Crab Cakes
Louisiana Style Crab Cakes
This is the perfect, fuss-free crab cake recipe that has lots of flavors in each bite. I've never had better crab cakes than these. These're very delicious and quite easy to make. Pan-fried crab patties have a crunchy outside and soft center. Serve with your favorite sauce.
These golden, crispy, and bursting with crab flavor crab cakes are all you could ask for in a classic seafood dish. It takes 30 minutes to prepare and goes well with any homemade sauce. These make the perfect quick weeknight dinner or low-effort appetizer.
Why You’ll Love These Crab Cakes?
- These are Easy to make Crab Cakes.
- Each bite is full of flavor and meaty Crab Cakes.
- Perfect golden-brown finished Crab Cakes.
- Healthy and filling Crab Cakes.
- These Crab Cakes are Great as appetizer, side dish, or the main course.
What You’ll Need To Make Crab Cakes?
Although the recipe card below contains the complete list of ingredients and instructions for every step, let's go through the basics.
Crab: Using fresh, high-quality lump crab meat is important. Try to get crab meat for your Crab Cakes that is straight off the boat in the seafood section; it will be sold in a transparent plastic container and will likely be resting on ice. Although it's expensive, a pound can yield 6 large crab cakes or 12 small ones.
The second-best option, which is always readily accessible, is refrigerated lump crab meat in case fresh lump crab meat isn't available for your Crab Cakes. Avoid shelf-stable canned crab meat because it contains additives that change the meat's flavor and texture. This will hurt your Crab Cakes.
Seasoning: Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, and a little bit of Worcestershire. Don’t substitute old bay seasoning with another seasoning. If you don’t find this old bay seasoning at your local grocery store — then go to another grocery store. :)
Breadcrumbs: I use just enough to hold it together, not too much. I prefer panko with a small amount of mayonnaise for the most desirable texture. You can use Graham cracker crumbs instead of bread crumbs. Especially if you are making these as appetizers or sharing your Crab Cakes with kids.
Oil: To fry these crab cakes, use vegetable or light olive oil. As an alternative, you can also use butter to fry your crab cakes.
Fresh parsley enhance flavor. Although celery is not traditionally used in Maryland crab cakes, we add the "holy trinity" to every dish in Louisiana. And guess what recipe you should add this to today? Crab Cakes!
I enjoy the slight crunch it offers. Purists, however, can skip it. But then, these wouldn't be Louisiana style Crab Cakes -- But I digress.
What is the Best Dip for Crab Cakes?
I love enjoying my cake cakes with:
- Tartar Sauce
- Cocktail Sauce
- Lemon Aioli
- Crabby Bags Sea Original Seafood Butter Sauce
Is It Better to Bake or Fry Crab Cakes? And What Keeps Crab Cakes from Falling Apart?
Hey y’all! I’m here to answer a couple of questions that I know have been keeping you up at night about Crab Cakes. You’ve probably wondered, "Is it better to bake or fry crab cakes?" and "What keeps crab cakes from falling apart?" Well, grab a seat and get comfy, because your favorite cousin is here to break it all down for you.
Is It Better to Bake or Fry Crab Cakes?
Popular demand says Fried Crab Cakes taste better than baked crab cakes.
Frying: Crispy Goodness for Crab Cakes
If you’re a fan of that golden, crispy crust that just screams “delicious,” then frying is your go-to method. When you fry crab cakes, you get that beautiful, crunchy exterior while keeping the inside moist and flavorful. It’s like biting into a little piece of heaven. Here’s the deal, though: frying does add a bit more fat to the equation, so if you’re watching your waistline, you might want to limit how often you indulge in this method. But hey, a little treat now and then never hurt anyone, right?
When frying, make sure your oil is hot enough (about 350°F) before adding your crab cakes. This ensures they cook quickly and evenly, preventing them from getting greasy. Use a mix of butter and oil for a rich flavor and perfect browning.
Baking: Healthier and Easier option for Crab Cakes
On the other hand, baking crab cakes is a healthier option and is a bit easier and less messy than frying Crab Cakes. When you bake them, you still get a nice, browned crust, especially if you give them a little brush of melted butter or a drizzle of olive oil before they go into the oven. The inside stays tender and juicy, and you won’t have to worry about the extra calories from frying your Crab Cakes in oil.
Baking is as simple as placing your crab cakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and popping them in a preheated oven at 400°F for about 15-20 minutes. Halfway through, give them a gentle flip to ensure even browning. Voila! Healthy and delicious crab cakes with minimal effort.
What Keeps Crab Cakes from Falling Apart?
Using Common binders include mayonnaise, eggs, and breadcrumbs + chilling your crab cakes before cooking will help with keeping your crab cakes from falling apart.
Now, let’s move on to the second question about Crab Cakes: what keeps crab cakes from falling apart? There’s nothing worse than putting all that effort into making crab cakes only to have them crumble into a sad pile of crumbs. But don’t worry, I’ve got the secrets to keep your crab cakes perfectly intact.
The Right Binder for your crab cakes
The key to keeping crab cakes together lies in the binder. You need something to hold all that delicious crab cake together without overpowering its delicate flavor. Common binders include mayonnaise, eggs, and breadcrumbs. These ingredients work together to create a mixture that’s cohesive but not too dense for your Crab Cakes.
- Eggs: Eggs are a natural binder and work wonderfully to keep your crab cakes from falling apart. They add a bit of richness and help hold everything together.
- Mayonnaise: A dollop of mayo not only adds flavor but also acts as a binder, helping to create a smooth mixture Crab Cakes.
- Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs (regular or panko) help absorb moisture and add structure to the crab cakes. Just be careful not to use too much, as you want to let the crab shine.
Chill Time for your crab cakes
Another crucial step is chilling the Crab Cakes mixture before forming and cooking the crab cakes. Once you’ve mixed all your ingredients, cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This gives the ingredients time to meld together and makes the mixture easier to handle. When you’re ready to cook your Crab Cakes, form the chilled mixture into patties, and they’ll hold together much better.
Gentle Handling of your crab cakes
When forming and cooking crab cakes, handle them gently. Overworking the Crab Cakes mixture can break down the crab meat and make the Crab Cake (s) more likely to fall apart. Use a light touch when shaping the patties and when flipping them during cooking.
Moisture Balance for your crab cakes
Finally, pay attention to the moisture balance in your crab cakes mixture. Too much moisture can make the crab cakes fall apart, while too little can make them dry and crumbly. If your mixture feels too wet, add a bit more breadcrumbs. If it’s too dry:), add a little bit of mayo.
Before You Leave… put Crab Cakes! Crab Cakes! Crab Cakes in the comments so i know you loved it.
If you try this Crab Cake recipe, please let me know your experience in the comment below! Don't forget to take a picture of your Crab Cakes and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #crabbybags. #crabbybagrecipes # Crab Cake
