Maryland-Style Crab Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 lb lump or jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shells
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus 1/4 cup for coating
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, for tartar-style dipping sauce (optional)

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. Gently spread the crab meat on a baking sheet and run your fingers through it carefully, feeling for any small bits of shell or cartilage, and remove them. This step is essential for both safety and texture, since even top-quality crab meat can have stray shell fragments.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the 1/3 cup mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning until smooth.
3. Add the 1/2 cup panko, parsley, lemon juice, and salt to the bowl and stir gently to combine into a binder.
4. Add the picked-over crab meat to the bowl and fold it in gently with a rubber spatula, using as few strokes as possible. Overmixing breaks up the crab lumps and leads to dense, mushy cakes instead of tender ones with visible chunks of crab.
5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Chilling firms up the mayonnaise-egg binder so the cakes hold their shape in the pan instead of spreading out and falling apart; do not skip this step.
6. Once chilled, divide the mixture into 8 equal portions (about 1/3 cup each) and gently shape each into a patty about 1 inch thick, packing them just firmly enough to hold together without compacting them hard.
7. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup panko on a plate and lightly press each patty into the crumbs on both sides for a thin, even coating that will help them brown; this is a light dusting, not a thick breading.
8. Heat the butter and vegetable oil together in a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted and foaming.
9. Carefully place the crab cakes in the pan, leaving space between each one, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side without moving them, until deeply golden brown. Resist the urge to flip early; a properly set crust is what holds the cake together when you turn it.
10. Using a wide spatula, flip each cake gently and cook the second side for 4 to 5 minutes more, until golden brown and the center reaches an internal temperature of 145 F and feels firm but still moist when pressed.
11. If the cakes are browning too quickly before the centers are hot, reduce the heat to medium-low and finish cooking, or transfer them to a 350 F oven for 5 minutes to finish through without burning the crust.
12. Transfer the crab cakes to a paper-towel-lined plate briefly to drain any excess butter, then serve warm with lemon wedges and, if desired, plain mayonnaise or a quick tartar sauce for dipping.

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