Maryland Crab Cakes

The secret to delectable crab cakes is to use the freshest, highest quality crab that you can find and add just the bare minimum amount of bread crumbs and seasonings to bind the crab together into a lightly fried cake. A generous amount of Old Bay is included to give it the signature Maryland flavor.

Entrees

Prep: 20 min
Chill: 30 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 1 hour
Yields 4 to 6 crab cakes

Cakes
1 pound high-quality jumbo lump crab
Carefully remove any bits of shell or cartilage from crab and place in a large bowl.
¼ cup homemade mayonnaise (or store-bought)
4 green onions, finely minced
2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Old Bay
½ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Add minced green onions, herbs, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, Old Bay, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to bowl with crab. Using a spatula, gentle mix until combined.
1 large egg
Gently fold egg into crab until mixture starts to cling together.
additional panko in tablespoon increments, if needed
If the mixture does not cling together properly, add an additional tablespoon of panko breadcrumbs and gently mix. Repeat as necessary until mixture binds together. In most cases you should need between two to five tablespoons of panko, but it really depends on how moist your crab is.
Shape and Chill
Divide the crab mixture into four or six (as desired) portions and shape them into a fat, round cake about 3 inches wide. Place them on a plate lined with wax paper.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes, or as long as 24 hours.
Cooking
¼ cup canola oil
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot but not smoking, about 5 minutes.
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Place flour in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Using your hands, gently drag crab cakes in flour to evenly coat each side with flour.
Place crab cakes in skillet and fry until bottom is crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook other side until done, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately with any desired sides or sauces.