Southern Maryland Meats | Maryland Crab Cakes

Maryland Crab Cakes

Topic and Skill – Sauté (Episode #4): Everyone in Maryland has their own crab cake recipe, but believe me, one can’t be a top shelf caterer in Annapolis, Maryland without making outstanding crab cakes for the discerning audience.

The ‘rice’ flour in this recipe takes the place of all-purpose flour and/or breadcrumbs. It sautés up very lightly without any ‘bready’ undertones and binds the lumps together nicely. And remember when doing the sauté work, it is inevitable that a lump or two will fall off; experienced cooks call these ‘orphans’, and cooks eat all orphans!

A thick crab cake (¾ to 1-inch or more) will need to be cooked at medium to medium low as the inside needs to cook thoroughly while not overly browning the outside. A thinner crab cake can be cooked at a higher temperature, medium to medium high to reach golden brown on the outside and the inside is thoroughly cooked.

Ingredients

2 lb jumbo lump crab
1 lb claw meat
2 Eggs
1 cup mayonnaise (freshly made if possible)
¾ cup rice flour
1 tablespoon dry mustard (Colman’s)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, for sautéing

Directions

In a large bowl, blend eggs and mayo with a whip. Add dry ingredients and whip until smooth.

Fold in crab meat until well combined. Don’t break up those beautiful jumbo lumps.

Portion mixture with scoop or cup measure ensuring cakes are packed tightly.

The sauté pan should be heated to the thickness of the crab cake using the guidelines above.

Sauté cakes in butter until lightly golden on one side (approximately 7 to 8 minutes), flip over and avoid patting down for a few moments to allow egg and rice flour to set, and then gently pat to even out.

Cook to a light golden brown (approximately 7 to 8 minutes). Push on top slightly towards the end of the cooking process – if any liquid comes out cook a little longer. Plate and serve.