Maryland Crab Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Mix tartar sauce

Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon minced red onion, and 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Chill sauce

Cover and refrigerate the tartar sauce until ready to serve.

Prepare baking sheet

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Mix wet ingredients

Combine eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well.

Add crab and Panko

Add the crab meat and Panko; gently fold together until just combined. Be careful not to shred the crab lumps.

Form cakes

Press mixture into a 1/2 cup measuring cup to form 6 cakes, and place on prepared baking sheet.

Chill cakes

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat pan

Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with oil.

Pan-fry cakes

When oil is hot, place crab cakes in pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Warm in oven

Transfer crab cakes to a 300°F oven or toaster oven to warm the interior until ready to serve.

Serve

Serve immediately with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon. For extra crispy results, experiment with coating the cakes' exterior with additional Panko before cooking.