Favourite Crab Cakes

Real Maryland-style crab cakes are about restraint. One pound of backfin lump, one egg, one slice of cubed bread, and just enough seasoning to let the sweet, briny crab do the talking. Worcestershire and prepared mustard add depth, a quarter of a green bell pepper brings a faint vegetal note, and that is it.

The bread cubes here matter more than they look. A single slice of plain white bread, cubed not crumbed, soaks up just enough egg to bind without turning the cakes into bread-flavored crab pucks. Most home cooks blow this by adding panko or saltines and ending up with patties that taste like stuffing.

Fold the crab in gently with your hands. Big lumps should stay big. Form six loose cakes and pan-fry in shallow oil, just enough to brown the outside without saturating the inside.

Serve with a wedge of lemon, a swipe of tartar, and nothing else. These do not need a bed of greens or a remoulade pool.

Pro Tips

• Pick through the crab carefully for shell fragments before mixing. Even good lump crab usually hides a few.
• Chill the formed cakes for 20 minutes before frying. They hold together far better when cold.
• Use medium-high heat. Too gentle and they soak up oil, too aggressive and they brown before the inside warms through.
• Flip once. Crab cakes are fragile, and constant turning shreds the lumps you worked so hard to preserve.

Variations

• Add a quarter teaspoon of Old Bay for a more aggressive Chesapeake profile.
• Swap green pepper for finely chopped scallion if you find the pepper distracting.
• Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 12 minutes on a parchment-lined sheet pan for a lighter version with crisp tops.