Maryland Crab Cakes

Crab is special, whether it is crab legs, crab Rangoon, a buttery crab pasta, crab cakes, or any recipe featuring succulent crab meat, you know you are in for a treat.
Crab is tough to get fresh in most parts of the world, but frozen crab, and canned real crab meat (lump, jumbo, special) is still ridiculously good. With most frozen proteins, a lot of moisture is lost during the thawing process but even with that moisture loss frozen crab still retains a lot of moisture. Canned crab meat isn’t typically frozen so you don’t have to worry about moisture loss. If you are able to get fresh crab/crab meat consider yourself lucky and the rest of us are jealous.
To make Maryland style crab cakes you start by sautéing diced onion and celery in hot pan coated with olive oil. Cook the onions and celery over medium heat until the onions begin to turn translucent. Do not overcook the onions and celery, you want them to have some texture. After you are done cooking the onions and celery place them in a bowl and refrigerate to keep them from cooking any more than they need to. If you like a lot of crunch from the onion and celery you can avoid sautéing them altogether and leave them raw.
In a mixing bowl, add your eggs and whisk them to break up the yolks. Now, add the mayo, Dijon, Worcestershire, tabasco, old bay, paprika, pepper, salt, and celery salt to the bowl and stir very well until you have a uniform base. Add the celery and onions and your panko bread crumbs to the egg/mayo mixture and fold them in until completely mixed. Let the panko absorb some of the sauce for a few minutes.
Add the special crab meat to the mixture and incorporate well. Use your hands to do this part to press and gently squeeze. Add the lump crab meat to the mix but this time gently fold and mix to try to keep the lump meat from breaking apart too much.
Form your crab cakes into patties/cakes using your hands. If you are using these for entrees or for sandwiches you will want them to be about the size of your palm and 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick. If you are using them for appetizers, sliders, or salads you will want them to be about 3/4 the width of your palm and about a 1/2″ thick.
To cook your crab cakes, the best way is to sauté them in a hot pan. Place a pan over medium heat and coat it in oil. Once the oil is hot, add your crab cakes to the pan. Sear on each side for about 3 minutes before flipping. Use a fish spatula if you have one, it helps to get under the cake without damaging them. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and your crab cake should be done. If you made your crab cake too thick you should finish them in the oven or lower the heat of your pan to keep the sides from burning.
Serve with this red pepper remoulade. It is great as a dipping sauce but even better spread on a toasted bun.
Roast or grill your red bell pepper until it is charred on all sides. Cut the pepper open and remove the pith and seeds. Add the red pepper, lemon juice, chopped pickle, capers, Worcestershire, garlic, Dijon, salt, and sugar to a blender and blend until you have a smooth sauce. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and add the mayo. Stir everything together and taste to see if it needs any more salt, acid, or heat.
This recipe is tried and true and once you try it, it will be a go to recipe for the rest of your life. Enjoy!