grandma's crabcakes

It didn't take me long to decide what would be the first recipe I'd share. Since moving to Maryland, we've had a lot of fantastic crabcakes. They're the best when made from primarily jumbo lump meat, fresh from the Chesapeake bay, held together with very little filling. In Virginia they're just not the same, but I was fortunate to grow up with exposure to the real thing. My mom is from Maryland, and most of her family still lives here. My grandma passed down this crabcake recipe to my mom, who then shared it with me. These are simple, but awesome. In the original recipe, they're fried to a golden brown in vegetable oil, but they're also delicious (and healthier) broiled, as I did in the picture below. These crabcakes are just as good as the delicious crabcakes we eat in Baltimore restaurants, and just one of my grandma's wonderful legacies. Try them!

Grandma's Crabcakes

Ingredients:

For 4 large crabcakes

-1 lb jumbo lump crab meat (no exceptions!)

-1 cup crushed saltine crackers

-1 large egg

-1/4 cup mayo

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp pepper

-1 tsp worchestershire

-1 tsp dry mustard

-vegetable oil (if frying)

Directions:

-Mix together everything except the crab
-Gently add in crab meat; mix until just combined
-Form into cakes
-If possible, refrigerate for 30-60 minutes (this is especially important if frying)
-If broiling: Turn broiler to high. Place crabcakes on a nonstick pan. Broil until heated through and browned on top, about 10 minutes.
-If frying: Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add crab cakes (being careful not to overcrowd; may have to cook in batches) and fry until browned, about 5 minutes/side.

Enjoy!