Maryland Crab Cakes

Name: Maryland Crab Cakes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 450 g (1 lb) lump or white crabmeat, cooked, fresh or pasteurized, picked over for shell; 1 egg; 60 g (¼ cup) mayonnaise, or Mayonnaise; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp seafood seasoning (Old Bay), or ½ tsp celery salt, ½ tsp paprika and a pinch of cayenne; 1 tsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 40 g (½ cup) saltine crackers or panko, finely crushed; 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 1 lemon, wedges; tartar sauce or Aioli, to serve

Mostly crab, barely bound, browned crisp in butter

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 25 min
Total: 1 h 5 min
Level: Some skill

A great crab cake tastes of sweet crab, not filler. This style from the Chesapeake Bay uses just enough mayonnaise, egg and crushed crackers to hold big lumps of crabmeat together, seasoned with mustard and a little Old Bay-style spice. Chilling the cakes before cooking is what keeps them intact.

Ingredients

450 glump or white crabmeat, cooked (1 lb)fresh or pasteurized, picked over for shell
1egg
60 gmayonnaise (¼ cup)or Mayonnaise
1 tspDijon mustard
1 tspWorcestershire sauce
1 tspseafood seasoning (Old Bay)or ½ tsp celery salt, ½ tsp paprika and a pinch of cayenne
1 tsplemon juice
2 tbspchopped parsley
40 gsaltine crackers or panko (½ cup)finely crushed
30 gunsalted butter (2 tbsp)
1 tbspneutral oil
1lemonwedges
tartar sauce or Aiolito serve

Diet: Pescatarian
Allergens: crustaceans, egg, gluten, mustard, fish, milk, celery
Origin: United States (Chesapeake Bay)
Season: Summer, All

Method

Spread the crab on a tray and pick through it with your fingers for bits of shell, keeping the lumps as whole as possible.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, seasoning, lemon juice and parsley.
Add the crab and the crushed crackers. Fold together very gently with a spatula until just combined; you want visible lumps of crab.
Shape into 8 loose cakes about 6 cm wide and 3 cm thick. They will feel fragile. Lay on a lined tray, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 8 hours). 30 min
Heat the butter and oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron pan over medium heat until the butter foams.
Cook the cakes, without crowding, until deep golden underneath, 4–5 minutes. Turn carefully with a thin spatula and cook the second side 4–5 minutes, until golden and hot right through: 71°C (160°F) in the center, needed because of the raw egg in the binder. 10 min
Drain briefly on paper towel and serve with lemon and tartar sauce.

Why it works

Crab is already cooked, so the only job is to heat it through and set the binder. Egg proteins and the emulsion of mayonnaise coagulate around the lumps as they warm, and cracker crumbs soak up loose moisture. Chilling firms the butterfat in the mayonnaise and gives the crackers time to hydrate, so the cakes hold together when they meet the pan.

Common mistakes

Over-mixing breaks the crab into shreds. Fold just until it holds.
Skipping the chill: the cakes fall apart in the pan.
Too much filler. If it holds when squeezed, it has enough.

Variations

Broiled: Brush the chilled cakes with melted butter and broil 6–8 minutes, without turning, until golden and 71°C (160°F).
Mini cakes: Shape into 16 small cakes and cook 3 minutes a side; serve as a starter with a dab of rouille.

Make ahead and storage

Shape the cakes up to 8 hours ahead. Cooked cakes keep 2 days chilled; reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10 minutes.

Notes

Pasteurized crabmeat in tubs is fine. Brown crabmeat is tastier but softer; use at most a third. Gluten-free crackers or crushed rice crackers make these gluten free (check the Worcestershire too).