The Best Type Of Seafood For Making Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are delicious all year round, but there's something special about enjoying a freshly made crab cake after a summer day spent in the sun. Even if you're not spending summer on the Chesapeake Bay, it shouldn't preclude you from at least eating like you're there. If you're going to make crab cakes at home, you obviously need crab. Since crab isn't the cheapest seafood to buy, you want to make sure you're buying the correct meat for the job. In order to get the biggest pieces of crab in the cake, you want to use jumbo lump crab meat.

Jumbo lump crab meat is one of the priciest on the market due to its large size and naturally sweet flavor. The meat comes from the muscle connected to the swimming fins. The benefit of using jumbo lump crab for crab cakes is that the more meat there is, the fewer fillers are needed. Even though there will need to be something to bind the cake together, like breadcrumbs, or a popular substitute for breadcrumbs, almond flour.

When it's time to make your own crab cakes, there are a few key things to remember to make it as delicious as possible. The first thing to note is the crab is the star of the show, and should therefore have the least amount of filler to make the cakes stay together. Aside from the breadcrumbs or crackers, a good crab cake needs an egg, and seasonings like Worcestershire, mustard, and mayo. Once the crab cakes are formed, a serious question emerges. Do you fry or broil the crab cakes? Some people argue that broiled crab cakes are better than fried ones because you don't have to worry about the crab flavor getting overpowered by cooking oil.

If you choose to broil your crab cakes, simply broil on low for about 12-15 minutes, then switch the broiler to high to get a nice golden top. To make fried crab cakes, make sure you are using an unflavored neutral oil, like canola oil. Once the oil is heated in the pan, add the crab cakes and cook until the cakes float. If you have some leftover crab, it can be made into soup or even crab dip to serve alongside the crab cake.