Crab Cakes n' Sauce

Mrs. Duvall's Crab Cakes

Finally I have found a good recipe for Crab Cakes and this was my third attempt!!  I have adapted a recipe from the foodtv.com site called Mrs. Duvall's Crab Cakes of The Rail Stop, The Plains, Va.

Other attempts have been too bland or too mushy and just not a bit good.  I have had them at restaurants and in most cases loved them, thus my attempt to find a good recipe for at home.

Premium Lump Crab

Part of the problem may have been the crab I had used.  Being a land locked Hoosier I sure don't claim to know what I am doing here!!  Previously I used canned crab but this time I got fresh pasteurised blue point crab in a one pound container and it was quite different and good.

Ready to refrigerate .

You need to plan ahead to make these as they need to sit refrigerated after they are formed before frying for a few hours or overnight.  Also, I used more saltine crumbs for coating than the recipe calls for and had some left, but it is much easier to form them if you can drop them into a lot of crumbs and form them using the crumbs to gather up around them as you go.






Here is how I made them:

1/4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. onion diced finely
2 eggs beaten
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. Coleman's dry mustard
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 pound lump crab meat picked over
2 C. soda crackers, finely crushed
2 T. butter
1/4 C. vegetable oil
Lemon wedges
Dipping sauce, optional

Prepare a rimmed sheet pan by covering it with waxed paper or parchment and make room for it in the refrigerator.   Have foil or plastic wrap on hand to cover the formed Crab cakes.

Using a large bowl combine the mayonnaise, onion, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper.   Fold in the crab meat and 1/4 C. of the cracker crumbs.  Shape the mixture into 16 cakes about 1" thick.  They will be larger than a walnut but smaller than a golf ball.  Don't despair if they seem uncooperative.  If you basically drop a tablespoonful into your hand and gather it into a ball and drop it into the crumbs gathering the crumbs around it as you go it will work.  Place these on the prepared sheet pan about 1/2" apart.  Cover them and refrigerate until you are ready to cook them a few hours or overnight.

In a large heavy bottomed skillet, melt 1 T. of butter and add 2 T. oil.  When the foam subsides,  add half of the crab cakes and cook over moderate heat 2 or 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.  Drain on paper towels and keep them warm in a low heat oven.  Repeat with the remaining butter, oil and Crab cakes.   Serve with lemon wedges and dipping sauce.

Our family loves to dip into zesty cocktail sauce or bottled sauces of you choice are good too.  We also like to mix equal portions of sour cream and mayonnaise with horseradish or Chinese hot sauce.
Crab Cakes