The Best Type Of Crab Meat To Use For Maryland Crab Cakes

It's a beautiful thing when a region and its victuals are in complete symbiosis. Philadelphia has cheesesteaks, Champagne has ... well, Champagne, and Maryland has crab cakes. What makes Maryland crab cakes so special is their simplicity, allowing the delicious meat from the Chesapeake, the best region for crab according to chef José Andrés, to speak for itself with minimal filler. Because of that, it's important to get the right kind of crab meat if you're trying to make this delicious treat at home. Amy Casey, personal chef and food blogger, was kind enough to lend her expertise to guide Food Republic in the right direction.

The most important thing, according to chef Casey, is to start with lump crab meat. "Lump crab meat is considered the most desirable part of the crab. ... The large pieces of crab are slightly briny and reminiscent of [all] the wonderful seafood available in the ocean," she said. "Lump crab meat is also delicately sweet, buttery[,] and rich in flavor[,] making it perfect for crab cakes."

It is a resilient cut of meat, allowing you to handle it without worrying about it falling apart. "The pieces of crab have a firm and slightly flaky texture. Yet it still holds its shape while being pleasantly tender," Casey explained. One pound of lump crab meat should be enough to serve around four people while getting those big, delicious chunks that make Maryland crab cakes so appealing.

What makes lump meat so particularly desirable compared to other kinds? For example, jumbo lump meat is a delicious cut of meat that comes specifically from the two swimmer fins, making it a more expensive, but still delicious protein for a crab cake recipe. Lump crab meat, on the other hand, has a slightly more robust flavor than jumbo lump meat, making it perfect to put in crab cakes without worrying about the spices overwhelming the meat. The more delicate, sweeter flavor of jumbo lump meat, in addition to its price point, makes it better suited to be eaten solo or as a topping for salad.

Then there are other types of meat like claw or backfin. "The large snow white pieces [of lump crab meat] are meatier and more firm than the darker colored and small flaky claw or backfin crab," chef Amy Casey informed us. According to her, that firmness also matters because of the water content. "Lump crab meat is less watery than other types of crab meat. You'll need [fewer] binding ingredients like egg and bread crumbs to hold the crab cakes together." 

While nothing beats the savory taste of fresh crab, to reinvigorate the flavor of your canned lump meat before adding it to a crab cake, try soaking the meat in milk first. Soaking and then straining it allows the strong fishy odor that comes from canned crab meat to dissipate, leaving your crab cakes with the bright, sweet taste you're striving to achieve.