Equipment Needed
- Medium mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 9-inch pie dish, shallow baking dish, or small cast-iron skillet
- Microplane or box grater (for the cheese)
- Oven
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I always make sure my cream cheese has been sitting out for a good hour. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to blend rock-hard cream cheese—it just won’t incorporate smoothly. So, in my medium bowl, I add the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. I use my trusty rubber spatula to fold and mash it all together until it’s completely smooth and lump-free. This is the base of our dip, and getting it silky is crucial. If I’m in a hurry, I’ve been known to use a hand mixer on low for about 30 seconds, but folding by hand works just fine if your cream cheese is truly soft.
Once my base is creamy, I add all the flavor-builders. In go the Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, garlic powder, smoked paprika, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. I stir until everything is fully combined. The smell at this point is already fantastic. Now, I gently fold in most of the cheeses—reserving about 1/4 cup of the Monterey Jack for the top—and the green onions. The key here is to be gentle, especially in the next step.
This is the most important step: folding in the crab meat. I dump the picked-over crab into the bowl and use my spatula to fold it in, not stir vigorously. I want to preserve those beautiful, tender lumps of crab, not shred them into oblivion. Over-mixing is the enemy of texture here. I taste and adjust seasoning—sometimes it needs another tiny squeeze of lemon or pinch of Old Bay. Then, I transfer the whole mixture into my greased baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
For the finishing touch, I sprinkle the reserved Monterey Jack cheese over the top and dust it lightly with an extra pinch of smoked paprika and Old Bay. This creates that gorgeous, flavorful crust. I pop it into a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. I watch for it to become hot and bubbly all the way through and for the top to turn a lovely, spotty golden brown. I let it rest for about 5-7 minutes after pulling it out—this is hard, but it allows the dip to set slightly so it doesn’t run everywhere when you dive in with a cracker.(See the next page below to continue…)