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Maryland Lump Crab Cakes

Maryland Crab Cakes

Around the Chesapeake Bay a real crab cake is almost all crab: sweet blue-crab lump meat held together with just enough mayo, egg and crackers, seasoned with Old Bay and broiled or pan-fried golden.

  • Prep 20 min + 30 min chill
  • Cook 12 min
  • Serves 4 (8 cakes)
  • Level Easy
Photo: Valeria Boltneva · Pexels
Served with: Corn on the Cob with Old Bay Butter ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the crab cakes

To serve

Method

Step by step, start to finish.

  1. Mix the binder. Whisk the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay and parsley in a large bowl.
  2. Fold in the crab. Add the crab and crackers and fold very gently with a spatula. You want big lumps of crab, not a paste.
  3. Shape and chill. Form 8 loose cakes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Chill at least 30 minutes so they hold together.
  4. Cook. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the cakes 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden. (Or broil on a greased sheet 10–12 minutes without turning.)
  5. Serve. Serve hot with lemon wedges, sauce and Old Bay corn on the cob.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Chesapeake Bay

Corn on the Cob with Old Bay Butter

Old Bay Corn

Sweet summer corn boiled and rolled in butter spiked with Old Bay. On a Maryland crab table it sits right next to the crab cakes and a roll of paper towels.

  • Prep 5 min
  • Cook 10 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 4 ears of sweet corn, husked and halved
  • 4 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • Salt

How to make it

  1. Boil. Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and cook 5–7 minutes until tender.
  2. Mix the butter. Mash the butter with the Old Bay and lemon zest.
  3. Serve. Drain the corn, brush with the Old Bay butter while hot and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Photo: Mateusz Feliksik · Pexels

More ways to cook Blue Crab

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Ebro Delta, Catalonia, SpainEbro Delta Blue Crab Rice
Matanzas, CubaCuban Crab in Creole Sauce
Salvador, Bahia, BrazilBrazilian Stuffed Crab Shells
Store Bay, Tobago, Trinidad and TobagoTobago Curry Crab