Baltimore-Style Crab Cakes

Minimalist, crab-forward cakes bound with just enough mayo and saltines, gently formed and pan-fried until deeply golden.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shells
• 20 saltine crackers, finely crushed
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the egg, mustard, Worcestershire and hot sauce until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, lightly toss the crab with the cracker crumbs, then gently fold in the mayo mixture, keeping the lumps intact. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. Scoop the mixture into eight 1/3-cup mounds and lightly pack into patties about 1 1/2 inches thick.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Cook the crab cakes over medium-high heat until deeply golden and heated through, about 3 minutes per side.
5. Transfer to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Based on Andrew Zimmern’s Baltimore-style crab cakes - the trick is not overmixing so the crab stays in big lumps.