Old Bay Crab Cakes With Pan-Seared Jumbo Lump Crab
By Felix Grant
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Thirty minutes makes four large chunks of jumbo lump crab meat crab cakes with Old Bay seasoned crab cakes (I like large chunks of crab meat) and a crisp, deep golden-brown crust. I cook crab cakes in a cast-iron pan to make homemade meals appear more upscale and garnish and serve crab cakes with tartar sauce, lemon slices, and parsley.
First, I separate crab shell pieces by hand. Combine coating ingredients and combine with other crab cake ingredients using a rubber spatula. Take the crab cake mixture off the heat once all panko crumbs have been added to the mixture. Overbeating crab cake mixture can cause crab cakes to disintegrate. Shape crab cakes into balls instead of patties and chill before cooking. Chilling improves the texture of the crab cakes. You can use a large mixing bowl that has been chilled for other purposes.
I preheat a cast iron pan on medium-high heat and add fat to the pan. I wait for the butter to stop bubbling before adding the cake pieces. Bubbles form around the sides of the cakes as the bottoms cook. A thin, flexible fish spatula works well to flip the cakes without breaking the crust. I prefer a fish spatula to a wide spatula for this recipe.
I plate a lemon wedge and tartar sauce in the center of each dinner plate. I garnish the cakes with Old Bay seasoning and parsley. Cakes can also be served on a salad of mixed greens or in toasted specialty breads for lunch. I like to serve a cucumber salad on the side.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The short sear happens at the end.
- Four large cakes can be baked in one bowl and one pan. Fewer dishes need to be washed after dinner.
- Gentle folding helps avoid turning the center of the ball into crab paste.
- No special mold needed. Four ice cream scoops can be used to cut the cheesecake into four pieces in the home.
- Form thick mounds instead of neat restaurant-style patties. This will reduce the time needed to make the patties.
- Old Bay seasoning is sprinkled on the plated cakes.
Ingredients
- •1 lb jumbo lump crab meat (picked through for shells)
- •¼ cup mayonnaise
- •1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- •1 tsp Dijon mustard
- •2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (divided)
- •½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- •1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- •2 tbsp unsalted butter
- •1 tbsp neutral oil (canola or grapeseed oil)
- •4 dollops tartar sauce
- •4 wedges lemon
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the mayonnaise, beaten egg, Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning in a large chilled bowl until smooth and pale orange-yellow.
- 2
Gently fold in the jumbo lump crab meat with a rubber spatula, keeping the large pieces intact.
- 3
Fold in the panko breadcrumbs just until combined.
- 4
Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
- 5
Divide the mixture into 4 portions and gently shape each into a thick mound about 2 inches tall without flattening.
- 6
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, then add the butter and neutral oil.
- 7
Add the crab cakes once the butter stops foaming and sear for 4-5 minutes per side, until the edges bubble and each side is deep golden-brown with slight charred spots.
- 8
Transfer the crab cakes to plates and top each with a dollop of tartar sauce, the remaining Old Bay seasoning, chopped parsley, and a lemon wedge.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
320
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