Maryland Crab Cakes

Almost all crab, with just enough binder to hold the lumps together. Seasoned with Old Bay and pan-fried in butter.

Prep

15 min

Cook

10 min

Total

55 min

incl. 30 min chilling

Yield

4 servings

6 crab cakes

Ingredients

1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shell
1 large egg
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup saltine cracker crumbs (about 10 crackers)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Lemon wedges and tartar sauce, to serve

Method

Whisk the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, parsley and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Add the crab and cracker crumbs. Fold gently with a spatula so the lumps stay whole.
Shape into 6 cakes about 1 inch thick. Set on a plate, cover and chill for 30 minutes so they hold together.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cakes until deep golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

Kitchen note

Fold, never stir. The big lumps of crab are what you paid for.

Where it comes from

Blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay are Maryland’s pride. Old Bay seasoning was created in Baltimore in 1939.