Southern Crab Cakes (Printer-Friendly)
Tender lump crab with paprika and butter fried until golden crisp and flavorful.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Main
01 -
1 pound lump crab meat, checked for shell pieces
02 -
1 large egg, beaten
→ Dry Ingredients
03 -
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
04 -
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 -
1/2 teaspoon paprika
06 -
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Cooking Fats
07 -
2 tablespoons salted butter
→ Garnishes
08 -
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
09 -
Lemon wedges, for serving
10 -
Tartar sauce, for serving
# Steps to Make This:
01 -
Gently pick through the crab meat to remove any shell fragments, keeping lumps intact. In a bowl, combine the crab meat with beaten egg, 1 tablespoon flour, salt, paprika, and black pepper. Stir gently until just combined.
02 -
Shape the mixture into eight equal-sized patties, packing firmly. Place on a plate or tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes to help them hold together during cooking.
03 -
Place remaining 2 tablespoons flour on a plate. Lightly dredge each crab cake on both sides in the flour and return to plate or tray.
04 -
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add salted butter and allow it to melt completely. Fry crab cakes in batches, avoiding overcrowding, for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crisp.
05 -
Serve crab cakes garnished with chopped parsley and lemon wedges alongside tartar sauce.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
Using lump or jumbo lump crab meat preserves texture and flavor. Refrigerating formed patties improves structural integrity during frying.
02 -
For best crust, frying in butter yields crispy exterior and tender interior. Baking is an alternative but less crispy.