Maryland Crab Cakes

Having lived here in Maryland for the last 14 years, Ive had my share of crab cakes, both good and bad. I dont believe Ive ever had a bad crab cake that was homemade, but once you start trying restaurant cakes, you are bound to run into trouble. I ve made this a couple times, the last time for what turned out to be the end of the Baltimore Ravens season in their loss to the Indianapolis Colts. I fired up a HUGE batch of crab cakes for the viewing party, and there wasnt even a piece of breading left on the serving tray when done. This recipe is pretty simple, but if theres one thing I need to reinforce to my readers is this: Your crab cakes are only as good as your crab. When I make them, I usually use jumbo lump crab meat. The cheapest Ive found them is around $21.99 a pound. Yes, it s expensive, but it s totally worth it.

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Preparing Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Served Person: 6

crab crabcakes maryland seafood american white meat free tree nut free contains gluten contains red meat contains fish contains dairy contains eggs

Carbohydrate 2.48424888888889 g
Cholesterol 62.38 mg
Fat 26.6685550229355 g
Fiber 0.812283338502049 g
Protein 15.08301 g
Saturated Fat 4.37128917054276 g
Serving Size 1 1 Serving (173g)
Sodium 690.265055555555 mg
Sugar 1.67196555038684 g
Trans Fat 1.57251000112384 g
Calories 308 calories

main dish

Step-by-step

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and peanut oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve warm with preferred sauce.

Golden-brown crusts encase tender, oversized lumps of sweet crustacean meat that remain entirely unbroken by heavy fillers. Traditional preparations along the Chesapeake Bay historically relied on minimal binding agents—just a touch of mayonnaise, egg, and crushed crackers—to hold the delicate protein together without masking its natural oceanic flavor. Choosing jumbo lump meat yields visibly distinct segments, whereas claw or backfin meat creates a denser, more shredded texture inside the patty. Sourcing this premium seafood requires a significant financial investment, making careful handling essential to protect the expensive ingredients from waste or overworking.

Gentle folding prevents the fragile lumps from breaking apart before shaping. Chilling the formed patties for sixty minutes in the refrigerator before frying allows the binder to firm up, ensuring the cakes hold their shape when they hit the hot fat. Dredging lightly in flour creates a dry exterior barrier that promotes rapid browning without absorbing excess grease. Peanut oil works exceptionally well for this pan-fry stage because its high smoke point permits medium heat cooking without scorching the delicate dairy and egg components in the mixture.

Maintaining an oil temperature that causes immediate, steady sizzling prevents the patties from becoming greasy. Crowding the skillet drops the oil temperature too quickly, leading to soggy crusts instead of the desired crisp exterior. Cooking takes roughly four to five minutes per side until the surface turns evenly golden brown. Monitoring the heat carefully guarantees the interior warms through completely without burning the cracker coating.

Prepared patties freeze successfully on a parchment-lined baking sheet before being transferred to an airtight container for longer storage. Reheating frozen crab cakes directly in a 350-degree oven restores the crispy exterior much better than a microwave, which softens the crust and makes the seafood rubbery. Proper storage ensures leftovers retain their structural integrity and crisp texture for subsequent meals.

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Maryland Crab Cakes

Ingredients

Nutrition facts

Step-by-step