The most important thing to do is choose the finest quality crab meat. If you start
off with premium crab meat, your crab cake is bound to taste delicious! However,
there is no way to "cover up" an inferior crab meat; even an expert chef can`t mask
a sour flavor or mushy texture.
You can make a great crab cake with any grade of crab meat; pick the grade that
matches up with your budget and the general style of the rest of your menu. If your crab cakes are for upscale service, use jumbo lump or a mixture of jumbo and backfin to give an impressive plate presentation. If you’re making a crab cake for a lunch menu or buffet, you can utilize claw meat or special, allowing you to cut costs while still retaining great flavor.
Whatever grade of crab meat you choose be sure to handle it gently when incorporating
it into your recipe to ensure that the large lumps and flakes are retained — crab
meat is very delicate and breaks apart very easily.
To get the best crab cake, use the best quality ingredients
— fresh parsley instead of dried, fresh lemon juice instead of bottled.
When shaping the crab mixture into cakes, again be gentle and use your hands to
gently press and shape the wet material together.
Crab Cake Recipes
One final tip: once you have portioned out
your crab cakes, it is best to allow them to "rest" in the walk-in (covered
with plastic wrap) for at least an hour. This will really bring all the excellent
flavors together and allow the ingredients to "set" and bind together. This will
also help keep your crab cakes from breaking apart while frying or baking.