Crispy Crab Cakes with Pickle Ranch Remoulade
As any enthusiast knows, the best crab cakes are all about the luxurious flavor of sweet, lump crab meat–with minimal fillers. When I make them, I rely on pro tips from New Orleans chef Donald Link. Trust me, attention to a few details make all the difference in the final results.
First, don’t overwork the crab mixture; the cakes should barely hold together. Second, chilling the cakes for at least an hour (or up to a day in advance) before cooking is essential. This step firms the cakes without relying on excess fillers (breadcrumbs), and makes them much easier to work with during the cooking process. A final dunk and dredge in our Fish Monger Crispy Coating gives the crab cakes an exceptionally crisp exterior. Crispy crab cakes are an occasion, and require little more than your favorite beverage and a dollop of pickle ranch remoulade.
Crispy Crab Cakes with Pickle Ranch Remoulade
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Servings
6 crab cakes
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Lightly adapted from “Real Cajun” by Donald Link
You’ll likely skillet fry the crab cakes in batches, so hold the crispy cakes in a low oven while you finish frying the others.
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon butter
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½ small onion, minced
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½ poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
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1 garlic clove, minced
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1 tablespoon Fish Monger seasoning
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1 pound best quality lump crab meat
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1 egg, lightly beaten
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¼ cup mayonnaise
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2 teaspoons Creole mustard
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Several dashes hot sauce (e.g. Louisiana or Crystal)
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2 scallions, finely chopped
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2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
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Juice of ½ lemon
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¼ cup Panko crumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
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Fish Monger Crispy Coating mix
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1 cup buttermilk
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1 egg
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1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
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4 scallions, thinly sliced
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1 cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s)
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1 ½ teaspoons Rodeo Ranch seasoning
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2 teaspoons pickle brine
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4 dill pickle slices, finely chopped
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Juice of 1 lime
For the Crab Cakes
For the Pickle Ranch Remoulade
Directions
For the Crab Cakes
Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano, garlic, and Fish Monger seasoning and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened and evenly coated with the spices but not brown, 4-6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl and place in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes.
While the veggies chill, place the crab meat in a separate mixing bowl and carefully pick through for shells. Remove the veggie mixture from the fridge and add the picked crab, egg, mayo, mustard, hot sauce, scallions, parsley, lemon juice and the breadcrumbs to the vegetable mixture. Using your hands, gently combine the ingredients.
Line a 9x13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop a scant cup of the crab mixture, and then use your hands to gently pack it into a 4-inch biscuit cutter. Place the biscuit cutter on the parchment; use one hand to hold the crab in place, and the other to lift the cutter off the cake. Repeat with the remaining crab mixture. Cover the cakes and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
When you’re ready to cook, pour the Fish Monger Crispy Coating mix in a shallow bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a separate shallow bowl.
Use one hand to dredge a crab cake in the buttermilk mixture, then use the other hand to dredge the cake in the dry seasoning. Give the cake a second dip in liquid and a second dredge in the dry mix. Place coated cake on a baking sheet and repeat the process with remaining crab cakes.
Place a metal cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the crab cakes in 350°F vegetable oil until they’re crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Serve warm with Pickle Ranch Remoulade.
For the Pickle Ranch Remoulade
Whisk together all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl; cover and refrigerate until needed (makes about 1 ¼ cups).
For the best results, make this spicy condiment a few hours in advance and then cover and refrigerate, so the flavors have time to develop.
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