The Ultimate Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Recipes

THE BEST CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the crab cakes: Gently fold together the crabmeat, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, chives, Dijon mustard, seafood seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and the juice and zest of one lemon in a large bowl. Refrigerate the crab mixture for 15 minutes to firm up; this allows the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the liquid, helping the crab cakes bind together.
• Meanwhile, make the tartar sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, dill pickles, capers, chives, zest and juice of 1 lemon in a medium bowl and mix until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Scoop heaping half cups of the crab mixture and pat into 2 1/2-inch wide patties. Lightly press them together so they do not fall apart while cooking. You should have 8 patties.
• Heat 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes to the pan and cook until golden, about 2 minutes, then flip using a flat metal spatula. Continue to cook until lightly golden, about 1 1/2 minutes then transfer the pan to the oven. Cook until the crab cakes are completely heated through, about 10 minutes.
• Serve the crab cakes with the tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

MARYLAND JUMBO LUMP CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• In a large bowl, combine the egg yolk, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, mayonnaise, and parsley. Then, gently fold in crabmeat (be careful not to break up the lumps). Shape into cakes and broil for 5 minutes.

THE ULTIMATE CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Make the crab cakes first so they have time to firm up in the refrigerator before you cook them.
• Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion gets kind of caramelized. Dump that into a bowl and fold in the crabmeat, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, egg white, lime juice, and cilantro, mixing just until well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 6 fat crab cakes. Put them on a plate, cover, and stick them in the refrigerator to chill.
• To serve, heat a 3-count of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 4 minutes each side until nice and crisp. Serve on torn butcher paper with fresh lemon wedges and Garlic Aioli with Celery Root.
• Mince garlic and make into paste using the side of your knife. Hint: to make this go faster add a bit of salt to the garlic and continue mashing with the side of your knife.
• Place the paste in a large bowl and add: the sour cream, mayonnaise, celery seed, lemon juice, and oil. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold in the shredded celery root and chives. Give it a final taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

JUMBO LUMP CRAB CAKES WITH CARROT BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the crab in a mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the butter and shallot in a small pot over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the Old Bay, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the mustard, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream. Pour the butter mixture over the crab. Add the scallions. Fold the ingredients together gently but thoroughly, taking care not to mash the crabmeat. The mixture will look almost runny; don't worry, it will firm up in the fridge. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour; overnight is even better.
• When ready to cook, use your hands to form the mixture into 6 crab cakes that are 1 1/2 inches thick. They should be moist and just hold together. Put the crab cakes on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while setting up your breading station. This allows the flavors to blend and the crab cakes to set.
• To create a breading station, put the flour in a pie plate and season with salt and pepper. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl, add 1 tablespoon water, and beat with a fork until frothy. Put the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.
• Put a large skillet over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of the oil, and swirl the pan around to coat the bottom. Working with 3 crab cakes at a time (keep the remaining cakes in the fridge), lightly dredge both sides of the cakes in the seasoned flour, dip into the beaten egg, and then coat completely with bread crumbs. Gently lay the cakes in the hot oil and brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side (turning only once or they will break up). Drain on paper towels. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and repeat with the remaining 3 crab cakes.
• To serve, pool 1/4 cup of the carrot butter sauce on each of 6 plates, set a crab cake in the center, and, if you like, put a pile of sprouts on top.
• Carrot Butter Sauce
• Combine the carrot juice, carrot, shallot, and salt in a small pot over medium-low heat. Simmer until the carrot is completely soft and mushy, 10 minutes. The liquid will reduce almost, but not quite, by half.
• Stir in the cream and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to combine. It will look kind of a mess, a bit grainy and separated, but not to worry.
• Remove from the heat. Whisk in the butter a few chunks at a time; all of a sudden, the sauce will come together. Pour the sauce into a blender and hold a kitchen towel over the top for safety. Buzz until completely smooth and a beautiful sunset color appears. Serve hot.