This authentic Maryland crab cake recipe is absolutely PACKED with crab meat! It’s made with very little filler so the crab flavor shines.
Recipe: https://sugarspunrun.com/Maryland-crab-cake-recipe/
Tartar Sauce: https://youtu.be/XaRiWIzhsvQ
Ingredients
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat (picked over, shells removed) (453g)
½ cup plain panko crumbs (or crushed saltine crackers) (40g)
6 Tablespoons mayonnaise (85g)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Old Bay
1 ½ teaspoons finely minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoons salted butter, cut into 8 pieces (plus additional for greasing pan)
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Instructions
00:00 Introduction
01:29 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayo, egg, mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay, parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03:08 Add crab meat and panko crumbs. Use a spatula to gently work the crab meat and panko into the wet ingredients (try not to break up the lumps of the crab meat, you want them to stay intact as much as possible).
04:04 Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter.
04:35 Scoop crab meat by heaping ⅓ cup (about 3.15oz/90g per, I use my ice cream scoop) into a large scoop or measuring cup. I pack the meat into the scoop to help encourage it to keep its shape, then transfer to buttered baking sheet. If the crab cake is trying to fall apart, use your hands to press any stray pieces back in and pack it more firmly into the scoop next time. Do not flatten crab cakes. Space crab cakes at least 2” apart on baking sheet.
06:13 Place a small piece of butter on the top center of each crab cake.
06:37 Cover baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours before baking.
07:16 To bake: Preheat oven to 450F (230C). Once oven is fully preheated, remove crab cakes from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Transfer to center rack of oven and bake for 8-10 minutes/until baked through (you can use an instant read thermometer to test the internal temperature reaches 165F (74C)). For a browned exterior, switch oven to broil for the last 2 minutes and broil on high heat for 2 minutes (I do not switch my oven rack).
Notes
Crab meat
Look for fresh or frozen jumbo lump Maryland blue crab for best results (if frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator). Jumbo lump is my preference for best texture. Lump crab meat will work in a pinch and is less expensive. Do not use imitation crab meat.
Panko
Plain panko or crushed saltine crackers will work well here. (Dried) breadcrumbs are not my preference but will work in a pinch.
Making in advance
After forming the crab cakes they will keep for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator before baking. Keep tightly covered or in an airtight container so they do not dry out.
Storing/reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no longer than 3 days after baking. They may also be frozen. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator (if frozen) then cover with foil and warm in a 350F (175C) oven until warmed through, usually about 10-15 minutes. Uncovering for the last few minutes will help crisp the exterior.
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20 Comments
First comment. Thanks heaps for the recipe
Looks so yummy
MD native here too. Your recipe is very similar to mine! I like panko and/or crushed Ritz crackers. Instead of the cold butter beforehand I usually drizzle them with old bay and melted butter before broiling. And yes… crab cakes should never be flat.
Lol I have the same issue with plastic wrap too so I switched to press and seal. It also clings to the dish better for me. Much easier to work with. Your recipe looks delicious 😋
Are you pregnant again Sam
This is good Sam thank you very much bless to your family I hope the little one she is grow fast
I laughed out loud when you balled up that first pull of plastic wrap! 🤣🤣I think we've all been there! These look delicious and I definitely want to try them!
❤
Crab cakes looks amazing
“The real deal” 😋mmm
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe with us all!!
I’m keeping you and her (the baby) in my prayers❤
For seasonings try J.O. The crab houses use J.O. for steaming in MD .
In Maryland we pan fry in oil! Other than almost spot on. 😊
Would you be willing to provide a list of bakeware that you recommend to have in your kitchen? I am getting back into baking and need revamp my supply. Thank you! Looking forward to baking through your recipes 😀 😋
Seriously how does anyone get Sara wrap to stick,please help me,I’ve tried the refrigerator no go,give me a way…help, I can tell she’s a Maryland girl cause so I’m I,looks 🤩
I was looking forward to this when I saw your crab cakes in the tartar sauce video! Yum!
Same! I grew up in Maryland. Crab cakes should have the bare minimum of filler. There should be just enough to hold the cakes together. Jumbo is the thing! Love what you did here.
Love this! Had no idea you were American? For some reason I thought you were Canadian haha
Have you ever tried the plastic wrap in the freezer thing? It helps me from fighting the plastic demon every time in have to wrap something.
I will be trying your recipe this week. It looks delicious!
Have you ever picked your own meat from fresh crabs? If so, does it taste better than the stuff in the refrigerated plastic containers from the grocery store? On the other end of the spectrum, what do you think about domestically sourced jumbo lump / lump crab meat in cans? I know that some restaurants along the Texas gulf coast use it because I’ve seen it for sale at Restaurant Depot. Finally, I highly recommend that you get a roll of commercial food service plastic wrap from your local restaurant supply store. It’s less expensive in the long run, it tears off easier, I’ve never wasted any of it because it stuck to itself and it’s wider, so you wouldn’t have to use two pieces like you did here. Amazing video. I’m definitely making crab cakes soon. Thanks!!!
From St. Mary's county. That's how everybody down here. Pretty much makes their crab cakes. The only thing I see different is everybody I know adds a little bit of onion but most of the time it's cut really small. You can't even tell it's in there. And some of the older people actually save. Save the crab mustard from inside The crab and add a little. And we brush them off a little bit of butter before baking or broiling.