My infamous crab cake recipe

Part of Husband's family hails from Maryland, and as a result, Husband considers himself a crab connoisseur. I've never had boiled crab, but crab cakes are high on my list of favorite foods. Every year for his birthday, I order the mail-order crab cakes from various Maryland eateries, and they cost an arm and a leg. A few months ago, I decided I would try my hand at making my own crab cakes. I'm darn glad I did! Mine are way better!! I promise! They're super easy to make and take very little time, though buying decent crab can be expensive. I usually wait until it goes on sale at Publix to make them. I buy the Phillips' refrigerated pasteurized crabmeat, not the canned stuff you find where the canned tuna is. I think that makes a big difference in the flavor and quality of the crab cakes.

Type A Mommy's Infamous Crab Cakes
Printer-friendly recipe

16 oz fresh, pasteurized crab meat
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay
6 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs (I make mine from the Pepperidge Farm hearty white bread - pulse a few slices in your food processor, they're awesome!), separated
1 lightly beaten egg
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. In a small bowl, gently combine crab, mayo, Old Bay, and 4 T breadcrumbs. Be as gentle as possible.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly beat an egg, then fold egg into crab mixture very gently. If the mixture does not hold together well, add the other 2 T of breadcrumbs. Form small crab cakes with your hands and place on a plate. You should be able to make 6-8 cakes, depending on how big you make them. Cover plate and refrigerate for at least one hour, or for as many as 24 hours.
3. After refrigerating the cakes, heat up a 12-inch skillet to medium-high and add oil. Heat until oil is shimmering. Add cakes to pan, leaving space around each one (otherwise they can stick together!), and cook on each side for 4-5 minutes or until desired they reach the desired level of browning. Place cakes on a paper towel for a moment after they are fully cooked and serve immediately. Yum!