Smoked Crab Cakes

Ingredient Spotlight

Panko breadcrumbs

Japanese-style breadcrumbs that are coarser, flakier and lighter than standard American breadcrumbs; they produce a crispier, airier crust when frying or baking. Originating in Japan, they have a neutral, slightly toasted bread flavor and are sold in most grocery stores (often in the Asian foods aisle). Good substitutes are crushed saltines, cornflakes, or blitzed crustless white bread into coarse crumbs, though the texture will be a bit denser.

Ingredient Spotlight

Lump crab meat

Lump crab meat refers to large, intact pieces of crab body/back meat (usually from blue crab or other edible crabs) prized for their sweet, delicate, briny flavor and tender texture; it’s a common component in upscale crab cakes and seafood salads. Sold fresh at fish counters or frozen/canned in supermarkets, lump meat is more expensive and has a milder, cleaner taste than claw meat. If unavailable, you can use claw meat (richer, stronger flavor) or canned crab labeled “lump,” but avoid surimi/imitation crab if you want true crab texture and flavor.

Ingredient Spotlight

Old Bay seasoning (or seafood seasoning)

A classic American spice blend from the Chesapeake Bay region (Maryland) made from celery salt, paprika, black pepper, mustard, and warming spices; it’s aromatic, slightly salty, mildly spicy and highly associated with seafood. Widely sold in U.S. supermarkets in the spice aisle, it’s used on crabs, shrimp, fries and in seasoning mixes. Substitute with a mix of celery salt, paprika, black pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and a little dry mustard or use another seafood/creole seasoning blend if necessary.