Description
Savor Baltimore’s culinary pride with Maryland-style crab cakes, a seafood delicacy packed with succulent lumps of blue crab and subtle seasoning. Crisp golden edges and delicate interior promise a memorable coastal dining experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) lump crab meat (fresh, not imitation)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
- ½ cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs (or crushed saltine crackers)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter (for cooking)
- Lemon wedges
- Tartar sauce or remoulade
Instructions
- Preparation: Delicately combine crab meat, breadcrumbs, egg, mayo, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, and lemon juice in a large bowl, ensuring minimal disruption to the delicate crab meat texture.
- Forming & Chilling: Craft the mixture into patties, either 4 large or 6 medium, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to solidify their structure and enhance flavor cohesion.
- Cooking Technique: Choose between pan-frying or oven-baking methods – for pan-frying, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook patties 3-4 minutes per side until achieving a golden, crispy exterior; alternatively, bake in a preheated 400°F oven on a parchment-lined sheet for 15-18 minutes, rotating midway for even caramelization.
- Presentation: Plate the Maryland-style crab cakes immediately, accompanied by zesty lemon wedges and a complementary sauce like tartar or remoulade, paired with fresh side dishes such as crisp salad, tangy coleslaw, or roasted seasonal vegetables.
Notes
- Handle crab meat delicately to maintain large, tender chunks and prevent breaking during mixing and shaping.
- Refrigerating patties before cooking helps them hold shape, prevents crumbling, and enhances flavor melding.
- Use medium heat when pan-frying to achieve golden-brown exterior without burning or drying out the delicate crab meat.
- Swap breadcrumbs with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or crushed gluten-free crackers for celiac or gluten-sensitive diets.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 70mg