Crab cakes have been a popular seafood dish for centuries, dating back to the 1800s in the Chesapeake Bay area of the United States. The traditional recipe for crab cakes consists of crab meat, bread crumbs, and seasonings mixed together and formed into little cakes, which are then fried in butter or oil. This style of crab cake is still popular today, especially in restaurants located in the Chesapeake Bay area.
The modern-day restaurant style crab cake was born in the 1950s, when the now-famous Baltimore restaurant Obrycki’s began serving their version of the traditional crab cake. Obrycki’s crab cakes were made with fresh crab meat that was picked from the Chesapeake Bay and mixed with a variety of herbs and spices, including Old Bay seasoning, which is a popular seafood seasoning blend. The crab cakes were fried in butter and served with a creamy remoulade sauce.
The restaurant style crab cake quickly became a favorite of locals and visitors alike, and today it is a popular dish in many seafood restaurants throughout the United States.
Recipe for Restaurant Style Crab Cakes
• 1 lb fresh or pasteurized crabmeat
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges for garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
• Tartar sauce or remoulade sauce, for garnish
Equipment Needed:
• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Skillet
• Spatula
• Plate lined with paper towels
Cooking Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the crabmeat, Panko breadcrumbs, shallots, garlic, parsley, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard.
- Mix together until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Form the mixture into four equal-sized patties.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the crab cakes in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the crab cakes from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve the crab cakes with lemon wedges, fresh parsley, and tartar sauce or remoulade sauce.
Making it Spicy
For a spicier version of the traditional restaurant style crab cake, try adding some chopped jalapeno peppers or a few dashes of hot sauce to the crab cake mixture. You can also serve the crab cakes with your favorite spicy condiment, such as hot sauce or a spicy remoulade sauce.
Looking for the Boardwalk Style Crab Cakes instead? Try out this recipe.