Grilled Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are delicious to begin with, but grilling them increases the flavor. This grilled crab cake recipe is quick and simple, and it will make an excellent addition to your backyard barbecue. The crab cakes can be an entrée if served with a few veggie side dishes, or they can become the side for a grilled shrimp or fish cookout. You can also incorporate the cooked patties into salads, sandwiches, and wraps.

The grilled crab cake recipe is well flavored with onion, garlic, parsley, and a bit of hot sauce for a spicy kick. Rather than the mayonnaise commonly used in traditional crab cakes, the recipe uses sour cream for a bit of tang, though Greek yogurt is a great substitute. Panko breadcrumbs and an egg act as the binders, which will help the seafood patties hold up on the grill.

To make the recipe easy, you'll use canned crab; be sure it's thoroughly drained of any liquid. If you like, you can use fresh handpicked crab—lump and backfin are the best grades—if you have a kitchen scale to measure out 12 ounces of picked-over meat. Adding too much crab can throw off the delicate balance of ingredients needed to make great crab cakes.

There are a few tricks to successfully grilling crab cakes. Paying attention to some key steps will ensure the patties retain their shape and don't fall apart on the grill. First of all, avoid overworking the crab cake mixture, and be sure to let the patties chill for at least an hour. They tend to be too soft immediately after they're formed, and cooling them down helps solidify the patty. When it's time to fire up the grill, be sure that your grate is clean and well oiled so they don't stick. Dip a folded paper towel in olive oil or vegetable oil, then use tongs to wipe the oil onto the grate.

Condiments are essential to the crab cake experience. Try a homemade crab cake sauce, or go with old favorites like aioli, rémoulade, or tartar sauce.