Betty's Authentic Baltimore Crabcakes - Blog Party #1

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's mother Joan lives in Baltimore, and of course we visit her there, and of course, like everyone who goes to Baltimore, we love to have crab when we're there. I still remember my first Baltimore crab cake, the weekend I met Joan almost ten years ago, and I also remember that I decided that night I would never order a crab cake north of Baltimore again. A Baltimore crab cake is all about fresh lump crabmeat, lots of it, and not much else. But when you order crab cakes in Boston, Maine, New York, etc., there's a good chance that what shows up on your plate will be a sodden patty of breadcrumbs, celery and precious little crab, which almost certainly won't be fresh.

Come to the Blog Party!

Fortunately, Joan has a wonderful friend, Betty Wasserman, who grew up in Baltimore and knows how to make the real Baltimore crab cakes. Still going strong at 92 (and living in Atlanta now), Betty was generous enough to share her authentic recipe with me (and give permission to publish it), for which I will be eternally grateful. Maine crab is not exactly the same as Chesapeake Bay crab but it's extremely fresh which is one of the most important requirements in making a good crab cake, so I think that tradeoff is worth it.

Note that in the photo above I'm showing a canapé-sized cake, about 1-1/4" in diameter, served on a bed of arugula. (The recipe below makes about 20 of these.) Betty's recipe makes burger-sized cakes and calls for the cakes to be sautéd in a pan, but at this canapé size I find it easier and better to deep fry them (I roll them in corn flour, let them rest for about 15 minutes and then fry them in small batches about 4 minutes in 370º oil until just golden brown, and drain them on a rack. Keep them warm on another rack in a 200º oven while doing subsequent batches). Also, the sauce shown (recipe below) is my invention but I don't think Betty would object.

Betty Wasserman's Authentic Baltimore Crab Cakes

1 lb fresh lump crabmeat
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp parsley, minced
8 saltines crumbled or 2 slices crustless bread cut in small pieces

Mix all ingredients and shape into 6 patties, working quickly to minimize handling. Sauté in hot oil (with a little butter added) until brown. Serve immediately.

Stephen's Crabcake Aïoli

3 T mayonnaise
1/2 T minced chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ketchup
salt, hot sauce to taste

Mix all ingredients together.
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Notes.
1. I didn't order them but the other night at MC Perkins Cove, the wonderful new restaurant in our neighborhood (operated by Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Arrows, a restaurant of national distinction), a friend shared his order of crab cakes with me and they were about the best I've had outside of Baltimore. They were small (about 2") and I'm pretty sure they were deep-fried, too.

2. If you visit Baltimore there are crab cakes everywhere, but don't miss your chance to go to G&M Restaurant and Lounge in Linthicum Heights for the best of the best. This place is a non-descript restaurant in a suburban strip-mall on a busy, gritty commercial street. It has a menu a mile long, with steaks, sandwiches, all sorts of seafood, and a whole section of pasta and other Italian dishes, but when you walk in and look around you will see that EVERY diner has the same thing on the plate: a baseball-sized cake (no exaggeration), which is pretty much pure crab meat. This place is definitely out-of-the-way but it's worth the trip. By the way, they bake their cakes, with a finish under the broiler I think, which I've been meaning to try but haven't yet. You can mail-order cakes from them but I haven't tried that either: I've got Betty's recipe so why would I want a frozen crab cake?

Comments

[Ruth]

Crab cakes are one of my favourite dishes. Thanks for sharing the recipe and next time I'm in Baltimore I know where I'm heading!!!

[Joey]

I remember suggesting a variation to Betty, and she responded, "Hon, if you make a change, it won't taste good anymore. And you wouldn't want that now, would you?" I guess not.

[The Crab Cake Guy]

Baltimore crab cakes are the best. I can't wait to try this recipe, Hon.

I have been featuring a few alternative recipes on www.crabcakeguy.com I will be sure to offer up a review of your cakes, when I prepare them. Thanks
-The Crab Cake Guy

[Sheri Wetherell]

I love crab cakes. This recipe, including your aïoli, sounds wonderful! I'll try your version next time I make them. Cheers!