How to make Crab Cakes

I can’t say we ate any crab cakes on the farm.  Back then, grocery stores were a bit limited in the seafood department and even frozen seafood was pretty much limited to fish sticks (we did eat those).  I don’t remember ever having crab cakes or clam strips and certainly never lobster.  Deep fried clam strips or shrimp when we went to a restaurant maybe,  but never cooked at home.

That said, today many markets have a fairly good selection of fresh, pre-frozen or frozen seafood. the plastic jars of crab are readily available in most grocery stores.

Buying pre-made crab cakes, though I could get good ones, was pretty expensive, more than buying the crab to make them. Nor did we like spicy crab cakes.  So with some guidance of a few recipes in my head, I started making them this way.

Enjoy them – and let me know how yours turn out!

 

Print

Fox Pines Baked Crabcakes

A mix of crab claw meat and lump crab meat makes these crab cakes full of pieces of crab and very tasty.  Not too much for fillers, and not too much mayo to hold them together either.  Baking them reduces the calories compared to frying in oil.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients

  • 8 oz lump crab meat
  • 8 oz crab claw meat
  • 1/2 small onion, finely miinced
  • 1 small stalk celery, finely minced
  • 1/4 large sweet red pepper, finely minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp crab boil like Old Bay or Phillips
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs (not panko)
  • 1 tbsp parsley fresh is best, but dried works fine
  • cooking spray (Like Pam)

Instructions

  1. drain crab and check for any shells.  Set aside

  2. Saute the onion, celery and pepper together first, and when softened, add the garlic and stir for a minute or two over low heat (don't burn the garlic) . Sprinkle in some salt.  Set aside to cool slightly.

  3. Into the bowl with the crab, add in the sauteed veggies, crab boil, mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, bread crumbs, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

  4. Using a half cup dry measuring cup, scoop up and form into a ball.  It will make 5 crab cakes.  Place on a greased or parchment lined sheet pan. Flatten slightly, and spray the top with a cooking spray like Pam.

  5. Bake for 20 minutes at 425F.  Turn over, suse Pam pray again slightly and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the tops are browned.

  6. Serve hot with tartar, horseradish sauce or seafood dipping sauce of your choice.  Recipe for simple.homemade tartar sauce follows.

 

Print

Homemade Tartar Sauce

a quick easy to make tartar sauce, and much more flavorful than the jarred kind!
Course Side Dish

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sweet relish
  • 1 tbsp mnced capers
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 small lemon, juiced grate the rind if you like as well
  • 1/2 tsp horseradish

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together well, and serve on the side.

Recipe Notes

If you want even more flavor, make you own fresh mayonnaise in the blender rather than using store-bought.