This week for my Game Day Recipe segment, it’s a bit of a special occasion. The first Sunday Night game which is of course the nationally televised Colts / Giants / Manning Bowl showdown — I figured a proper dinner recipe was in order for this event. And I’ve been saving a gigantic can of lump crab from my seafood distributor for just such an occasion, it’s time to finally put it to use with a clear conscience.
Truth be told, crab cakes are usually expensive when ordered out and often fail to live up to their hype. 4 orders of this entree will run upwards of $100, when you can buy a can of fresh lump crab from the seafood market for less than $15.00 and make them at home the right way. And the reason being is that all too frequently people think you’ve got to add a bunch of extra things into the cake to make them unique, interesting, and palatable… when actually that notion could not be further from the truth. We’re not making a stuffing here people, we’re making a crab cake. And thus, the secret to a good crab cake is simply this: ONLY USE CRAB MEAT to make your cakes. No onions, no peppers, no mayo — nothing that distracts from essence of what you’re eating. And that’s why the title of this recipe contains the phrase “No Nonsense”, it should serve as a reminder to you that the best crab cakes should consist of only that, crab. This recipe makes 4 gigantic cakes that are probably going to be the best you’ve ever had. Enjoy!
Note: The technique I’m about to show is the fastest way I’ve found to make crab cakes, it saves the most meat from waste I’ve found, and the method of applying bread crumbs described below keeps your hands relatively clean throughout the process. Read the entire directions before you make your first attempt.
Ingredients:
– 1 lb handpicked lump crab meat
– breadcrumbs or cracker meal (I find Ritz makes the best)
Binding Agents:
– 2 large eggs
– 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 1 tbsp dijon mustard
– dash Worcestershire sauce
– old bay, salt & pepper to taste
Pan:
– 1/2 stick salted butter
– 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Divide and form 4 large cakes from the 1lb crab meat on a large cutting board and space them apart as widely as possible, take care not to over-handle the meat so that the lumps stay in tact.
2. Wisk the binding ingredients together in a bowl, spoon over the cakes in equal amounts. I like to go one tablespoon at a time to ensure each cake is adequately saturated.
3. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each cake so that the sides are covered by crumbs as much as possible, and then sprinkle some crumbs onto the cutting board space next to each cake as well.
4. Use a thin spatula and gently move each cake onto the crumbed area next to each cake
5. Gently press your cupped hands into each cake to reform their shape and distribute the crumbs across the entire surface of the cake. Pressing down will help disperse the binding agents throughout the cake and ensure the ingredients will better hold the cakes together.
Optional Tip: place cakes/cutting board in freezer for 10-15 minutes to allow binding.
6. Melt butter and 1 tbsp EVOO in large heavy pan (oven safe or cast iron preferred) and turn to medium heat. (5/6 on a scale of 10 depending on your range)
7. Brown cakes 2-3 minutes per side, turning gently with a thin spatula. Take care not to break crust or cakes apart during the flip.
8. Place pan and cakes into 300 degree oven for no more than 5 minutes while you set the table.
Enjoy!