Dressed Crab

Although many variations on the crab cake were developed over the years, the traditionalists still prefer the basic crab cake in Maryland. This combination of simple flavors, and the ease and speed of the recipe made a nice dish to prepare and eat.

Like most recipes, the better the ingredients you start, the better the final product will be. Although the crab is not cheap, you can enjoy the taste you get with crab meat quality high. Besides the quality of crab meat, you get the best flavors of fresh ingredients.

The crab cakes recipe itself is very simple. There are not many ingredients, which allows the flavor of the crab to come through and not get buried by the other ingredients. The recipe itself begins with crabmeat. The crab meat in general, although some recipes have you mix and lump claw meat whole. This is mixed with the crumbs of crackers, and a dressing made from eggs, salt, onion, finely crushed, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

These ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. Simply mix the ingredients until they bind and you are able to form patties. While the mixing will break up the crabmeat too much, and you lose a large part of the desired texture.

Once the ingredients are mixed together, form them into balls that are about ¾ inch thick 1. If you crabcakes for appetizers to one ounce Patty 2. For an entry, make-ounce patties 4. When the patties are formed refrigerate about 2 hours before cooking so they set and be firm enough not to collapse during cooking.

In a skillet or frying pan you can skip the crab cakes in clarified butter until golden brown. You can make ghee by heating the butter until almost at boiling point to separate the solids from the top, and use plain butter at the bottom to cook with. This allows you to revert to a higher temperature without burning your butter in the pan.

Serve crab cakes warm your hungry customers to see and enjoy this classic American tradition. It's quick and easy, and best of all, it is delicious.