Maryland Crabcakes

[Maryland Crab]

This is from Cook's Magazine, but better than 99% of the crabcakes I have had commercially.  For those of you able to get your hands on a pound of lump backfin - enjoy.

1 pound lump crabmeat
4 scallions, green part only - minced
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped (parsley etc)
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs, up to 1/4 cup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 large egg
1/4 cup flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1.  Gently mix crabmeat, scallions, herb, Old Bay, bread crumbs and mayonnaise in a medium bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Carefully fold in egg with a rubber spatula until mixture clings together.

2.  Divide crab mixture into four portions and shape each into a fat, round cake, about 3 inches across and 1 1/2 inches high.  Arrange on baking sheet lined with waxed paper; cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.  (Can refrigerate up to 24 hours.)

3.  Put flour on a plate.  Lightly dredge crab cakes.  Heat oil (I add a pat of butter along with the oil) in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.  Gently lay chilled crab cakes in skillet;  pan-fry until outsides are crisp and browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Serve hot, with or without cocktail sauce.  I always serve it with my own cocktail sauce - a very simple mixture of ketscup, horseradish, a shot or two of Ralph's hot sauce and some lemon juice. 

The joy of Cook's Magazine is that they try tons of different ways to prepare each recipe prior to printing the winning method.  I have every issue from the beginning and still enjoy each one.

[Habanero Smoker]

I've been a subscriber of Cook's for years also. I also like their new addition; Cook's Country. At the end of the year I give my magazines away after I get their annual hard cover edition.

[IKnowWood]

MC

Great recipe!

the wife looked it over and wants to try it.  We will stop sometime at Harris Crab House and get some fresh lump and try it.

for those who want some lump, Jumbo lump is super premium for things like butter saute and serve.  the backfin is great for crab cakes.  Check out Harris order form https://protected.accountsupport.com/harriscrab/order.htm

We visit them frequently, we love them.  Great place, they have private Oyster beds and have an active commercial division. 

We WILL be trying this soon.  Thanks for sharing, make sure to post it in the Recipe Forum at http://susan.rminor.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2 and share it among so many others.   This is to good to not share, as you have done.

The community of crab addicts thank  you, as I am sure the crabbing industry.

[Maryland Crab]

When you stop by Harris for the crab make sure to grab a nutty buddy.  I dream about sitting out on the deck at Harris with a pile of jumbos, a pitcher and a nutty buddy to end it all.  It won't be long now.

MC

[IKnowWood]

MC

I have had that home made Nutty Buddy while waiting for my wife to finish those AYCE crabs.  I order a bowl of Oyster Stew and another appetizer and end with the Nutty Buddy or something else while she eats. 

We do stop by a good bit.  They stopped the Oyster Feast and have been doing a Crab Legs AYCE recently and soon will start back up with AYCE Crabs.  They do get busy now as it warms up.  you need to get there by 5 PM, 5:30 and might be to late.

The Deck is still windy and cold.  We were just there recently and the upstairs and deck was still closed. I am sure they will be open soon.

[zhongyi]

I've made the Cook's Magazine crabcakes several times.  Good stuff.  I've also made them using crawfish.

I've been a subscriber of Cook's for years also. I also like their new addition; Cook's Country. At the end of the year I give my magazines away after I get their annual hard cover edition.

I do the same thing.

[begolf25]

MC,

Used your recipe last night for the crab cakes and they were terrific!  I have one leftover tonight and can't wait to get home and have that for dinner.  Thanks for the recipe!  I also cooked up a couple of meatloaf's yesterday, first time trying those.  Between the meatloaf and crab cakes it was one of the best meals I have had in awhile.  I highly recommend everyone tries both of these recipes.

Bryan

[Maryland Crab]

Bryan,

I am delighted that you enjoyed the crabcakes.  They have always been a major hit here and really are quite easy to make.  I have been cooking for about 15 years as a hobby - my wife loves it.  I usually do the weekend meals as I am still gainfully employed and she took an early retirement from one of those secret agencies named with only letters.  I plan on doing most of the cooking when I do quit.  Desserts are my favorite but have to go easy on the calories.  We love to travel and do much hiking, so extra pounds get in the way.

I will certainly share some of my favorite recipes down the road if anyone has an interest and look forward to trying others' favorites as well.

All you Marylanders - enjoy the beautiful weather while we can as it looks like rain approaches this weekend.

MC

[iceman]

MC; do you know a good source to order lump crab meat from? I tried your crab cakes and thought they were fantastic. I made a tomatillo/cilantro sauce to go over them and was very impressed. I just need to find a good source for the crab so I don't use up all my king crab. Thanks in advance.

