How would you "casserole" crab cakes?

I was going to make a crabmeat casserole that involved butter and sherry thickened with flour and a topping of bread crumbs and cheese. Lovely but a bit rich. But one of my guests is bringing something buttery, so I decided to do crab cakes instead. I'm halfway through mixing up the usual recipe involving an egg and some mayo to bind the crab meat, plus some panko and seasonings, and all of a sudden I'm thinking--I could just throw this in a casserole, put the panko on top, and bake it. Voila--more time to spend with my guests instead of cooking crab cakes at the last minute. Can anyone see a downside to this idea? Any alterations you'd make?

LisaD
  • Posted by: LisaD
  • June 30, 2017
  • 4471 views
  • 8 Comments

8 Comments

LisaD
LisaD July 1, 2017
OP back again. This worked fairly well. I added some milk to the egg/mayo mix that I would normally use to form the crabcakes. When I mixed the crab in, there was just enough liquid. I put panko and parmesan cheese on top, and actually that was not great--it was dry and didn't add anything. Next time I would either skip it or butter it. In all, a successful experiment. Thanks to the community for helping me think this through.
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx July 2, 2017
For a topping try crushed oyster crackers with melted butter and Old Bay.
 
LisaD
LisaD June 30, 2017
Me again, OP. The cupcake idea is really tempting, and I found a version out there on Pinterest. But now I've gotten a bit fixated on this casserole idea. What I'm bumping up against is how the egg and mayo might perform when cooked in the oven and how to keep it from (a) separating or (b) toughening/getting rubbery. One idea I've come across is to add a bit of milk to the mixture. I would then bake at about 325 for 40-50 minutes (again, per a recipe I came across that seems somewhat like what I'm trying to do). Is this idea causing anyone any angst?

I love the idea of adding artichokes and will see if I can find them. A bit of parm or cheddar in the topping will happen.
 
Nancy
Nancy June 30, 2017
Not an expert (far from it) on crab.
But if you look at similar recipe (see link) the recommendation is 20-25 min at 350F.
So you are right to worry that the 40-50 minutes is too long...
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/the-best-crab-casserole-recipe-1916828
 
Nancy
Nancy June 30, 2017
You could also borrow an idea from those who bake Thanksgiving stuffing in muffin cups. Gives everyone a bit of crispy crust (if they like that), and - in this case - without the time and effort to deep fry.
 
caninechef
caninechef June 30, 2017
Crab cupcakes, now there is an idea begging to be explored.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames June 30, 2017
Great idea, Nancy! (I haven't done the muffin tin stuffing, either. Definitely gotta try that.) ;o)
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames June 30, 2017
I think it's a great idea! I might add a bit of chopped celery and a whole lot of chopped parsley, with perhaps some lemon juice, too, to cut down on the richness. Sounds delicious. Love the idea of a touch of cheese - but not too much -- added in with the panko topping. I'd also consider adding some marinated artichokes, well drained and coarsely chopped, into the casserole as well. ;o)
 
Recommended by Food52

Popular on Food52