Maryland Crab Cakes

Crab cakes on a white tray with lemon slices

This Maryland Crab Cakes recipe is very crab-forward, with tender juicy crab and very few fillers. They're bursting with flavor and so easy to make. Perfect as a side to a larger feast or as a main course.

Prep Time15

Cook Time16

Total Time31

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade crab cakes, maryland crab cakes, maryland style crab cakes

Servings: (2 per serving)

Ingredients

1 pound jumbo or lump crab meat
1 large egg
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chives , chopped fine
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-4 dashes of Worcestershire
1-2 teaspoons tabasco or sriracha , optional but recommended
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Oil for frying
Lemon wedges , for serving
Remoulade or Tartar Sauce, for serving

Instructions

Pick through 1 pound jumbo or lump crab meat and remove any shell pieces that may have been missed by the packaging process. Set aside.
In a medium bowl mix together 1 large egg, 1/3 cup mayo, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 2 teaspoons each Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and old bay seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 dashes Worcestershire, and 1 to 2 dashes hot sauce.
Gently fold in the crab meat and 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs until fully combined. The mixture should still be mostly crab, and should barely hold together.
Gently form these into 12 crab cakes (or 8 larger ones.) NOTE: these crab cakes don't contain a lot of binders, so the mixture willl barely stick together and crumble easily. Be very gentle when forming the crab patties and transferring them to the oil.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add in a few tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan; swirl to coat.
In 2 batches, gently place the crab cakes in the hot oil and pan fry for about 4 minutes, flip cakes over and fry for another 4 minutes (adjusting your heat if they're over-browning too fast.)
Transfer crab cakes to a plate and serve while still warm. Enjoy with lemon wedges, remoulade sauce or tartar sauce.

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