These broiled Maryland crab cakes have been in my family for generations. This is my grandma’s recipe! It’s truly the best crab cake recipe I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried countless versions!
You should also check out my Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Sliders as well as my Jumbo Lump Mini Crab Cake Bites!Â
I’ve lived in Maryland for my entire life and I can tell you this: we love our crabs.
Steamed, soups, crab cakes… it’s what’s for dinner.
When I have friends visit from out of town, they always want to go out for crabs and beer. It’s a tradition!
My grandma, Zelda, has been making these jumbo lump crab cakes for as long as I can remember.
I can tell you with complete certainty: these are the BEST crab cakes you’ll ever have.
All jumbo lump meat, very little filler, no unnecessary ingredients. This recipe is legit.
If you think you’ve had better, all I can say is this: don’t knock ’em till you’ve tried ’em. And be sure to check out all of those 5 Star ratings below.
How to Make Crab Cakes
What type of crab meat is best?
For BEST results, you need fresh, good-quality jumbo lump blue crab meat for this recipe. I know that jumbo lump meat is ridiculously expensive, but there’s a reason for that.
I’m not saying the flavors won’t still be good here with less expensive crab, but if you want the most authentic Maryland crab cake experience, you need to go for the best ingredients.
I realize that many parts of the country/world will not have access to jumbo lump crab meat, so do the best you can.
Ask around. Ask your local seafood restaurant for recommendations.
Some people like to mix in backfin crab meat because it has a bit more flavor than lump meat. You can do this if you like! It’s just not how my family does things.
Give me all lump meat, all day long.
If you can help it, I strongly recommend avoiding national chain brand crab meat.
More likely than not, it’s not even blue crab meat; it’s probably from Asia. No flavor at all.
What are Fines Herbs?
Fines Herbs refers to a dried spice blend used commonly in French cuisine.
It’s sold by many brands, but I’ve always used the one from Spice Island since it’s available at my grocery store.
If you can’t find it at the store or online, you can make it at home.
It’s made from a mix of commonly used herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil.
Google around and you’ll find plenty of recipes.
What is Old Bay?
Old Bay is a seasoning that’s considered a staple in many Maryland homes, including mine.
It’s amazing on many seafood dishes, especially steamed crabs!
I also use it in things like dips and potato latkes.
To me, a good crab cake MUST include Old Bay.
If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can always buy it online somewhere like Amazon.
How To Broil
For my money, the best crab cake recipe is broiled crab cakes, hands down. We always broil our crab cakes.
Fried crab cakes are tasty, but broiling truly allows the flavors and textures to shine through.
Broil on the lower setting, and do not flip them.
The meat is already cooked; you are simply cooking the egg and solidifying the filling.
These crab cakes are delicate because of that beautiful lump meat. Flipping them might cause them to fall apart.
The low broil will give them a nice golden color, but you can adjust the setting to high for the final 30-60 seconds for an even deeper caramelization if you’re willing to watch them like a hawk.
Baking will technically work, but you won’t get that crisp, caramelized top. Broiling is truly the way to go here.
How to store
Store the crab cakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you’re not going to use them within a few days, these freeze very well.
Like everyone else in the family, I tend to make a double recipe and then freeze the leftovers (wrapping them individually).
The crab cakes reheat in a couple of minutes and are a perfect meal.
They make a great sandwich.
What is a good crab cake sauce?
I like crab cakes with dijon mustard (and Saltines) but many prefer tarter sauce.
You can purchase jarred varieties at the store, but it’s easy to prepare at home.
Check out this basic tarter sauce recipe from Ina Garten.
What can I serve with crab cakes?
I always recommend keeping it simple and serving these babies with Saltines and Dijon or yellow mustard.
A lot of people like serving them with tartar sauce. Serve them on bread for an amazing sandwich.
For a classic side dish, I recommend coleslaw!
More Crab Recipes
If you liked this recipe, I definitely recommend checking out my Hot Crab Dip Recipe! It’s perfect for parties!
Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh jumbo lump crab meat
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon fines herbs (I like the one sold by Spice Island, see notes)
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Set the oven to low broil and place the oven rack near the top.
- In a medium-sized bowl, carefully pick through the crab meat to remove any shells. Try not to break up the lumps. Be as thorough as possible.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and then add in the mayonnaise until combined.
- Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Add the Old Bay, fines herbs and garlic powder. Add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, stir until well combined.
- Gently stir the wet mixture into the crab meat, one spoonful at a time. This part takes some patience because you really want to avoid breaking up the lump meat as much as possible.
- Carefully form 5-6 crab cakes.
- Lightly grease the bottom of a baking sheet (cooking spray works well for this) and place the crab cakes on the sheet. Place a small piece of butter on top of each crab cake.
- Broil on low for 12-15 minutes, keeping a close eye to make sure they don’t burn. Don’t flip them, just allow them to cook on one side the entire time (the lack of filler makes them very delicate). If the tops seem like they’re going to burn, lower the oven rack. You’re not cooking the meat but you want the filling to solidify and the egg to cook through.
- If you want the tops a bit more golden, switch the broiler to the high setting for the last minute or so.
- When the tops are golden brown, remove the pan from the oven and allow the crab cakes to cool slightly before serving.
- I recommend serving them with Saltine crackers and dijon mustard. They also make a great sandwich.
Video
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Mama's Gotta Bake says
These are one of the things I miss most about living on the east coast. I used to drive to Maryland for the crabs all the time. Hopefully I can find some decent crab meat to make these crab cakes. Look amazing!
Jenn and Seth says
gorgeous crab cakes!
Jeff says
These look amazing!
Savory Simple says
Aw, thank you hunny.
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
Baltimore resident here! Yup, this is exactly how you do it Jen! LOVE me some crab cakes. And fresh crab, absolutely!!!! I am craving some right now Jen. Let’s have a crab cake date haha!
Anne @ Webicurean says
You know, I never order crab cakes because the portions always seem so small–I don’t know why I don’t just make them myself! These look beautiful–I’m clipping this page for later use!
angela@spinachtiger says
I grew up on these, and a very similar recipe. Looks just delicious and takes me back to home. We used blue crab.
Rosa says
A wonderful speciality! Those cakes look so scrumptious. It is sad that crab costs a fortune here… If it had not been the case, I would have tried making such a dish since long.
Cheers,
Rosa
Ashley - Baker by Nature says
I’ve always wanted to make my own crab cakes – this is seafood inspiration :)
Jess @UsedYorkCity says
These sound amazing! My grandparents live in Maryland and every summer we’d have our annual crab party…the crab cakes were always the best part!:-)
Jenny @ BAKE says
this sounds delicious! I’ve never had crab before I’m going to have to try it soon!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
These crab cakes look so delicious! Would be great with some spicy remoulade sauce.
Aly says
Another Maryland girl here! This isn’t too different than what my family makes. We usually use the backfin meat because it has a little more flavor than the lumps, but the lumps are fun! Some friends got us crabcakes from G & M which had nice lumps, but little flavor. We had to top them with lots of Old Bay! :)
Katerina says
Crab is quite expensive here in Greece and not very easy to be found! These cakes look super delicious, perfect for a light lunch or dinner!
Rowena (Apron and Sneakers) says
I love crabs and I will eat them in whatever form they are cooked. I love these cakes! I wish I can find some here. They are not so common around here. I really should look for some and try your recipe.
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says
I’ve lived in Maryland for a few years now and have yet to try an authentic crab cake. And I haven’t been to any sort of crab eating festival and STILL haven’t even found a good crab restaurant in my area. But these… these definitely fit the bill!
Savory Simple says
Are you near Baltimore? Bo Brooks has great crabs. Obryckis was the best but they just closed. The Crab Shanty in Ellicott City is the restaurant attached to the store I linked but I haven’t eaten there in years so I can’t vouch for it. Don’t go to any chains.
Doug Wheeler says
FYI: They ship all over the US.
https://gandmcrabcakes.com/