Crab cakes are what Maryland is known for; picking Maryland blue crab, crab cakes and Old Bay seasoning.
I’ve had the pleasure of eating some delicious, all-meat, no filler crab cakes in my time, but I’ve never been quite able to master them at home.
Until now.
Authentic Maryland Crab Cakes are made with jumbo lump crab meat with little filler, Dijon mustard and Old Bay Seasoning plus locals secrets for the perfect cake.
It has been a labor of love. An expensive labor of love ranging over the past decade.
With jumbo lump crab meat costing $31+, this isn’t something you can just make over and over again until you get it right. You can’t just willy nilly make recipes that use jumbo lump crab meat.
Make sure you PIN this Crab Cake Recipe!
In my taste adventures I’ve found that there are many ways to achieve a Maryland Crab Cake, but there are a few rules to NOT be broken.
I find it interesting that when looking at what other people (people not from Maryland) post as the Ultimate Maryland Style Crab Cake. They are all wrong.
Painfully wrong. So wrong that any Marylander would look at you and laugh.
Thomas says: “Thank you for posting this recipe. It is wonderful since I have been a Marylander native for most of my life.
G &M has about the #1 crabcake In Linthicum Maryland and this almost matches it. “
So what must you know about Maryland Crab Cakes? First is that they have no vegetables.
None. Don’t try and sneak some celery or red pepper in there. Purists would even advise against grated onion and garlic. Even parsley, unless it is used as a garnish on top.
And when someone says “no filler” they just mean that there is the least amount of binder possible to hold the crab meat together.
Even the smallest amount adds to the amount of “filler”, or anything that is not crab meat. Any filler is the enemy for any the crab mixture.
You need just enough to glue your glorious pieces of jumbo lump crab meat together, but no more.
In fact, some of the best crab cakes will start to fall apart from the lightest touch of a fork.
It is even challenging to get them to the perfect golden brown because they are so fragile.
You also don’t want to mask the flavor of crab. Good blue crab is light, buttery and sweet. It doesn’t need much more than a spritz of lemon to compliment its flavor.
Fillers and flavors are only needed when you are trying to hide that fact that there isn’t nearly enough actual crab in the cake. Old Bay also serves this purpose.
Betty says: “The best I’ve ever made at home. I’ve always been intimidated to make them, but these were easy and delicious!”
While you want a little seafood seasoning, you don’t want too much.
There are some “crab dips” (I use this term loosely) because they flavor some cream cheese with Old Bay and put two runty pieces of back fin in the dip and label it “crab”.
Next is knowing your crab. Here is a brief crab meat tutorial.
- Claw– dark meat that comes from the claw, a little more stringy than other varieties.
- Special– smaller pieces, comes from small little crevices or the “special” sections of the crab, good for flavoring and dips.
- Backfin– some larger lumps coming from, you guessed it, the back of the shell, whiter meat, does well in crab cakes, feathery texture.
- Jumbo lump– large, lumps of meat, the beauty is the large pieces used for crab meat cocktails or delicious to pop in your mouth plain, very tasty and moist.
Maryland Crab Cakes pride themselves on being jumbo lump, but since it is so expensive, most of them are a mix of jumbo lump and other type of meat.
For this crab cake recipe, I used all jumbo lump and it was expensive, not gonna lie. Feel free to use a less expensive option or a blend.
Sharon says: “My family loved these. Thank you! I just used fresh lemon, but next time I’m trying the chipotle or lemon herb aioli.”
The last variation on the actual crab cake is the binder. This can be any type of dry bread crumb and is where the most variation lies.
Some commonly seen binders are saltine crackers, panko, Italian bread crumbs and brioche.
I use panko, but you can play around with any type you like.
Lastly, and not actually part of the crab cake, is the crab cake sauce. Crab cake enthusiasts will tell you they should not be served with sauce at all.
Let the crab shine! Maybe a spritz of fresh lemon, juice but no more.
Others do allow small amounts of worcestershire sauce, hot sauce or a light salt and pepper seasoning, but these are all debatable.
I say, serve it with whatever you like. I actually like cocktail sauce, but most come with a side of tartar sauce. Some even like a chipotle or lemon herb aioli.
And tonight, I served these with copycat Peter Lugar’s Steak Sauce!
