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Seared crab cakes with crispy exterior and tender crab filled interior.

The BEST Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes (with little filler)

These succulent crab cakes feature unbroken hunks of crabmeat and are full of zesty flavor and fresh herbs. Served with a silky, luscious citrusy sauce puts them over the top.
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time (inactive): 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 14 crab cakes
Calories: 103kcal
Author: Kim Peterson

Equipment

  • Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

Crab Cakes

  • 1 large egg , slightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain or creole mustard
  • 1 Meyer lemon, zest and juice
  • ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 4- ounce jar roasted red peppers , drained, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill , minced, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon , minced, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme , minced, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat , go through and remove any cartilage
  • ⅔ cup whole wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • Kosher salt and black ground pepper
  • 4 tablespoons canola, olive or avocado oil , divided
  • Freshly chopped chives and Meyer lemon wedges, for garnish

Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups Chardonnay or other dry white wine
  • ¼ cup chopped shallots
  • ¾ cup whipping cream
  • 1 Meyer lemon , zest and juice
  • Freshly chopped chives

Instructions

Crab Cakes

  • Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Whisk first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • Stir in green onion, roasted peppers, dill, tarragon and thyme. Season mixture with salt and pepper.
  • Gently mix in crabmeat and panko, breaking up large pieces of crabmeat slightly. Let stand 10 minutes.
  • Form crab mixture into sixteen 2-inch-diameter patties, using about ¼ cup for each.
  • Cover patties with parchment paper and chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Working in batches, cook the crab cakes until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Add more olive oil as needed.
  • Transfer crab cakes to paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
  • Serve crab cakes with warm sauce and garnish with herb sprigs and chives. Enjoy!

Sauce

  • While the crab cakes are chilling, you can make the sauce. Boil wine and shallots in heavy medium saucepan until mixture is reduced to ¾ cup, about 10 minutes.
  • Add cream, reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, about 20 minutes.
  • Stir in Meyer lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 cup.
  • Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium-low heat before serving.

Notes

  1. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
  2. To Freeze uncooked and already cooked/cooled crab cakes, just place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Wrap each cake in plastic wrap and pop into a freezer bag. They'll last in the freezer up to 3 months.
  3. To Reheat uncooked crab cakes, thaw completely and follow cooking instructions above. For cooked crab cakes, thaw and reheat in a 375 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes. To reheat frozen crab cakes, bake at same temperature for 20-25 minutes until heated through. They shouldn't fall apart in the oven since they were already pan-seared.

Nutrition

Serving: 1crab cake | Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
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