts a cucumber into crinkle-cut slices before allowing them to pickle in an Old Bay-infused brine. The ridges on each slice make it easier for them to absorb the liquid, resulting in a darn good spiced pickle. You can use your favorite homemade pickle recipe and stir your desired amount of Old Bay into the brine before cooling and pouring it over the cukes. This iconic ingredient takes ordinary pickles to a whole new flavor dimension!

Craving Old Bay pickles but don't have time to make them from scratch? If so, get out of that pickle by sprinkling the seasoning into a jar of your favorite store-bought pickles and giving it a good stir. Or, screw on the lid and turn the jar upside down a few times to disperse the seasoning. In mere seconds, you'll have Old Bay pickles that are ready to enjoy right away. (Just make sure you're getting the best pickle brand for the job.)

Old Bay is an easy add-in for homemade or store-bought pickles. But, you can enhance the flavors even more with minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, or cloves. Let your taste buds guide you into creating the ultimate batch of pickles. Although pickles absorb the flavors from Old Bay and any other ingredients, the liquid does too. So, rather than pouring it down the drain, consider these 17 clever uses for pickles juice to get the most from this underrated ingredient.