Best Crab Cakes America’s Test Kitchen – Serves 4

1 lbs Lump crabmeat — picked over for shells
1 cup Milk
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
2 Celery ribs — chopped
2 cup Chopped onion
1 clove Garlic — peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon Butter
4 ounce Shrimp — peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1/4 cup Heavy cream
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
4 tablespoonVegetable oil

1. Place ¾ cup panko in small zipper-lock bag and finely crush with rolling pin. Transfer crushed panko to 10-inch nonstick skillet and add remaining ¾ cup panko. Toast over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer panko to shallow dish and stir in ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Wipe out skillet.

3. Pulse celery, onion, and garlic in food processor until finely chopped, 5 to 8 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer vegetables to large bowl. Rinse processor bowl and blade and reserve. Melt butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and all moisture has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Return vegetables to large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Rinse out pan and wipe clean.

5. Pulse shrimp in now-empty food processor until finely ground, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Add cream and pulse to combine, 2 to 4 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer shrimp puree to bowl with cooled vegetables. Add mustard, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning; stir until well combined. Add crabmeat and fold gently with rubber spatula, being careful not to over mix and break up lumps of crabmeat. Divide mixture into 8 balls and firmly press into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Place cakes on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. Coat each cake in panko, firmly pressing to adhere crumbs to exterior. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 4 cakes in skillet and cook without moving them until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, carefully flip cakes, add 1 tablespoon oil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer cakes to platter. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining 4 cakes and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve immediately.

Crab Cake Clarity

Most recipes resort to flavor-dulling binders like mayonnaise and eggs. Instead, we employ a two-step approach that enhances the meat’s delicate flavor while providing just as much structure.

BIND WITH SHRIMP
A puree of shrimp and cream holds the cakes together without dulling the meat’s delicate flavor.

FIRM UP IN FRIDGE
Resting the cakes in the refrigerator for 30 minutes helps them set.

notes from Terry:
I made America’s test kitchen’s best crab cakes tonight, I like the way the crabmeat holds together with the shrimp mousse .
There are certain thing I did not do. I didn’t use garlic or Dijon Mustard. I cut back on the shrimp, just used a tad over 3 ounces of shrimp, 1 stalk of celery and 1/2 a medium onion. The veg i did a very fine dice and I used just a smidgin under the 1/4 cup cream called for. I did toast the Panko but I won’t bother with that again. A minor thing but why take the time when I don’t think it’s necessary.

They are right this is the best crabcake I think I’ve ever had. My husband also agrees. And live in Maryland and have for fifty plus years.