Because crab cakes are so expensive for even a small one, they often come with another type of protein or a “steak and cake”.
The history of crab cakes is also widely debated. What isn’t debatable is that decades ago, blue crabs were abundant on the Chesapeake Bay.
Box Hill Crabs has the best explanation of the history of crabcakes, so here it is in the entirety:
While many folk had been using crab in their recipes, combining the meat with spices and breadcrumbs or crackers, the term “crab cake” was first coined by Crosby Gaige in the 1930s.
In his cookbook titled, New York World’s Fair Cook Book, he finally gave the popular recipe a name: “Baltimore Crab Cakes”.
Unfortunately, the volume goes up and down based on season, but even most of the blue crabs served in Maryland are coming from the coasts of Carolina or Louisiana.
Here are a few of my favorite beef recipes that pair well with Maryland Crab cakes!
- Balsamic Whiskey Sirloin
- Garlic Brandy Grilled Filet
- Coffee Crusted Beef Tenderloin
- Crab Imperial Filet Mignon
Tools for making homemade crab cakes:
Rimmed Baking Sheet– another kitchen staple! You’ll use this for prep work, roasting and much more. I have 7 at my house.
Mixing Bowls– make sure to check out my article on Using the Right Mixing Bowl, you’d be surprised how many people aren’t!
In review, a few tips for making crabcakes:
- Use the right type of crab meat for the cake you making.
- Don’t overdo the filler.
- Don’t overseason, allow your crab meat to shine!
- Don’t over sauce, let those flavors loose.
- Don’t over mix the crab mixture, loosely toss it.
- Don’t overcook your cakes.
Questions you might have about how to make crab cakes:
Can I freeze crab cakes? Crab cakes are one of the few recipes that contain mayonnaise that you can freeze. I prefer to freeze mine cooked instead of raw (even though the crab meat isn’t actually raw).
Can I use imitation crab meat? I would advise against using imitation crab meat for crab cakes.
Crab is the main ingredient and will flavor the whole dish. Imitation crab meat is just a white fish compressed into crab-like shapes and then tinted a weird orange color.
Can I use king crab or snow crab? Again, what makes a Maryland crab cake is the blue crab. I supposed you can use one of the other two, but I would advise against it.
Can I make crab cakes in advance? You sure can! Make them, form them and refrigerate covered for up to 24 hours. In fact, this step can help the fragile lump crab meat hold together while cooking.
Can I fry these crab cakes? You sure can make these into fried crab cakes. Add oil to a shallow frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on both sides until lightly browned.
Are crab cakes keto? This is not a keto friendly crab cake recipe because it contains bread crumbs.
Are crab cakes gluten free? If you use a gluten free alternative to bread crumbs, then yes, they are gluten free.
Are crab cakes dairy free? This recipe is dairy free.
Can crab cakes be grilled? You surely can grill them, but you need to use some sort of flat surface. The delicate meat will fall right through the grates of a traditional grill.
Can crab cakes be microwaved? I do not suggest microwaving any seafood. It gets tough and rubbery.
Do I have to use old bay? You don’t! Old Bay is the most popular in my area because it originated in Maryland. It was bought by McCormick and is now supplied throughout the US.
You can use any seafood seasoning you like or even a nice Cajun blend. It adds a little bit of salt, to any salt blend will also work.
What should I serve with my crab cakes? In Maryland, they usually come with a shrimp boil, corn on the cob or french fries, but here are a few of my favorites when making them at home:
You can also make these into Crab Cakes Hollandaise!
Also check out these fabulous crab recipes:
- Crab Imperial
- Crab Melt
- Crabby Totchos
- Hot Crab Dip
- Spicy Crab and Sausage Soup
- Baked Stuffed Lobster
- Salmon Cakes- while they aren’t crab, they are still delicious!
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So there you go, everything you need to know about how to make crab cakes. And if you are going for a fully Maryland theme, serve them with an Orange Crush, our favorite summer time beverage!
Maryland Style Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds jumbo lump BLUE crab meat
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning , plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
Instructions
- Dab crab meat with paper towels to get out excess moisture. Try not to break apart any of the large crab meat lumps.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, Old Bay and lemon juice.
