Welcome to the ultimate crab cake adventure! These crab cakes are not just a dish; they’re a celebration of flavor, a seaside vacation on a plate, and a party for your taste buds.
Picture this: succulent chunks of crab, mingling with zesty lemon, fragrant herbs, and a touch of Dijon and a splash of Caribbean hotsauce. Each bite is a burst of savory goodness, wrapped in a perfect, crunchy coat. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a kitchen newbie, this recipe is your ticket to crab cake paradise. So grab your apron, and let’s dive into making the most irresistible crab cakes you’ve ever tasted!
First, let’s talk about the crab. You basically have two choices (unless you live near the coasts or have an amazing fresh fish market in town). Canned lump crab (a mixture made up of smaller pieces of body meat combined with smaller or broken pieces of jumbo lump meat) or canned Jumbo lump (whole pieces). The quality of the jumbo is far superior IMO – better taste, texture and you’ll have fewer shell bits to deal with. Yes, it’s more expensive – usually around $35/lb. vs. $25/lb for lump. It’s about $1 difference per serving (two cakes) in this recipe. Not so bad!
The Island Remoulade sauce is also linked in the recipe and the slaw makes an amazing, refreshing accompaniment to this dish.
Ingredients
Wet
- 1 whole Egg - beaten
- 1/3 cup Mayonnaise - I like Duke's
- 1 TBSP Dijon
- 2 TBSP Gold Juice
- 2 tsp Worchestershire
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- Kosher salt
Dry
- 1 lb Jumbo lump crab meat
- 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 3 TBSP Parsley - minced
- 3 TBSP Scallions - fine sliced
For frying
- Avocado oil
- Salted butter
Garnish
- Scallions - sliced
- Lemon juice/zest
- Island Remoulade
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the "Wet" ingredients along with the salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, gently break apart the lump crab so that it's flaky. You'll also be on the lookout for any shell fragments. Add the panko, parsley and scallion. Lightly toss together.
- Add wet ingredients to the crab bowl and using a fork, combine well.
- On a sheet tray using a round 3" ring mold or cookie cutter, fill the mold with the mixture and tamp down to make a uniform "hockey puck". Not too hard, just compress it enough so that it holds together when you remove the ring. Repeat with rest of crab cakes. You should be able to make 8.
- Place tray in fridge to firm up the cakes before frying. 15-20 minutes should do.
- Preheat oven to Low – 200F.
- In a large cast iron over Medium heat, bring avocado oil to temp and add butter. Working in batches of 3-4, fry each side until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Don't move them while in the pan until turning! Be gentle turning them so they don't break apart. I use a fish spatula.
- Place on paper towel lined sheet tray in warm 200F oven to hold while doing next batch.
- Garnish and enjoy!
