Crab Cake Recipe
Mildly seasoned, using only jumbo lump crabmeat, no filler
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Ingredients
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Crab Cake Mixture
Finish & Frying
Method
Crab Cake Mixture
Prepare crabmeat
Inspect the jumbo lump crabmeat for shells and gently pick through by hand. Place crabmeat in a large bowl and gently break up any very large lumps with your fingers—keep most lumps intact for texture.
Make dressing
In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, finely chopped parsley, minced shallot, Old Bay seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and combined.
Combine
Pour the dressing over the crabmeat. Add the lightly beaten egg and optional 2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture 6–8 times until combined. Do not overmix; you want the crab lumps to remain intact. The mixture should hold together when pressed; if it is too loose add up to 1 additional tablespoon breadcrumbs.
Shape
Portion the mixture into 6 equal portions (about 2.5–3 oz each) and shape gently into 3/4–1 inch thick patties. Place formed cakes on a parchment-lined tray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to firm up.
Finish & Frying
Heat pan
Set a heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Heat until butter foams and just begins to turn pale golden, about 1–2 minutes. The fat should shimmer but not smoke.
Pan-fry
Working in a single layer (cook in two batches if necessary), carefully place crab cakes in the pan. Cook without disturbing until bottoms are golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Gently flip using a thin spatula and cook the second side 2–3 minutes until golden and heated through. If cakes are browning too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low. Total cook time should be about 5–7 minutes per batch.
Finish in oven (optional)
If you prefer fully set centers or are cooking many cakes, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). After browning both sides in the skillet, transfer cakes to a baking sheet and finish in the oven 6–8 minutes until warmed through.