AWARD-WINNING MARYLAND-STYLE CRAB CAKES
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Have you ever thought about frying crab cakes on your grill? The Big Green Egg can do it. After all, it’s the most versatile cooking appliance on the market today. The benefit to cooking these crab cakes outside is that you won’t heat up your house or stink it up for days, I recommend using a high-sided Dutch oven while frying over a live fire, to avoid splattering oil onto the hot coals below. This recipe was awarded First Place and the title of “Delaware’s Best Crab Cake” at the 30th annual Coast Day Crab Cake Cook-off, held in Lewes, Delaware.
1 large egg
½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (11 g) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (5 g) Old Bay seasoning
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp hot sauce
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (45 g) minced red onion
2 tbsp (4 g) thinly sliced scallion
¼ cup (30 g) minced celery
½ cup (60 g) unseasoned dried bread crumbs
1 tbsp (4 g) chopped fresh tarragon
⅓ cup (38 g) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
⅓ cup (38 g) shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 lb (455 g) lump crabmeat, picked over, shells and cartilage removed
2 cups (120 g) unseasoned panko bread crumbs, for coating crab cakes
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
Vegetable oil, for frying
Store-bought rémoulade sauce and lemon wedges, for serving
Set up the EGG for 400°F (200°C) direct grilling. Fill your firebox with natural lump charcoal, and with the top and bottom vents wide open, light the fire and close the EGG. After about 10 minutes, close the bottom draft screen. When the temperature nears your 400°F (200°C) target temperature, partially close the bottom vent door and the top of the daisy wheel, leaving both vents 40 percent open. Make minor adjustments as necessary.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, hot sauce and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add the red onion, scallion, celery, bread crumbs, tarragon, shredded Cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses and crabmeat; mix gently until well combined, taking care not to overmix. Form the crab mixture into about 12 cakes. Spread the panko on a plate. One at a time, dip the cakes into the heavy cream, and then coat them with the panko. Place the crab cakes on a sheet pan and refrigerate them until you are ready to cook.
Pour the oil into a Dutch oven until about 2 inches (5 cm) deep. Cover and place the Dutch oven on the cooking grate and close the lid. Heat the EGG until the oil reaches 375°F (190°C). Do not close the lid unless the cover is on the Dutch oven. If the oil gets too hot, cover the Dutch oven, take it off the EGG and allow it to cool before proceeding.
Fry the crab cakes in batches, 3 or 4 at a time (don’t overcrowd the pan; it will bring the temperature of the oil down) for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a pair of metal tongs, gently flip the crab cakes over and continue to cook until they reach an internal temperature of 155°F (68°C) and are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully transfer the crab cakes from the hot oil to a paper towel–lined sheet pan to drain. Allow them to cool for 1 to 2 minutes.
Arrange the crab cakes on a platter with rémoulade sauce and lemon wedges to serve.