[Maryland Crab]

Iceman,

I sit here trying to decide if your query has your tongue stick firmly into your cheek.  Alaskan crab is outstanding, although give me a slab of Copper River salmon anytime.  We were in your beautiful state in the 90's and the salmon run was so impressive they were putting processing barges right in the river to handle the volume.  I had salmon three straight nights in Anchorage and will never forget the experience.  Also had fresh halibut that was great - we had that out at a lodge on an island in Katchemak Bay along with fresh mussels we harvested and popped on the grill.  My wife has already made me promise to return to Alaska with her down the road.  We would love to do the drive all the way up to the Northern border as we are real wildlife fanatics. 

My source for crab is either running down to Maine Avenue in downtown DC or to one of the locals who steam them up near the house. Back in the good old days we would grab a few couples and a case of beer and head to the Chesapeake Bay with some chicken necks, string and a wire net and catch enough to feed us that evening. Pretty hard to do that anymore on our side of the bay. Certainly we have made many a trip to the Eastern shore of Maryland to Harris Crab house, St. Michael's etc, but that would be no help to you.  The meat is too fragile to ship successfully, in my opinion, so next time you are in Maryland just stop on by.  I will show you one of the delights of the western world - sitting down to a pile of steamed crabs slathered with Old Bay - a pitcher of a good microbrew and I use some onion rings to cleanse the pallette.  Oh man, I just drooled all over my shirt. 

I brought some work home so had better get at it or it will be a working weekend for me.  Y'all be careful out there.

MC

[IKnowWood]

MC

I never tried sending crab anywhere.  I wonder how some of it does go.  Maybe frozen or the like.  Not the same. 

I like jumbo lump in a lot of dishes, picking's not for me.

We do go camping at a campground called Cherrystone a good bit in the camping season (in fact we will be there in 2 weeks) and my son and i do go out with a chicken bone and are able to some good sized ones.  There are some other kids or adults that are indeed able to get a good haul in and do indeed cook them on the campground.  this is Virginia side so the rules are different and it is a private dock and campground so oits a bit different.  We fish while there but there is really not much that close to the shore.  They have a longer dock that some are bringing in some good catches.

All of you who never had fresh Blue Crab, sorry.

I am thinking of Steak Chesapeake.  A Sirloin grilled and topped with Jumbo Lump (sauted in butter and shallots and herbs) and drizzled in Bernaise Sauce.  Yummo!!

[Oldman]

A few years back they stopped all gill netting. Until then the Blues were everywhere. After that many of the gill fishermen went to crapping.  Not so many Blues around today. However, there are several backwater areas that over the year became land locked. During those years the  water turned fresh. Now not much in fresh water will eat a Blue other then maybe a gator or two.  Have you ever seen a Blue 10" - 12" point to point on the hard shell? Them dudes are big for Blues. However, over the years those backwater places became our toilets for storm water run off. All the crap we humans think we need to kill all of the bugs and make our grass greener is now there. Yepper they are huge, but I would be hang before I would eat one.

Last time I was out in the flats there were so many traps that I would be afraid to travel them at night.

Now the up swing due to the lack of gill fishing is many species have been able to grow up and spawn here. Plus the water quality in Tampa Bay has improved through the efforts of both cities in the past 30 years. So much so that now I can go 1/2 mile from my house as the crow flies at night and with an 8 foot cast bait net fill a good wash tub up with shrimp and a few Bull nose lobsters.

While I enjoy the shrimp and lobsters I do miss the abundance of Blues.

[iceman]

I just saw on the food network a short time ago some crab houses back east that will ship frozen hand picked lump crab meat. Now all I have to do is find out how to get hold of them. If anybody saw the show can you get me the episode so I can get in touch with them? I was so into watching the show I forgot to get the names of the places. DUHHH ::) ::) :'(

[IKnowWood]

iceman

I will call some of the local Crab Houses in the Maryland Chesapeake I know of.  I think two of them do indeed ship frozen lump crab.  Both have retail seafood markets and most of them do direct shipments.  One place we visit from time to time has a commercial division that ships frozen crab around the Maryland and Virginia area.  I think they may do overnight shipments also.  I will check into it.  Have you had issues getting overnight shipments out there?

[iceman]

I appreciate it IKnowWood Overnight up here is more like second day air but it works as long as it's marked to keep frozen.

iceman

I will call some of the local Crab Houses in the Maryland Chesapeake I know of.  I think two of them do indeed ship frozen lump crab.  Both have retail seafood markets and most of them do direct shipments.