FOOD NEWS
What Puts Maryland Crab Cakes Apart From Regular Ones
BY AUSTIN HAVENS-BOWEN
All crab cakes are tasty crab meat bites that are delicious on their own or as a side dish, but many believe that the Maryland crab cakes are superior to all others.
Maryland crab cakes always use Maryland blue crabs, found in the Chesapeake Bay off the Maryland coast, where brackish water allows the crustaceans to thrive.
Blue crabs have a relatively milder, sweeter flavor than other crabs, thanks to the environment they live in, plus a firmer texture and buttery notes similar to lobster meat.
Compared to the smaller chunks or shreds of meat in other crab cakes, Maryland cakes contain more crab, using lump crab meat and only enough filler to hold the patties together.
The Maryland version of crab cakes is typically embellished with just eggs, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and Old Bay seasoning.
In comparison, other crab cakes are often loaded with vegetables like potato, bell pepper, onion, and celery, as well as herbs like parsley and seasonings like garlic powder.