Spicy Crab Cakes
Heat up your next Summer cookout with these spicy crab cakes. Perfect as an appetizer or as your main meal, these spicy crab cakes are so tasty and easy to make. The touch of heat from the sriracha and jalapeno adds a flavorful twist to this classic crab cake recipe. The subtle spice helps wake up the mild yet juicy crab meat. It really is such a tasty and fun combination.
Nothing screams Summer to me like warm crab cakes and a chilled glass of white wine. I suggest an off-dry Riesling or a sauvignon blanc for this recipe. You could also sip on a pinot noir which pairs really well with spicy food.
About this recipe
For this recipe, I used jumbo lump crab meat. I really love the jumbo lump because you get a juicy piece of crab meat in each bite. If you cannot find the jumbo lump, regular lump crabmeat will work great as well. You can also use fresh crab meat, but I find the canned crab meat a lot easier to work with. Just be sure to drain off any excess liquid and pick out any shells before mixing your crab cakes.
After you prepare the cake crab mixture it is very important to form the patties and refrigerate them for 20-30 minutes before pan frying them. This allows the crab meat to setup and helps prevent the crab cakes from falling apart when cooking. You can even prepare the crab cake mixture 24 hours in advance as long as you keep it covered and refrigerated.
Cooking methods
Pan frying is one way you can cook your crab cakes. I prefer pan frying because you get a golden brown crispy outside that tastes so good. When pan frying, you will need to slightly flatten the patties so that the crab cake cooks evenly and the center heats through. I also like to pan fry my crab cakes in butter, but a neutral oil will work great too.
As an alternative to pan frying the crab cakes, you can also bake them. Grease a baking tray with butter and add the patties. Bake the crab cakes for approximately 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Be sure to keep an eye on the bottom of the cakes so they do not get too crispy. Option to flip them halfway through. You will want the internal temperature to hit 160 to ensure doneness.
Storage
Store sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also the uncooked or cooked crab cake mixture. However, it is best to freeze them uncooked if possible. Simply thaw them out in the refrigerator and cook accordingly.
Looking for more Summer recipe ideas? Try my honey mustard potato salad or my baked beans.
Spicy Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Few turns fresh cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh jalapeno – diced small, remove seeds and veins
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice , fresh squeezed
- 16 ounces jumbo lump crab meat – drain liquid, pick out any shells
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
Equipment
- 11-inch non-stick skillet
- mixing bowl
- small skillet for jalapenos
Instructions
Prepare the jalapeno:
- Grab a small non-stick skillet and gently spray it with cooking spray.
- Add the diced jalapeno and simmer until it begins to soften but not brown. Set it aside to cool for 5-6 minutes.
Prepare the crab cake mix:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire, sriracha, paprika, garlic powder, salt, onion powder and a few turns of cracked black pepper. Whisk well.
- Next, add the cooled jalapeno and lemon juice. Stir everything together.
- Then, you’ll add the jumbo lump crab meat.
- Gently fold the crab meat and mayonnaise mixture together. Try to keep the jumbo lump crab intact.
- Next, you’ll add the panko breadcrumbs. Gently, fold everything together until well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate the crab meat mixture for 20-30 minutes before frying.
Prepare the crab cakes:
- Once the crab mixture has a chance to setup in the refrigerator, form the patties. I was able to get eight medium crab cakes from my mixture.
- Heat an 11-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the butter to the skillet and cook the patties for 3-5 minutes per side until they’re golden brown and warm throughout.
- If they begin to get too brown, reduce the heat.
- Once fully cooked through, serve the crab cakes warm with your favorite remoulade sauce.
