Mrs. Duvall's Pan-Fried Crab Cakes

Submitted by xtine

"This recipe is the actor Robert Duvall's mother's recipe for crab cakes, and I think it is the best one there is. The crab cakes are small so they have the perfect ratio of crunchy exterior to creamy crab interior. Please use the best crabmeat you can find for best results. I use saltines for the soda crackers. This recipe was originally published in a 2003 issue of Food & Wine."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
• 1⁄4 cup minced onion
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 lb lump crabmeat, picked over
• 1 cup finely crushed soda cracker
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
• lemon wedge, for serving

directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt and cayenne pepper. Fold in the crabmeat and 1/4 cup of the cracker crumbs. Shape the mixture into 16 cakes about 1 inch thick. Coat the crab cakes with the remaining cracker crumbs and transfer to a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
2. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in 2 tablespoons of the oil. When the foam subsides, add half of the crab cakes and cook over moderate heat until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain the crab cakes on paper towels and keep them warm in a low oven. Cook the remaining crab cakes in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Reviews

[suzesully]

I have been using this recipe since the 1980's and EVERYONE that has has the luck to have dinner when I made these crab cakes thought they were the MOST delicious crab cakes they ever had ever. ate ever!!!!! Everyone uses bread crumbs and it it is the soda crackers that make this great!!

 

[Savvychef in the Ro]

Have made these many times- always a great hit!!

 

[Mary3ll3n]

This recipe is the best. I first saw Robert Duvall on TV where he made these. Have made them many times and they are the BEST!

 

[Oolala]

These were very good. I used crushed oysterettes for the soda crackers and added them all into the mix instead of using only 1/4 cup and then coating them, It seemed too wet with only the 1/4 cup added. I wound up making 10 cakes. I made recipe#333361 to go with them which worked well. Thanks for posting!

 

[CindiJ]

These were exceptional! I made exactly as written and I will not change a thing when I remake these again. Maybe next time we will take the time to photo graph the efforts!! Made for PAC Spring 2008 and HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this and all this chefs recipes! Thank you for a wonderful experience.