- Add crab meat, panko and lightly beaten egg. Toss lightly using your fingers until just moist, again, trying to not break apart any crab meat lumps. If it isn’t sticking, add more panko slowly until it binds. Carefully form 8 jumbo crab cakes or 16 crab balls.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease. Place crab cakes on baking sheet.
- Preheat broiler to high heat. Place 4-5 inches from heating element. Broil until lightly brown on top, approximately 7-8 minutes.
- Remove, transfer to serving plates using a spatula and then garnish with minced parsley (optional) and a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning. Serve with your choice of dipping sauces.
- Have you tried our Maryland Crab Cakes? Make sure to come back and tell us how you liked them!
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This is the closest recipe I’ve seen to an authentic crab cake. Personally, I add more mayo, Dijon and ton more Old Bay too. I also like mine with capers and green onion in lieu of parsley. And, if I’m making double the recipe, an extra extra egg so that it binds a little better.
Hi Tom, thanks for the feedback! I have to say that I’ve never had a crab cake with capers and only a handful with green onion. Where in Maryland are you from?
I was ruined after having the BEST crab cakes in Maryland until i came across this recipe! This has become a staple for quick weekly dinners as well as larger gatherings at the house. Thank you!
Aw, thank you! Glad you loved them so much. A good crab cake recipe is hard to find 🙂
I have made crabcakes exactly like this many times. i was born and raised in Baltimore and been eating blue crabs since I could sit at the table. I do however use French’s classic yellow mustard instead of grey poison. Although both are good. Also I always chop 1 TB. fresh parsely. Your recipe is spot on, but I guess depending on where in Maryland you grew up is the difference in some ingredients. Although I would not use seasoned breadcrumbs. As kids we ate our crabcakes on saltines with French’s mustard, the cakes were much smaller then.lol. I do have a question. When making large crabcakes ( 6oz.- 8oz.) I have trouble keeping them together. So what do you think about lightly and gently dusting them with cornstarch to act as a glue? I don’t think it will change the flavor. So for now I stick with 5oz. Cakes. But I am going to try this one day. I also think the cornstarch would crisp up nicely. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
Hi Keith! Totally true that depending on where you grew up depends on the recipes. I’ve heard of so many types of binders- crackers, panko, bread crumbs and more, and they are all good, just a little different.
It is hard to hold them together when they are large, that is SO true! Cornstarch might hold them together, BUT you might have an issue with texture rather than flavor. It can have a little bit of starchy texture unless heated to a high heat and crab cakes don’t cook for long enough to get that.
What I would try is molding them and then letting them firm up a bit in the fridge or freezer to help it bind. Everything is cooked, so you are really just looking to heat them through than actually cook the food. I also use an ice cream scoop so they are piled more high than flat. it is easier to keep a mountain together than a hockey puck. If you think about a lot of the restaurants in the area, a good cake is described as being like a baseball, not a pancake.
And if they break a little, there is ZERO shame. I would rather serve a jumbo lump cake with a few large pieces rolling off than a perfectly formed cake with nothing but backfin and filler.
Hope that helps and let me know how they turn out!
I made these for a crowd at Christmas. Made small meatball sized cakes and baked them in mini muffin pans. They disappeared so fast! Everyone loved them, even me. I am not a huge crab cake fan because of all the filler junk in them. These however are really easy and amazing. Thanks for posting a go to recipe for me.
Awesome, Nancy! Thanks for coming back to let us know!
Hi Jessica, I question the amount of crab called for in your recipe ( 2 pounds); Every recipe I’ve seen to date (and I’ve seen tons of them) calls for only 1 pound…?
Hi Linda! I do use 2 pounds and make 4 jumbo crab cakes. If you wanted to cut it back to 1 pound, that is fine, just half the rest of the recipe and make slightly smaller crab cakes.
To much verbiage before getting to recipe , annoying
Hi William- all that verbiage actually has some useful information about crab and crab cakes- I’m sorry it was too much for you to have to scroll for a half a second to get to the recipe. My readers have varying expertise levels in the kitchen and many follow me purely because I provide so much helpful information in addition to fabulous recipes.
I love blue crab. Your recipe is spot on.
Grew up not too far from you. My other favorite is soft shell crab fried crunchy.
Thanks, Myrna! Soft shell is another fun one, although I’ve never made that one at home.
