Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes

Published: Sep 5, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

5 from 175 votes

Maryland Crab Cakes are the gold standard of all crab cakes. And my Baked Maryland Crab Cake is loaded with sweet Jumbo Lump Crab Meat, almost no filler, and seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning.

When you’re looking for Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes, this is the recipe you want.

crab cake cut open showing inside on a white plate with tomatoes

When you want to learn how to make the Best Maryland Crab Cakes, ask a chef who spent most of his life working at shore restaurants. I’ve learned a thing or two about making Maryland Crab Cakes that are packed with crab meat and just enough filler to bind the crab meat together.

I’ve been pleasing guests for 40+ years with my version of this Eastern Shore Classic, and now I’m sharing this amazingly simple crab with you.

overhead shot of crab cakes on a white plate with tomato salad.

Made with simple ingredients, jumbo lump crab meat, Old Bay Seasoning, lemon juice, fresh chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise. With the only filler being one egg and two-thirds cup of cracker crumbs.

My other Chesapeake Bay favorites are my Maryland Style Crab Imperial and Easy Hot Crab Dip.

My version of Maryland Crab Cakes is also a baked crab cakes recipe, not pan-fried or deep-fried, eliminating the need for added oil and added calories. What you get is sweet, delicious crab meat, and lots of it!

My easy recipe can be pan-fried over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown, but they will still need to be finished in the oven. You can also cook these in an air fryer.

Table of Contents:

Ingredients to make Maryland Crab Cakes

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Maryland Crab Cakes. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Cracker crumbs make the best filler and best breading agent for seafood. You can’t always find cracker meal or cracker crumbs at the grocery store, but it’s easy to make your own out of saltine crackers or club crackers using a food processor or blender. You can also use panko bread crumbs as a substitute.

What type of crab meat should I use?

It’s very important to use fresh, good-quality lump or jumbo lump crab meat. Fresh crab meat is usually sold in plastic one-pound containers; if it’s in a can, it’s pasteurized. The best crab meat comes from the Atlantic coast (Maryland being the best) and the gulf waters.

Beware of crab meat from Asian countries, which is usually what you’ll find sold in cans (pasteurized crab meat). It’s not the same type of crab meat we have in the United States, and I often wonder about its origins and processing. Asian crab is a blue swimming crab, which has a different flavor than blue crab meat. But they try to confuse people with the blue in the name. It’s not blue crabs, which are the crabs most prized for their sweet, succulent meat. And Maryland crabs are the best!

Every now and then, you can find pasteurized US crab meat but check the top or bottom of the can for the country of origin before you shell out the big bucks for the less desirable crab meat.

Many of my west coast friends love Dungeness crabs, but they’re not the same as East coast Blue Crab which makes the best crab cakes!

How to Maryland Crab Cakes

collage of six steps to make the recipe.

Place the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Whisk the ingredients together to completely incorporate the egg into the mixture.
Add the crab meat to the mixture and gently fold it into the sauce. Don’t mix it in completely.
Add the cracker crumbs and parsley to the crab meat mixture and continue to gently mix the ingredients until the cracker crumbs have been incorporated into the crab meat mixture. Be careful not to break up the crab meat.
Cover the crab meat mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Divide the crab cake mixture into six portions (you can use an ice cream scoop to portion the crab cake mixture). Form the crab cakes into round, slightly flattened cakes and place crab cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Refrigerate the crab cakes until ready to bake.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake the crab cakes for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Or until you’ve reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. (use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature).

Maryland crab cakes with tomato salad on a white plate.

I know after one bite, you’ll agree that this is the best crab cake recipe and as good if not better than your favorite seafood restaurant. My delicious crab cakes will make the perfect main course for your next date night or dinner party!

Serve my Maryland Crab Cakes with tartar sauce or cocktail sauce and lemon wedges, along with your favorite sides.

Recipe FAQ’s

What makes a Maryland Crab Cake different?

Technically a Maryland crab cake should be made with Maryland crabs, but the real difference is the small amount of filler used. A true Maryland crabcake will not have herbs other than parsley and not contain onions, peppers or any other additive. Mayonaise, mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and old bay are the only seasonings used.

Is it better to bake or fry Maryland crab cakes?

I prefer baking because you don’t add additional calories via the cooking oil. Baking crab cakes with little filler is also easier and they are less likely to fall apart. Although frying crab cakes gives them crispness and beautiful color, they can break apart while cooking.

What type of crab meat should I use for crab cakes?

The best crab meat comes from blue crabs, aka blue claws, and the best crabs are from the Maryland / Virginia shores. Other areas of the Atlantic coastline and the gulf coastline also have excellent crabs. When possible, jumbo lump is my first choice for crab meat; lump crab meat is also a good choice.

More Crab Meat Recipes You’ll Love!

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5 from 175 votes

Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe

My Maryland Crab Cakes are made with sweet lump crab meat and very little filler. I guarantee they will be the best crab cakes you've ever had!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 175kcal

Ingredients

1 pound crab meat fresh – jumbo lump or lump
1 large egg
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice plus more for serving
1½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped
⅔ cup cracker crumbs I made mine in the food processor. About 15 saltines

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Place the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, and parsley in a small bowl.
Whisk the ingredients together to completely incorporate the egg into the mixture.
add the crab meat to the mixture and gently fold it into the sauce.
Don't mix it in completely.
Add the cracker crumbs and continue to gently mix the crabmeat and cracker crumbs into the sauce.
Be careful not to break up the crab meat.
Cover the crab meat mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
*This can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°F
Divide the crab cake mixture into six portions. Form crabcakes into round slightly flattened cakes. Do not flatten them too much.
Place the crabcakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Bake the crabcakes for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve the crabcakes with your choice of cocktail sauce or tarter sauce and a wedge of fresh lemon.

Nutrition

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Comments

5 from 175 votes (141 ratings without comment)

Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes