Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are what Maryland is known for; picking Maryland crabs, crab cakes and Old Bay seasoning. A traditional in the Chesapeake Bay area. And maybe crab dip…

jumblo lump pieces of crab meat in a crab cake


 

I’ve had the pleasure of eating some delicious (real deal), all-meat, no filler crab cakes in my time and this has taught me how to make just as delicious, all jumbo lump crab cakes at home.

What I’ve learned is that there are many version of “the best crab cake recipe” and even locals will debate you real Maryland crab cakes. Just look at the comments on this post!

serving platter with crab cake sauce and lemons

What Are Maryland Style Crab Cakes?

Authentic Maryland Crab Cakes are made with jumbo lump blue crab meat with little filler, Dijon mustard and Old Bay Seasoning plus locals secrets for the perfect cake. It is an easy recipe, but one that is often overthought.

Locals will tell you there are never any bell pepper, celery, carrot, onion or garlic in a good cake. And in fact, some would say even parsley is a huge no-no. This doesn’t mean that you can’t get a darn good Louisiana or North Carolina style cake with all of these things and using backfin, it just means it isn’t Maryland-style.

When someone says “no filler” they just mean that there is the least amount of binder possible to hold the crab meat together. It is impossible to not use any and even locals will debate until the cows come home about what is the correct filler.

close up of jumbo lump pieces of blue crab meat in a crab cake

The Perfect Crab 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.

So here we go- on an adventure to build the perfect cake at home. A softball mound of deliciousness.

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. 

angle view of crab cake on a white plate

Types of Crab Meat

The first thing to know is how to buy the crab meat. We are talking blue crab here, not snow crab, king crab, dungeness crab or stone crab, which have a different flavor profile and texture, thus not working well in this recipe.

And please, please, please… for the love of all things holy, do not ask me if you can use imitation crab meat! You know, the bright orange dyed processed fish stuff. The answer is NO. A hard no.

  • 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 chunks 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 Maryland crab, but since it is so expensive, most of them are a mix of jumbo lump and other type of meat.

For this Maryland 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.

jumblo lump pieces of crab meat in a crab cake

Ingredients in a Crab Cake

These easy crab cakes only require a handful of simple ingredients without a lot of filler. With very little filler, you get to enjoy the natural flavor of the crab more. You can find these at your local grocery store or seafood market.

  • Fresh crab meat- many people will pick their own fresh crabs or buy it from a stand on the side of the street. If you aren’t local, you might have to buy pasteurized from the seafood department. This might look like something in a can. If you can get you hands on a clear, plastic container, that is your best bet.
  • Mayonnaise – The glue that helps hold it all together.
  • Worcestershire sauce– A heady ingredient with a wealth of flavor in small doses.
  • Dijon mustard- Adds a little zing. Core ingredient for most crab cake recipes.
  • Old Bay Seasoning -or coarse sea salt or another seafood seasoning.
  • Fresh lemon juice– Always use fresh. Any citrus juice starts to lose flavor the moment it is juiced, so the bottled stuff lacks luster.  A squeeze of lemon adds so much brightness. Save a few wedges for serving after they are cooked.
  • Panko bread crumbs– Some commonly seen binders are saltine crackers, other cracker crumbs, Italian breadcrumbs and brioche. I use panko, but you can play around with any type you like.
  • Egg – to hold it all together.
close up of an old bay dusted crab cake with parsley garnish

Sauces

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 wedges, 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 or remoulade for crab cakes, but most come with a side of tartar sauce or a tartar based crab cake sauce. Some even like a chipotle or lemon herb aioli.

serving platter with crab cake sauce and lemons

What to Serve with a Crab Cake

Many folks like a “steak and cake”- meaning a surf and turf type meal with beef and a crab cake. Any type of steak will do. My favorites are a grilled Balsamic Whiskey Steak , pan fried steak or crab imperial filet mignon or even bacon wrapped filet mignon.

Don’t stop there though, you can also serve it with chicken for chicken imperial or on top of a salmon filet. Or with other seafood like shrimp cocktail, scallops or salmon croquettes.

And of course, side dishes like au gratin potatoes, a Jennifer Aniston Salad or grilled broccoli.

And you can’t beat a good sauce. A homemade tartar sauce, clarified melted butter or even a homemade remoulade will all make the perfect sauce.

three crabcakes on a serving platter

How to Make Crab Cakes

Making Maryland style crab cakes is fairly easy, but can take a little knowledge. The very first rule is to not overwork the filling and not break up the lovely lumps of buttery meat.

