Molly’s Medal Winning Maryland Crab Cakes
Molly’s Medal Winning Maryland Crab Cakes is the result of a competition between my brother and me to determine who makes the better crab cake. I grew up in the great state of Maryland in the suburbs north of Baltimore. Crab cakes are a source of state pride. The proper way to make a crab cake is fodder for many disagreements on recipes and cooking techniques. Despite the protests of my brother, I like to think that I won our competition, and thus award myself the winning medal. I can attest that my husband and children love my crab cakes. I serve them on many special occasions and always as part of our Christmas Day brunch. That tradition begins with Mimosas made with fresh-squeezed orange juice from our trees. A perk of living in SoCal!
Beautiful Savory Swimmer
The Maryland Blue Crab was designated the State Crustacean in 1989. Its scientific name, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, honors Mary Jane Rathbun, the scientist who described the species in 1896. The name translates as “beautiful swimmer that is savory”. The blue crab lives in the coastal Atlantic waters from Nova Scotia to Uruguay and in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the coasts of North America, it is most abundant from Texas to Massachusetts. The brackish water of the Chesapeake Bay provides an ideal habitat for the species and contributes to the qualities that set the meat apart from other blue crabs. The shallow tidal waters of the Wye River boast the best harvest.
Maryland Blue Crab Meat
Maryland blue crab is famous for its rich salty-sweet flavor and is often compared to lobster meat. The crabs build up fat reserves from hibernating during the winter months. The greenish yellow-colored fat, known as “mustard” gives the meat a delicious depth of flavor.
The meat comes from three different parts of the crab; the claws, main body, and rear cavity near the swimming fins. The various grades of meat are claw, lump, jumbo lump, and backfin. Claw has a fibrous texture and strong flavor. Lump is meat from the two main halves of the body. It consists of small chunks and has a smooth texture and buttery taste. Jumbo lump is the muscle of the swimming legs. Each crab only has two which is why this meat is the most prized and expensive. An expert picker is able to extract them intact. It has a meatier texture and tastes similar to lump. Backfin is a combination of smaller flakier bits of meat, lump, and jumbo lump.
Maryland Crab Cakes
A traditional Maryland crab cake is made from jumbo lump, lump, or backfin. Claw is best used in an appetizer or soup where a stronger flavor is required. The recipe includes Old Bay® Classic Seafood Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, and mustard as essential ingredients. The cake is flash-fried until brown and crispy on the outside and served plain with a side of tartar or cocktail sauce.
I am not a traditionalist. However, I don’t veer too far off course with my recipe. Minced red pepper and red onion add color and subtle crunch and flavor. Crushed low-sodium Ritz crackers are the binder. I use a blend of spices and seasoning that is more aromatic and lower in salt than Old Bay. Instead of using oil, I gently brown my cakes in clarified butter. This ensures that the cake remains moist and full of flavor. A mango pineapple salsa replaces the classic seafood sauces.
A Price Tag To Get Crabby About
Maryland blue crab has become a luxury commodity. A variety of factors contribute to the price. Some years, it is due to the health of the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, but currently, it is due to a severe labor shortage caused by the Trump administration’s suspension of visas for temporary foreign workers. Local businesses rely on these seasonal workers to catch, pick and pack the meat. As of this writing in September of 2021, a pound of choice meat can run as high as $75. A half bushel steamed crabs, about 2.5 dozen, can run as high as $250. One dozen soft shell crabs can set you back $125.
Until recently, my local Costco stocked a pound of North Carolina jumbo lump meat priced at $45, almost double the price of a few years ago. While not the famous Maryland blue crab, it was a good substitute for my recipes. Sadly, this warehouse has discontinued selling the product. Many mail-order companies sell crab meat. I caution you to read the fine print. Cameron’s Seafood sells authentic certified Maryland blue crab. Warning – it’s pricey! The current cost is $89.99 for 1 pound which will make about 8 cakes. I’m planning my order for this year’s Christmas Day brunch for a household of five. For each person to have at least 2 cakes, that’s… On, never mind. I’ll make sure Mrs. Claus and Santa have a pitcher of Mimosa waiting for them by the hearth.
Serve It Up!
For a delightful summertime meal, I suggest starting with my Chilled Summer Avocado Pea Soup followed by Molly’s Medal Winning Maryland Crab Cakes served with mango pineapple salsa or a lightly dressed butter lettuce salad. I hope you will enjoy my recipe as part of a menu for your next special occasion.
Molly’s Medal Winning Maryland Crab Cakes
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 2 spatula
- 2 large bowls
- 2-3 large sheet pans
- 1 large open ring cookie cutter, 3 – 4 inch diameter
- parchement paper
- 1 large spoon
- 1 chef knife
- 1 paring knife or vegetable peeler with potato eye remover
- 1 spice or coffee grinder
- food processor or sealable plastic bag and meat mallet
Ingredients
CRAB CAKE
- 1 lb jumbo or back fin blue crab
- ½ cup mayonnaise NOT Miracle Whip
- 2 tsp yellow mustard powder or Dijon
- 1 cup Ritz or butter crackers, pulverized to a fine crumb Low-sodium
- 2 tbsp Molly's Kitchen Old Bay Style Seafood Seasoning Substitute: McCormick Old Bay Classic Seafood Seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp finely diced red or sweet onion
- 2 tbsp finely diced red pepper
- 2 cup clarified butter or ghee, warm or room temperature
MANGO PINEAPPLE SALSA
- 2 cups cubed ripe mango
- 2 cups cubed ripe pineapple
- 2 red pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup olive or grape seed oil substitute: citrus or fruit flavored oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp sugar optional
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
OLD BAY STYLE SEAFOOD SEASONING _BASIC RECIPE YEILDS 1/4 CUP
- 2 tsp ground bay leaves (2-3 large dry leaves)
- 1 tbsp ground celery seed
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground dry yellow mustard
- 1 tsp powdered ginger
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground mace
- ⅛ tsp ground cardamom
- ⅛ tsp ground allspice
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- SERVING SIZE: For 4-6 people, one pound of crab meat will yield approximately 2 cakes per person.
