I am very particular about my crab meat. I will usually wait until Maryland crab meat is available and then buy up as much as I can from my local purveyor. If it’s not available, I usually stick to a few other brands because they are fairly consistent. Most Marylanders will tell you that the best crab cake should hold together well and be very moist and creamy, with not a lot of stuff in them — and I completely agree. By stuff I mean all of the embellishments that you will find in many other recipes, like red or green peppers, onions, shallots, garlic or too many spices.
Eating a Maryland crab cake comes very close to having a religious experience. The meat is beautifully sweet and silky, and it comes together simply with just a few other ingredients.
The key to a really great recipe is to start with a great mayonnaise, and I ONLY use Duke’s because it is an egg-based mayo. If I have some homemade mayo on hand, I’ll add a little of that along with the Duke’s mayo, because the flavor is so much nicer. I prefer to broil mine with just a little drizzle of olive oil, but others deep fry them. They are really delicious that way too, but it’s just a matter of personal choice. If you prefer to fry yours too, just make sure to quickly roll them in a bit of flour before frying them. I try to forgo any extra calories and stick to broiling them, and they come out perfect every time. The smaller sizes (crab balls) are perfect to use as hors d’oeuvres and they fry up really well straight from the freezer — again, just make sure to quickly toss them in a little flour before tossing them in the fryer. Frying is a great way to prepare a lot of crab cakes quickly for a larger gathering.
Depending on how much Maryland crab meat I can get my hands on, I might make a few of them or an entire tray to last us for a while. The problem is that I can’t always find it and price is also a consideration. I get as much of it as I can when it’s available and then prep the crab cakes and freeze them. The prepared crab cakes freeze well, and all you need to do is pull what you need from the freezer for a quick dinner.
The BEST months to get the nicest meat is in October/November — and not the summer months when prices are generally through the roof. You can get the best deals in the Fall and the crabs are nicely fattened up. It’s the time of the year where they all get fat and happy before they disappear to the deeper parts of the Bay to stay warm in the winter. If I wait to buy crab meat around the holidays, forget it, it’s way too expensive.
If you intend to use them within a few days, just keep them covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Nothing beats a real, traditional Maryland crab cake.
Crab Cakes (Makes about 6 – 3 oz crab cakes)
1# lump crab meat
1# back fin crab meat
1½ cup good quality mayo (I only use Duke’s)
6 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
Zest and juice of 1 lemon or lime (I prefer lime)
2 teaspoons Old Bay spice (you can add 1 more teaspoon if you prefer)
Pepper to taste (1/4 teaspoon is usually enough)
1½ teaspoons fresh (or dried) parsley
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard (or other good quality mustard of your choice)
olive oil for drizzling on top before broiling
Empty the containers of both the lump and the back fin crab meat into a large mixing bowl. If you have purchased a good quality crab meat, you should not have any shells. I like to gently run my hand through the meat to catch any large pieces. Just make sure not to break up the lumps of meat too much. Next place the mayo, mustard, Old Bay, lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper and dried parsley in a small bowl and mix it all together. Pour the mixture onto the crab meat, then add the panko bread crumbs. Fold gently until it is all well incorporated.
Use a 3 ounce ice cream scoop and use the palm of your hand to pack in the meat. Put the scooped meat directly into a container lined with plastic wrap if you plan to freeze them. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap before you put the lid on.
If you plan to enjoy them right away, scoop them onto a pan lined with a lightly greased (or sprayed) piece of foil. I don’t use parchment here because it will turn a very dark brown color. Greasing the foil is important, because the pieces of crab meat will stick to the foil. Let the crab cakes sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set, and then preheat your oven to 400° while you are waiting. Before tossing them in the broiler, generously drizzle on some olive oil and broil them for about 10-15 minutes, until they take on a nice golden brown color. Let them cool for a minute or so while getting your plates together and use a good wide spatula to scoop them up. Serve them up either on a bun or as an accompaniment to a great salad.
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