canola oilfor frying (or another neutral tasting oil)
fresh lemon slices, fresh chopped parsley, and tartar sauce or remoulade saucefor serving (optional)
Instructions
Combine all ingredients (except for canola oil) in a medium bowl.
Heat a large heavy skillet, such as cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup oil to the skillet. (I recommend 12 inch - anything smaller than that and you may need to cook two batches.)
Use a large ice cream scoop / disher scoop to get a portion of the crab cake mix from the bowl (or smaller, cookie scoop to make mini crab cakes). Place directly into the hot oil in the skillet and use the back of a fish spatula to press down on the top. (Alternatively, you can divide into four-six equal portions and form patties with your hands.)
Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes, flip carefully, and cook for another 3-4 minutes (more or less time depending on how big the patties are or how hot your burners are) over medium-high heat, until the outside is golden brown and crispy.
Place cooked crab cakes on a paper towel lined plate. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and garnish of fresh parsley, and tartar sauce or remoulade sauce, on their own or in a bun or lettuce wrap as a sandwich.
Notes
You can use any kind of crab meat you want in this recipe, such as claw or jumbo lump. Canned or fresh (refrigerated) is fine, but for the best taste I recommend fresh. Fresh claw meat is a bit less expensive than lump, so it's a great budget-friendly option without sacrificing taste.
If you like, you can rinse the crab meat before using it. This is a good idea to make it taste fresher if you are using canned crab meat, or if using refrigerated fresh crab meat that has any kind of preservative for freshness. Soak it in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain in a fine mesh sieve before using.
If adding Old Bay or another seasoning that contains salt, I recommend omitting the soy sauce.
The nutrition information estimate is calculated assuming four total crab cakes are made.