Crab Cakes

Published Oct. 12, 2023

Crab Cakes
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
About 1 hour
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ chilling
Rating
4(438)
Comments
Read comments

Flavored with Old Bay seasoning, mustard and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, these classic Maryland-style crab cakes are heavy on the crab, with just enough bread crumbs and mayonnaise to hold everything together. Serve with homemade tartar sauce, lemon wedges and a green salad for a special lunch, dinner or appetizer any time of the year. For an hors d’oeuvre-sized portion, form smaller cakes (about 3 tablespoons of batter each) and pan-fry as directed. The batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ½cup mayonnaise
  • 1large egg
  • 2teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) 
  • Black pepper
  • 1pound lump crab meat, drained
  • ½cup panko 
  • 2tablespoons minced fresh parsley 
  • ¼cup vegetable or canola oil, for frying 
  • Store-bought or homemade tartar sauce and lemon wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

466 calories; 38 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 18 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 23 grams protein; 900 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt and a few grinds (or shakes) of black pepper and whisk until smooth. Add the crab, panko and parsley and mix gently until incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up slightly.

  2. Step 2

    Using a measuring cup, scoop out heaping ⅓-cup mounds of the crab mixture and form them into firm patties about ¾-inch thick. You should have 8 cakes.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium (10-inch) skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 4 of the crab cakes, spacing them evenly in the pan. Gently press the cakes with a spatula to flatten them slightly, then cook until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the cooked cakes to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining cakes, lowering the heat, if necessary, to prevent any burning.

  4. Step 4

    Serve the crab cakes with tartar sauce and lemon wedges on the side.

Ratings

4 out of 5
438 user ratings
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Comments

You don't add the crab to the liquids, you add liquid the crab meat and cracker, mix that way crackers/panko doesn't get soggy. Mix panko or cracker crumbs with the crab, let stand for 5-10 minute. That absorbs the moisture off the crab meat. That way the mayonnaise sticks to the bits of crab meat better and you don't need as much. 1/2 cup panko/crackers per pound of crab meat is excessive. If you use a mix of lump and backfin you can lower the amount of crackers/panko even more/

This recipe is very close to the Maryland crab cakes I learned to make while living in Maryland, BUT since Old Bay contains a lot of salt, no more salt is necessary. Also, try using 1/2 tsp. Coleman's dry mustard instead of Dijon, and a bit less Worcestershire. Crabmeat is so sweet and delicate that it shouldn't be overpowered.

While this is a decent recipe, most of us in Baltimore would advise broiling a crab cake over frying.

I learned that the canned crab should be rinsed and drained. You can also soak it in milk and then drain. I did neither, hope they turn out ok.

Purchased prepared, fresh Dungeness crab from Costco, if you do this don't add any salt to the recipe- a squeeze of lemon helped in our case but I wouldn't do that again.

This was the perfect party appetizer. Simple and easy. I added more old bay seasoning since I'm from the midatlantic region (we love our old bay!).

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