crab cakes

-  Small cakes of crab meat mixed with bread crumbs, various flavorings like mustard and Worcester sauce and egg.  Typically crab cakes are fried but they can also be baked or broiled.

The Starch
Most commonly you will see recipes call for bread or bread crumbs.  You can also use crushed crackers, mashed potatoes, masa flour,  or even a thick white sauce (see note below about croquettes).  Ratio:  Use about 1/2 as much starch as shellfish by volume.

Moistening Agent
Common additions include milk, cream, melted butter, mayonnaise or eggs.  Eggs work well because they also make an excellent binding agent.

Binder
Eggs are the best binder and they can act as a moistener as well.  Whole eggs can be beaten and added to the mixture or you can separate the egg and beat the whites until stiff.  The folded whites can be added to the meat mixture and this will result in a puffy, lighter cake.

Flavorings
Common flavorings include mustard, Worcestershire sauce and minced onion.  You can also add fresh herbs, flat leaf parsley, dill.  We like to add finely chopped celery for a flavor boost and a little crunch. Garlic can be added too but don't use so much it overpowers the delicate fish flavor.

Crab Cake Shapes
You can form the cakes into little round patties about 1/2" thick or you can make "stick" shapes as well.   Don't make them too thick because they will not be properly cooked in the center.

Techniques
Forming - It is important to form the cakes gently and avoid over-compacting the mixture.  This will ensure a lighter cake and one that cooks through properly.

Coating
Some recipes suggest dipping the formed crab cake in additional bread crumbs for a more even, crispy exterior.  You can also use panko crumbs for a lighter, crispy coating.

Chilling - It is important to chill the formed crab cakes for at least 30 minutes before cooking.  This gives the time for the ingredients to bind so they will hold together during the cooking process.

Crab Cakes Article Contents
Crab Cake History	More Crab Cake Recipes
Historical Recipes	Crab Cake Sauces
Nutrition	Credits and More Information
Where to Buy	What To Serve With Crab Cakes

Crab Cake History
The concept of "minced meat or fish" combined with other ingredients and made into patties dates back to ancient times when meats and fish were not plentiful and various additions of other foods extended the otherwise meager portions of meat. 

In the U.S. it is surmised that crab cake types of dishes were introduced to the early Colonies by English settlers. Most commonly when we think crab cakes today we think of Maryland or Baltimore Crab Cakes. 

According to Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar Friedman:New York] 1999 (  "Crab cake. A sauteed or fried patty of crabmeat. The term dates in print to 1930 in Crosby Gaige's New York World's Fair Cook Book, where they are called "Baltimore crab cakes," suggesting they have long been known in the South.

Just Another Croquette?
The crab cake seems to be quite similar and most likely related to crab croquettes.  The croquettes are made by making a thick white sauce, incorporating the crab then making the patties (in a cylinder "croquette" shape). 


Sample Historical Crab Cake Recipes

Crab Cakes Baltimore - 1932
Eat, Drink & Be Merry in Maryland: An Anthology From a Great Tradition, compiled by Frederick Philip Stieff [G.P. Putnam's Sons:New York] 1932 (p. 44)

Take one pound of crab meat for each four crab cakes. Put crab meat into mixing bowl, add one and one-half teaspoons salt, and two teaspoons white pepper, one teaspoon English dry mustard and two teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, one yolk of egg and one soup spoon cream sauce or mayonnaise, one teaspoon chopped parsley. Mix well, making four crab cakes, press hard together, dip into flour, then into beaten eggs, then into bread crumbs. Fry them in hot grease pan.--Mr. W.L. Jackson, Managing Director, Lord Baltimore Hotel, Baltimore."

Crab-Flake Cakes (Baltimore) - 1932
The National Cookbook: A Kitchen Americana, Shiela Hibben [Harper & Brothers:New York] 1932 (p. 112)

2 cups crab meat
1 cup milk
yolk 1 egg
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon onion juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
bread crumbs
rich cream sauce

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add to it the flour; when well mixed, add the milk gradually, stirring constantly until smooth. Add the egg yolk beaten up with Worcestershire sauce and onion juice, and the crab flakes, seasoning with salt and pepper. As soon as this mixture is cool enough, put it in the icebox to get very cold.

Form into flat cakes; dredge in finely sifted bread crumbs and fry on both sides in either lard or butter.

Serve on a hot platter with Rich Cream sauce poured over the cakes. Crab meat used must be from the body part of the crab, and must be very carefully picked over."

Nutrition -  Ingredient variations and cooking methods (baking vs frying for example) can change this dish from healthful to indulgent.  The nutritional information below is based on a Dad's Broiled Cake Cake recipe.

More Crab Cake Recipes
Mexican Crab Cakes - The addition of poblano chiles and bell pepper add Hispanic flavor to these crab cakes

Lump Blue Crab Cakes - Baked crab cakes using special blue crab meat.

Maryland Crab Cakes - a simple recipe from Maryland Crab Cakes that is seasoned with Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard.

Maryland Crab Cakes - American Heritage, 1964

Broiled Crab Cakes - won first place at the Coast Day 1997 Crab Cake Cook-off sponsored by the University of Delaware Sea Grants Program.

Baked Crab Cakes - A method for converting any crab cake recipe to a baked recipe. Includes a basic crab cake recipe too.

Crab Cakes With Chipotle Sauce - Chef George Mahaffey adds a Mexican flare to his crab cakes by using masa flour as the starch and topping with Chipotle Sauce.

Crab Cake Sandwiches - Served on Toasted Buns with Chipotle Aioli.

Light Maryland Crab Cakes - From Cooking Light magazine.

Chesapeake Crab Cakes - Uses Old Bay Season, lemon, mustard, scallions, vinegar, eggs, bread crumbs.

Baltimore Crab Cakes - FoodNetwork recipe uses crab boil seasoning, mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, white bread and eggs.

Best Crab Cake Recipe - Everyone has their favorite recipe but this is Teri's "Best Crab Cakes".

Rachel Ray's Crab Cakes - Her Killer Crab Cakes version uses potato, fresh crab, thyme, and red pepper flakes.

Simple Crab Cakes - A Quick and easy version from Kraft uses stuffing mix and canned crab

Gourmet Crab Cakes - From Gourmet Magazine. Louisiana Deviled Crab cakes use chopped green onion, bell pepper and celery, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper.

Weight Watchers Crab Cakes - (Note: offsite link, site uses pop-ups)  A lighter version that uses fresh crab, light mayonnaise, fresh bread crumbs, chopped celery, green pepper, and onion The cakes are broiled, not fried. 3.75 WW points.

Crab Cake Sauce Recipes
Classic Tartar Sauce - Make a fresh mayonnaise or use premade. Additions include sour gherkins, capers and fines herbes.

Crab Cake Sauce - Uses sour cream, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, salsa, lemon and yogurt.

Chipotle Sauce -  includes canned chipotles in adobo sauce, mayonnaise and roasted red peppers.

Crab Cake Sides - What to Serve With Crab Cakes

Cole Slaw
Baby Greens Salad
Roasted Potatoes

Buy Maryland Crab Cakes
Maryland Crab Cakes - Buy frozen shipped right to your home.

DineWise - Buy premade gourmet foods online and have them shipped to you.

Credits and More Information
Food Timeline - Excellent resource for food history

Shellfish, The Good Cook Series, Time-Life.

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