Classic Crab Cakes with Tarragon Tartar Sauce

An Old-School Crab Cake with a Cornmeal Crunch

Most Maryland crab cakes lean on bread crumbs alone. This classic recipe, long a favorite in our kitchen, does something different: the formed cakes are dusted with cornmeal and chilled before they hit the skillet, which gives each one a golden, gently crunchy crust around a full 2 lb of lump crab. It makes about twelve cakes, enough to serve six, and the mixture can be shaped a day ahead.

Good cakes start with good meat. Jumbo lump keeps the interior in big sweet pieces, and our other crab meat grades work too if you prefer a finer texture. Pick the meat over carefully; one missed piece of shell can interrupt a very good bite.

Ingredients

• ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 tbsp sour cream
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley (preferably flat-leaf)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ¼ tsp cayenne, or to taste
• 2 lbs lump crab meat, picked over
• 2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs
• ⅓ cup cornmeal
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, sour cream, parsley, lemon juice, Worcestershire, paprika, salt, and cayenne. Gently stir in the crab meat and bread crumbs.
2. Form ½-cup measures of the mixture into twelve ¾-inch-thick cakes, transferring them as they are formed to a baking sheet sprinkled with half the cornmeal.
3. Sprinkle the cakes with the remaining cornmeal, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. The chill is what keeps them together in the pan.
4. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté the cakes in batches, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden. Drain on paper towels.
5. Keep finished cakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while the rest cook. Serve with tarragon tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

Quick Tarragon Tartar Sauce

The traditional companion to these cakes is a sharp, herb-flecked tartar sauce. Stir together 2 cups mayonnaise, a minced shallot, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, a few tablespoons of minced fresh tarragon, chopped cornichons, and a dash of hot sauce. Chopped green olives are classic in it too. Make it while the cakes chill; the flavors settle in together.

Tips from the Crab House

Do not skip the chill, and do not crowd the skillet: both shortcuts cost you the crust. Work in batches, keep the oil hot but short of smoking, and turn each cake only once.

Rounding out the plate is its own question; our guide to the five best crab cake sides has answers, and the iLoveCrabs Cookbook collects this kind of classic alongside our own house recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the cakes ahead?

Yes. The shaped, cornmeal-dusted cakes hold overnight in the refrigerator, covered. Fry them straight from the fridge.

Can I broil these instead of frying?

You can, but the cornmeal crust is the point of this particular recipe, and it needs the skillet. If you prefer a broiled cake, use a recipe built for it.

What is the difference from a Harbour House crab cake?

Our own 5+ oz jumbo lump crab cakes use minimal binder and no crust, so the lump does all the talking. This recipe is the home-kitchen classic: more binder, a crisp coat, and a dozen cakes from one bowl.