Never made crab cakes before. My son was coming home and he just loves the cakes, so I decided to make them. Was looking for a recipe and found this one. Absolutely fabulous. So easy to make, done in just a few minutes. I did have to gradually add more panko, a little at a time. Thank you, my son was over joyed.
I have made the crab cakes several times now and love this simple recipe! I’m from eastern shore Md and have had some of the best crab cakes restaurants on the shore have to offer, mine now are as delicious and filler free as there’s!! The cost saving to so easily make your own is phenomenal !!! Thank you
You are SOOOOO welcome! We love them too!
Yaaaaasssss! The only way to make crab cakes!!!!
YAAAASSSS! We agree! 🙂
Born and raised in Maryland and this is the same recipe we have always used ingredient wise. We don’t measure it out here but try to keep the filler items super minimal, like you mentioned. No sauce needed of course. They melt in your mouth. Marylanders usually will not order crab cakes out of state other than parts of Delaware and Virginia who know how to make a proper crab cake too. We are super particular. Mixing lump and backfin usually gives a great meaty consistency to your cake. Thanks for your recipe and defining so well what truly makes a MD crab cake.
Thanks for the feedback, Jen! I spent a lot of time “researching” how to make the perfect cake. Tough job, but someone has to do it! LOL.
Delicious! In case anyone wondering gluten free options I substituted the sane measurement for chickpea flour and it worked perfect. You can not taste the flour. My parents both from Baltimore, and we always had these. Nothing to me beats a Maryland crab cake. You gotta have Old Bay.Tastes just like memories at the Grandmother’s house. Thank you!
So glad you loved it!
The Maryland Crab Cake recipe My Mother gave me —She was born in Baltimore —back in the early 30’s —uses Saltine Crackers —not Panko—a much later invention !
This recipe is very close to the one I use. I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and we eat a lot of seafood. The main difference is we use Ritz crackers as the filler. Also, our jumbo lump isn’t quite as expensive as yours or we would never eat crab cakes!
Oh yeah, forgot to say I cook on a griddle and use remoulade sauce as the topping.
Thanks for stopping by to let us know! If crab was less expensive, I’d be eating them WAY more often. LOL.
Easy to make and absolutely delicious!!
Thank you, Sharon! So glad you enjoyed them!
Thank you for posting this recipe. It is wonderful since I have been a Marylander native for most of my life. G &M has about the #1 crabcake In Linthicum Maryland and this almost matches it. The only difference I believe is that they add Mustard Powder to the mixture of wet ingredients and use mostly special meeat mixed with some Backfin and then they roll it in backfin. But, your crabcake is excellent as well. I have pinned this to my board for Crab and look forward to using the recipe for years to come. Thanks Again, Tom
Thank you, Thomas! I agree, G&M has a smashing crab cake! There are so many ways to make really good ones that I hesitate to ever call any cake “the best”, ya know? I totally understand using powder to not add to the wet ingredients, but even with the best powder, I find that creamy Dijon adds the punch I really look for.
The Recipes are very good
We were at the Narrows in Kent Island area, and they gave us their crab cake recipe complimentary. we are
going to Charlotte, NC and my job is to make crab cakes. Could we complimentary have
their recipe?
Hi Georgina, I am a little confused as to what you are asking me?
These babies look so good!! I have never had crab cakes (I know, sad, huh) but I grew up in West Texas and …….. Now these are on my list of foodies to try!
Hugs
Pinning and sharing!!
I can’t see how anyone wouldn’t love them- but still, let me know how it goes!
I bet these would be a big hit at our Super Bowl party. Thanks for sharing at Saturday Dishes.
Thanks for having me and stopping over, Kerry!
I love crab cakes. You are making me so hungry! Thanks for linking up to Saturday Dishes Super bowl link up. I pinned these!
Blessings,
Diane Roark
Thanks for having me and pinning, Diane.
Thanks for inviting me over. These look so good!!!
Thank you!
Hi! Loved the recipe…just wondering how many crab cakes is a serving? I made 8 crab cakes…Im doing weight watchers and was just trying to figure out the points.Thanks!
Hi! I generally make 4 really big ones, so just divide the nutritional info in half. I just changed recipe cards and the serving size isn’t showing well. Thanks for helping me see that !