  1. Dry crab meat. Dab the crab meat with paper towels to get out excess moisture which can prohibit it from sticking. Do this gently to try not to break apart any of the large crab meat lumps.
  2. Combine wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, Old Bay and lemon juice. Mixing these first until well blended will prevent you from over mixing at the end.
  3. Add remaining ingredients. Add the 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. The moisture can vary greatly from packaging and additional binder might be needed.
  4. Form patties. Crab cakes are fragile, so treat them with care. Carefully form 8 jumbo crab cakes or 16 crab balls.
  5. Add to baking sheet. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and lightly grease to prevent sticking. Place the crab cakes gently on the baking sheet using a spatula to transfer.
  6. Bake. Preheat the broiler to high heat. Place 4-5 inches from heating element. Broil until lightly brown on top, approximately 7-8 minutes or even less depending on your unit.
  7. Serve and garnish. 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 or fresh lemon wedges.

Tips for Making Crab Cakes

​Follow these tips to make sure you make the absolute best crab cake every time.

  • 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!
  • Do not over sauce, let those flavors loose.
  • Don’t over mix the crab mixture, loosely toss it.
  • Don’t overcook your cakes.
maryland style crab cakes on a serving dish with lemon wedges

Storage and Freezing

Make this recipe in larger batches or ahead of time for easy prep at parties!

Can You Make Crab Cakes Ahead of Time?

You sure can! Although I would suggest forming the actual cake and waiting until you are ready to serve to cook them- either pan fried, broil or bake.

Since the crab is already cooked, it will be cooked a second time when you make the cakes and if you cook them and then reheat, it will be a third. Seafood doesn’t handling reheating well, so opt for just forming the crabcakes and storing them in the fridge until you are ready.

How to Store Crab Cakes

You can store leftover crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’re best enjoyed within two days. Reheat them by searing them in a hot skillet for 1 minutes on each side or in the oven. Of course you can microwave them for 30 seconds or so, but seafood tends to get rubbery when reheated in this manner.

How to Freeze Crab Cakes

This authentic crab cake recipe is great for freezing. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month. Unwrap and allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then cook according to the directions.

fork in a crab cake

Commonly Asked Questions

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?

Can I use imitation crab 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 make crab cakes in advance?

You sure can! Make them, form them and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and refrigerate covered for up to 24 hours. In fact, this step can help the fragile lump crab meat hold together while cooking.

Can you fry 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. 

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. 

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 sides go with 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:
Vinegar Coleslaw
Kale Gratin
Deviled Egg Mac Salad
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Tomato Rice

More Crab Recipes

We love crab of all kinds are my house, so here are a few more crab recipes you might like.

overhead of crab cakes on a platter

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!

crab cake broken open to show large pieces of crab

Maryland Style Crab Cake Recipe

4.39 from 506 votes
Maryland Crab Cakes are made with jumbo lump crab meat with little filler, Dijon mustard and Old Bay Seasoning plus secrets to making authentic Chesapeake crab cakes!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Dab the 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 the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, Old Bay and lemon juice. 
  • Add the 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 the crab cakes on baking sheet. 
  • Preheat the 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 in the comments or star ratings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 283 kcal, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 31 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 94 mg, Sodium: 1499 mg, Potassium: 365 mg, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 95 IU, Vitamin C: 11.6 mg, Calcium: 117 mg, Iron: 2.3 mg
Author: Chef Jessica Anne
Calories: 283
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crab cake recipe, maryland crab cakes
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

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About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

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4.39 from 506 votes (434 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. 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 !

  2. 5 stars
    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!

      1. Thanks for stopping by to let us know! If crab was less expensive, I’d be eating them WAY more often. LOL.

  3. 5 stars
    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

    1. 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.

  4. 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?

  5. 5 stars
    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!!

  6. 5 stars
    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

    1. 5 stars
      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!

      1. 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 !

          1. Hi Conrad- where are you located? In my area, it is from a guy selling crab on the side of the road from crabs he got that morning! LOL. Second best is unpasteurized, this can be challenging to find when not on the East coast or Gulf coast. Most grocery stores have a pasteurized version in a lined metal can, that is the third best. You can also order fresh crab meat online, but this gets even more pricey because you have to do overnight and chilled shipping. https://www.ilovecrabs.com/crab-meat-md-jumbo-lump.html