Crab Cakes

Repurposed into crab melt for lunch today. Problem solved, and will likely just order crab cakes out for awhile. I don’t have an affordable source for the good stuff.

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As the kitchen person who picks our Dungeness crabs, the concept of excess or leftover crab boggles me.

Crab cakes, for us, = crab meat with only enough mayo to bind, a tiny amount of crumb, minced onion, maybe fresh dill. Saute for brief moment until crusted. No condiment needed for crab is fresh. (Cocktail sauce if your crab has seen better days. And don’t buy from that source again.)

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All the above, but a squeeze of lemon or three.

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A little bit nit picky but, they are not Blue Claw Crabs just Blue Crabs and they also come from the Gulf as well as the Chesapeake Bay.
I agree that the Asian Blue Swimmer Crab is a poor substitute. I like Dungeness but it is a different Animal (figuratively and literally :grin:) Both delicious but very different.


Angry little bastard and I was trying to throw him back in!

Still in the Trap

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well, local names are famous for being different

crab - blue claw = Callinectes sapidus
crab - swimming / asian / south american = Portunus armatus formerly Portunus pelagicus

we would take Delaware Bay crabs - netted - on a line with rotten chicken necks as bait.

the “blues” range extends to northern edges of South America

It’s tiiime!

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Still trying to master these little labors of love. The last one almost missed the pan, but lets me know there wasn’t two much binder.

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Those are beauties!

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You’re in NYC, right? You should try the crab cakes at the restaurant Milos. If they are as good as at Milos Montreal, you’re in for a real treat. I had them a few times, and they were superb!

My in-laws (native Baltimoreans) would sometimes start the crab cakes in an oven-safe skillet on the stovetop, then run under the broiler to warm the top. Most often they just went with baking on a sheet pan.

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Yes!

I love Milos (nyc ime Is a lot better than my one meal there in mtl, and we actually have multiple locations now).

Their crab cakes are excellent, but it’s hard to choose them over the octopus, calamari, and so much more :joy: Thank you for the reminder, I will do so next time I’m there.

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Yes, I’ve had lots of nice stuff there. Unfortunately haven’t been in years. I used to like it when they had a price fixe that gave you all their great stuff.

Work in some corn, smash 'em flat, and fry them as fritters. If they break, tell everyone you had your heart set on hash.

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They had a great weekday (“executive”) lunch for years — used to be $25 when it started, I think, and then went up to almost $50 before they ended it.

But the crabcakes were never on that menu. The octopus and lamb chops were, but at a surcharge.

Those look fine!
Where I am from Crab Cakes really should not hold a cake shape till they “set” from the heat (or Broiler/Oven). They have so little binder in them.

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With a “disher”, I painstakingly filled my one ring mold over a tiny bit of panko, and waited an hoyur or so before I removed the ring mold and made the next one. :blush:

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Do not know what a “hoyur” is :grin: but your method sounds good.
I would skip the Panko and the Ring Mold but that’s just me.
They end up looking like this (not my Photo)

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That’s pretty nice! Do you add anything, or is there nothing but crab, and it sits up tall like that in a pan? Mine tends to fall apart, which is okay, but then I call it crab salad! There’s about a Tb of Dukes, and a Tb of panko mixed gently with about 2 cups Dungeness meat from the body. I let it sit about 30 minutes ( 1/2 “hoyur” :smile:) this time, before trying to spoon it. I do finish in the oven, but not under a broiler.

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I think Patience and not too high a Heat are how you get really thick/tall. The Cake has to set about half way before you disturb it. My Dad covers the Pan for a bit at the start. Your Disher should work fine(that is how many of the Seafood Markets sell them.

My basic Recipe:
1 lb. Back-fin, Lump Back-fin, or special Crab Meat
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Prepared Mustard
2 Slices staled white Bread crumbed
2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Red Pepper Hot Sauce to taste

Lightly beat Eggs
Mix in everything but the Crab
Fold in Crab Meat just to coat
Rest for 20 Min. or longer in the Fridge
Mound in desired size on a med hot skillet.
Squash as much or as little as you want
Flip when golden Brown and till browned on the other Side.

PS when using Dungeness I only use the Body meat for Cakes.

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I’m with @BierMonk . . .

other than “seasoning” absolutely minimal “anything” other than crab.

I use ring molds merely for size/shape/ability to “compact” the patty.

@shrinkrap - methinks “crusted hot crab salad” is a very good description for a yumlish crab cake!

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