Maryland Crab Cakes with Quick Tartar Sauce
A Maryland staple, these crab cakes are made from fresh lump crab meat and just enough filler to bind the crabmeat together.
Prep: 30min
Total: 40min
Yield: Makes 6 large crab cakes
Serving Size: 2 crab cakes
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 2 crab cakes, calories 299, Fat 14 g, Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 32 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, unSaturated Fat , Sugar 1 g, Fiber 1 g, Sodium 1141 mg, Cholesterol 275 mg
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 2½ tablespoons mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup finely diced celery, from one stalk
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 pound lump crab meat (see note below)
- ½ cup panko
- Vegetable or canola oil, for cooking
- 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- 1½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced red onion
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instruction:
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.
- Preheat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve the crab cakes warm with the tartar sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The crab cakes can be formed, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time before cooking. The tartar sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.
- Note: If you can only find jumbo lump crab meat, you may need to break the pieces up a bit. If the clumps are too large, the crab cakes won’t hold together well.
- Note: The nutritional information does not include the tartar sauce.
Best-Ever Crab Cakes
Crab cakes are always in the appetizers sections of fancy seafood restaurants, and it’s too easy to make this restaurant-worthy recipe at home.
Prep: 10min
Total: 30min
Yield: 8
Nutrition Facts: calories 2092 Calories, Fat 174 g, Saturated Fat 19 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 656 mg, Sodium 3656 mg, Carbohydrate 35 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 3 g, Protein 93 g
Ingredients:
- 1/3 c. mayonnaise
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp. hot sauce
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
- 3/4 c. panko bread crumbs (or saltines)
- 2 tbsp. freshly Chopped Parsley
- Canola oil, for frying
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Tartar sauce, for serving
Instruction:
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together crabmeat, panko, and parsley. Fold in mayo mixture, then form into 8 patties.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, coat pan with oil and heat until shimmering. Add crab cakes and cook, in batches, until golden and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Serve with lemon and tartar sauce.
OUR FAVORITE CRAB CAKES RECIPE + DIPPING SAUCE
FAQ
Is it better to pan fry or bake crab cakes?
They are primarily made of big chunks of crab meat, with just a little bit of crumb, egg, and seasoning to hold them together and enhance the flavor of the crab. I like pan-fried crab cakes the best for the wonderfully crispy exterior.
What makes crab cakes taste good?
I like them loaded with jumbo lump crab meat, a little mayo, a little mustard, a teensy bit of breadcrumbs, parsley, a squeeze of lemon and some seasoning. Keep it simple and you will have the best Maryland style Crab Cake in your life.
Is it better to broil or pan fry crab cakes?
Broiling is one of the best ways to cook cakes, because the flavor of the crab does not have to compete with that of the cooking oil. All you need to do is brush the cakes with a little melted butter if desired and place them about 3 inches from the heat in a preheated broiler until nicely browned.
What is the difference between Maryland crab cakes and regular crab cakes?
A crab cake is only considered a Maryland crab cake when it is made using only the meat from a Maryland blue crab. That signature sweetness of our state crustacean is the highlight of any crab cakes, which is why Box Hill makes our famous crab cakes with only blue crab meat.
