A
crab cake is an
American dishAmerican cuisine can refer to the cuisine of several regions:*Latin American cuisine*North American cuisine*Cuisine of the United States...
composed of
crabCrabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax.Crabs have a soft body covered with a hard shell. They are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton, and armed with a...
meat and various other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, milk, mayonnaise, eggs, yellow onions, and seasonings. Occasionally other ingredients such as red or green peppers are added, at which point the cake is then sautéed, baked, or
grilledGrilled could refer to:*Grilling, a form of cookingFilm*Grilled , a 2006 film directed by Jason Ensler...
and then served. Crab cakes are traditionally associated with the area surrounding the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia...
, in particular the state of
MarylandMaryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...
and the city of Baltimore.
The two most common styles of Maryland crab cakes are known as Boardwalk and Restaurant.
A
crab cake is an
American dishAmerican cuisine can refer to the cuisine of several regions:*Latin American cuisine*North American cuisine*Cuisine of the United States...
composed of
crabCrabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax.Crabs have a soft body covered with a hard shell. They are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton, and armed with a...
meat and various other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, milk, mayonnaise, eggs, yellow onions, and seasonings. Occasionally other ingredients such as red or green peppers are added, at which point the cake is then sautéed, baked, or
grilledGrilled could refer to:*Grilling, a form of cookingFilm*Grilled , a 2006 film directed by Jason Ensler...
and then served. Crab cakes are traditionally associated with the area surrounding the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia...
, in particular the state of
MarylandMaryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...
and the city of Baltimore.
The two most common styles of Maryland crab cakes are known as Boardwalk and Restaurant. Boardwalk crabcakes are typically deep fried and breaded, and are often filled with stuffing of various sorts and served on a hamburger bun. Restaurant crab cakes, which are sometimes called gourmet crab cakes, are often prepared with no filler, and are composed of all-lump crab meat served on a platter or open-faced sandwich. Many restaurants that offer Maryland crab cakes will offer to have the cakes fried or broiled.
Meat from any species of crab may be used, although the meat of the
blue crabThe blue crab is a crustacean found in the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Coast of Central America and the Gulf of Mexico. On the Pacific Coast of Central America it is largely ignored as a food source as picking the meat is considered too difficult...
, whose native habitat includes the Chesapeake Bay, is traditional and the considered best tasting. In the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, the endemic
Dungeness CrabThe Dungeness Crab is a species of crab that inhabits West Coast eelgrass beds and water bottoms all the way from Alaska's Aleutian Islands down to Santa Cruz, California. They are named after Dungeness, Washington, which is located approximately five miles north of Sequim and 15 miles east of...
is a popular ingredient for crab cakes, and the cakes are prepared at many well-established restaurants throughout the region.
Crab cakes are popular along the coast of the
Mid-Atlantic StatesThe Mid-Atlantic States form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
, the
Gulf CoastThe Gulf Coast region of the United States, sometimes called the Gulf South, South Coast, or Third Coast, comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. The states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are known as the Gulf States...
, the
Pacific NorthwestThe Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America, bound by the Pacific Ocean to the west. There are several partially overlapping definitions of the region, but they generally include the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon, and...
, and the
Northern CaliforniaNorthern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose , Sacramento , as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern California coast, the Big Sur coastline area, the Sierra Nevada...
coast, where the crabbing industry thrives. Crab cakes vary in size from no bigger than a small cookie to as large as a hamburger. They are sometimes served with a sauce, such as a
remouladeRemoulade or rémoulade, invented in France, is a popular condiment in many countries. Very much like the tartar sauce of some English-speaking cultures, remoulade is often Aioli- or mayonnaise-based. Although similar to tartar sauce, it is often more yellowish , often flavored with curry, and...
,
tartar sauceTartare sauce is a thick white sauce made from mayonnaise and finely chopped pickled cucumber, capers, onions , and fresh parsley. Chopped hard-boiled eggs, olives, and horseradish are sometimes added, and dijon mustard is often used as an emulsifier. It is frequently used to season fried seafood...
, mustard, or
ketchupKetchup , also known as tomato ketchup, tomato sauce, red sauce, Tommy sauce, Tommy K, or dead horse, is a condiment, usually made from tomatoes...
.
Maryland Crab Cakes are the official food of The
Preakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race 1-3/16 mile thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses, held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
the second jewel of the
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred RacingIn the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
, a horse race that is run on the third Saturday of May each year.
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