crab cakes

Any recipe ideas for crab cakes?

I worked a receipe for crab cakes at my clam bar, finally got it right the 3rd year. All measurements are to taste: A container of crab meat, I guess they are a LB? I used the cheaper of the 3 grades but you get what you pay for, for home I would use jumbo lump. In a mixing bowl add 1 teaspoon old bay, 1 teaspoon colemans powdered mustard, 1/2 cup fine dice red pepper, 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 egg and a sprinkle of unseasoned breadcrumbs to hold it together. I coated the patties with more breadcrumbs and deep fried them due to time constraints, at home just form the patties and fry them in butter. The key is 99% crabmeat, can't go wrong.

I'm a Baltimore/ Annapolis girl, so crab cakes are a favorite of mine. My mom and I swear by the Old Bay CLASSIC recipe. This is not the recipe currently on the old bay can. It's on the website though. The only thing I add is that I coat the crab cakes in bread crumbs at the end. Then chill to set up before broiling. Recipe is here:

http://www.oldbay.com/Recipes/Crab/Main-Course/Classic-OLD-BAY-Crab-Cakes.aspx

Thanks!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> Now I have to try both recipes!!

The crispy crab balls sound pretty good as well. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> Might just have to give that a try!

This is one of my favorites:

Ingredients
3 tablespoons pancake mix
1 tablespoon prepared DiJon mustard
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 pound cooked crabmeat, flaked
3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the pancake mix, mustard, mayonnaise, egg, onion, bell pepper and parsley until well blended.
Fold in the crabmeat. Form into 3 inch patties.
Place in fridge for 1-3 hours...
2. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
(There should be enough oil to reach half way up the sides of the crab cakes.)
When the oil is hot, carefully place the patties in the pan.
Fry until golden brown on each side.
Drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.

You guys had me craving crab cakes so I made them this weekend. Coated them in bread crumbs as always (though this time I used panko) and I have to say I'm wrong on that. Don't coat them. Would have been better without. I used to like them that way but have changed my mind!

I lived in Baltimore for about 18 years, and have had crab cakes many places. One trick I learned years ago is to never mix the mayo, egg, etc directly with the crab at first. I take the crabmeat container (plastic tub), and mix the mayo, egg, spices etc in that first. Then, add just as much of the mixture as you need to hold them together before adding any bread crumbs or binder. Crabmeat varies in the amount of liquid in each tub, and if it is a very moist tub of crab, you will need more filler (bread crumbs, etc) to hold them together. This method also means less mixing to get the seasining, etc blended, and you won't break up the yummy lumps of crab either!

Great tip! There is an art to gently folding things together so that the crabmeat lumps stay, well, lumpy!