- NOTES: Please read the notes provided to ensure the best results.
SET UP
- Place parchment paper on the sheet pans.
- Place clarified butter or melted ghee in a bowl deep enough to dunk and coat the sides of the cookie cutter.
MOLLY'S KITCHEN OLD BAY STYLE SEAFOOD SEASONING
- Add all ingredients together and place into a tightly sealed container when not in use. If needed, use a spice or coffee grinder to break down ingredients that are not purchased pre-ground or powdered. The measurements are approximate and feel free to modify to your taste. I caution against adding salt. I err on the side of less salt than more in all of my recipes.
MANGO PINEAPPLE SALSA
- Juice the limes. Tip: To extract the most juice, before cutting, press and roll the fruit on a hard surface to break open the pulp. NOTE: I prefer not to use bottled or commercially prepared citrus juice. The flavor tends to be artificial and dense.
- Wash the cilantro to remove dirt and sand. Remove the leaves and discard the stems.
- Peel the mangos and remove the flesh from the pit. Cut into ¼-½ inch chunks.
- Cut the outer skin off the pineapple. Remove the remaining pits or eyes with the sharp tip of a small paring knife or the potato eye remover of a vegetable peeler. Working towards the core, slice off the flesh in large strips and cut into ¼-½ inch chunks.
- Remove the papery outer skin of the red onion. Cut the onion in half and slice each half into thin strips. Finely dice the strips.
- Cut the red peppers in half and remove the white pith. Cut the halves into strips, and then into ¼-½ inch pieces.
- Place the mango, pineapple, red onion, red pepper, oil, lime juice and cilantro into a large bowl. If the fruit is not very sweet, add the sugar. Salt and pepper to taste. Let marinate for at least one hour at room temperature before serving. If you have made the salsa several hours ahead and have placed in the the fridge, bring to room temperature before serving with the warm crab cakes. NOTE: I like to use a neutral flavored oil as the base of the marinade. EVOO tends to have a dominant nuttier flavor, but if that's all you have, use it! Better yet, it you have a citrus or fruit flavored olive oil, it will enhance the flavor of the salsa.
PREPARE THE CRAB MEAT
- Place crab meat, diced red onion and diced red pepper into large bowl.
- Add ¼ cup of mayonnaise, 1 tsp. mustard, 2 tsp. seafood seasoning, ½ cup Ritz cracker crumbs. Lightly toss and assess taste. Increase the amount of mayo, mustard, cracker crumbs and seasoning as you see fit. Reminder: the spices should not overwhelm the meat. You want the seasoning to be present but not dominant. You can always sprinkle more just before serving.
- Add beaten egg and toss lightly. Let the prepared crab meat sit for 10-15 minutes to allow time for the cracker crumbs to moisten and bind the meat.
SHAPING THE CAKES
- Dunk the cookie cutter into the clarified butter and place onto the parchment paper. Using a large spoon, gently add some prepared crab meat into the ring. Lightly press the meat to fill the ring to the edges and about 1 inch high. Remove the ring. Repeat until all the meat has been used.
- Place saran wrap over the sheet pan(s) and secure tightly. Place into the fridge for at least an hour. It's best to let the cakes chill longer.
COOKING THE CRAB CAKES
- Preheat the oven to a low warming temperature of 200° – 250° F.
- Put enough clarified butter or ghee into the skillet to have about ¼ to ½ inch of butter. Over a LOW heat, bring the butter to a high enough temperature to "fry" the crab cakes. I use the term "fry" loosely here. I don't mean to deep fry. What you want to achieve is browning the cakes to form a buttery crust. Test the temperature of the oil by tossing in a small bit of meat or cut vegetable. It should sizzle and brown, not fry and burn.
- Using a large spatula, lift a chilled cake off of the parchment paper. Using the other large spatula, gently push the cake into the skillet. Add as many cakes as will allow for at least one inch spacing between and around the cakes. Leave some space from the edge of the skillet. You will need to manipulate the spatulas around the cakes and need enough room to turn them without breaking them up.
- Once the cakes look brown on the bottom, start to to flip them to the other side. Slip one spatula under a cake. Place the other spatula in a position on the uncooked side of the cake to accept it as you flip the cake onto it. Gently ease the cake back into the hot butter using the free spatula to push the cake off. Use this method for the remaining cakes. If you would like to recook the other side, just repeat the the flip method until all the cakes are browned and have developed a lovely crust.
- Use the spatula to remove the cakes from the skillet. Place the cooked cakes onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment and place into the warm oven until ready to serve. Sprinkle cakes with more seafood seasoning if desired.