Maryland-Style Crab Cake Recipe
Maryland-style crab cakes made with sweet lump crab meat, very little filler, and your choice of pan-fry, bake, or broil cooking methods.
Servings: 4 people
Cost: $30
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat picked over for shells
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce I use Tabasco
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, carefully pick over the crab and remove any shells.
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, dijon, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, egg, pepper, lemon zest and parsley.
- Add the mayonnaise mixture to the crab and, carefully, fold together being careful not to break up the crab meat too much. Gently fold in the breadcrumbs.
- Form 1/3 cup of the crab mixture into 8 patties and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill for 15–20 minutes, or until the cakes feel firmer and hold their shape more easily.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the crab cakes and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, or until deeply golden on the outside and warmed through in the center.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges and tartar sauce, if desired.
Video
Notes
Cooking Methods
Pan-Fry: Heat butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook crab cakes for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
Bake: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Arrange crab cakes on a greased baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes until firm and lightly golden.
Broil: Place patties on a foil-lined sheet and broil on high 4–6 inches from the heat for 7–10 minutes until the tops are browned and the centers are heated through. Yield
This recipe makes 8 crab cakes using 1/3 cup of mixture each. That serves about 4 as a main dish or 6 as a starter. Binder Swap
For a more classic flavor, replace the panko with 3/4 cup finely crushed saltines. Crab Quality
Use fresh or high-quality refrigerated crab meat for the sweetest flavor. Avoid crab with excess liquid or a fishy smell. Make Ahead
Form the patties up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook. Freezing
Freeze uncooked crab cakes for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 425°F for 20–22 minutes. Reheating
Reheat leftovers at 350°F for 10–12 minutes or air-fry at 350°F for 6–8 minutes to keep them crisp.
Pan-Fry: Heat butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook crab cakes for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
Bake: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Arrange crab cakes on a greased baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes until firm and lightly golden.
Broil: Place patties on a foil-lined sheet and broil on high 4–6 inches from the heat for 7–10 minutes until the tops are browned and the centers are heated through. Yield
This recipe makes 8 crab cakes using 1/3 cup of mixture each. That serves about 4 as a main dish or 6 as a starter. Binder Swap
For a more classic flavor, replace the panko with 3/4 cup finely crushed saltines. Crab Quality
Use fresh or high-quality refrigerated crab meat for the sweetest flavor. Avoid crab with excess liquid or a fishy smell. Make Ahead
Form the patties up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook. Freezing
Freeze uncooked crab cakes for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 425°F for 20–22 minutes. Reheating
Reheat leftovers at 350°F for 10–12 minutes or air-fry at 350°F for 6–8 minutes to keep them crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 6g | Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1257mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg