MARYLAND CRAB CAKES
with horseradish & sriracha remoulade

This take on a Chesapeake Bay classic is mostly faithful to the traditional recipe, but a remoulade made with horseradish and sriracha turns ordinary tarter sauce into a spicy condiment.

PREP TIME 1 HR

COOK TIME 15 MINS

SERVES 4

HEAT INDIRECT 400ºF (204ºC)

COOKING SURFACE STANDARD GRATE, CAST IRON SKILLET

INGREDIENTS

1⁄2 cup crushed saltine crackers

1 tsp mustard

1⁄2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning

1⁄4 tsp kosher salt

1 large egg, beaten

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1⁄2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1lb (450g) fresh lump crabmeat, such as blue crab

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

for the remoulade

1⁄2 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp prepared horseradish

1 tbsp sriracha

1 tbsp capers

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 shallot, coarsely chopped

METHOD

1 To make the remoulade, in a food processor, combine mayonnaise, horseradish, sriracha, capers, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and shallot until smooth. Pour mixture into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2 In a small bowl, combine crackers, mustard, Old Bay Seasoning, and salt. In a large bowl, combine egg, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce. Fold in the cracker mixture, and add crabmeat and parsley. Shape the mixture into small cakes, ensuring not to break up the crabmeat, and refrigerate for 1 hour. (This will prevent the cakes from falling apart while cooking.)

3 Preheat the grill to 400°F (204°C) using indirect heat with the heat deflector and a cast iron skillet installed. Place oil and butter in the skillet, add the crab cakes to the skillet, close the lid, and cook until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C), about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

4 Remove the crab cakes from the grill. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200°F (93°C) oven, and top with the remoulade.

TIP

To give your crab cakes a smoky flavor, add wood chunks to the coals once the grill has come up to temperature. Some good woods to use include apple and hickory.