Broiling a crab cake is a fast, foolproof way to get a deliciously crispy crust. In short: preheat your oven’s broiler and place the crab cakes on a broiler-safe pan about 4–6 inches below the heat source. Broil for roughly 5–10 minutes (turning once if the recipe calls for it) until both sides are golden brown. This high heat quickly browns the outside without overcooking the crab meat inside, since most recipes use fully cooked crab. Below we’ll walk through each step, with tips and examples, so you can broil perfect homemade crab cakes every time.
After broiling, crab cakes should have a crisp, golden-brown top. For example, one tested recipe directs broiling crab cakes about 5–7 minutes per side under a preheated broiler until each side is golden. The image above shows how a properly broiled cake looks: a crunchy brown crust that seals in the tender crab meat. This caramelized exterior is the sign that your crab cakes are cooked through and ready to eat.
Steps to Broil Crab Cakes
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Preheat the broiler. Turn on your oven’s broiler (typically “high”) and let it heat up fully. Position an oven rack about 4–6 inches from the broiler element. This distance ensures intense heat for browning without burning the cakes.
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Prepare your pan. Use a broiler-safe pan or rimmed baking sheet. Lightly grease the pan with oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking. Lining the pan with foil (and lightly greasing it) makes cleanup easy and helps the cakes brown evenly.
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Arrange the crab cakes. Shape your homemade (or thawed) crab cake mixture into patties, and place them on the prepared pan. Brush or drizzle the tops with melted butter or oil for extra flavor and browning. (The butter will quickly sizzle and caramelize under the broiler.) Give the cakes a minute to rest if needed so they hold together – chilling the shaped patties briefly before broiling helps them keep their shape.
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Broil the crab cakes. Slide the pan under the hot broiler. Cook the cakes for about 5–7 minutes per side, watching them closely. Broil until the tops are a deep golden brown and the cakes are heated through. Depending on your broiler and cake thickness, you may flip them once halfway. For example, one source recommends broiling 7 minutes, flipping, then broiling another 7 minutes. However, if you’re using very delicate jumbo lump crab meat with minimal binder, it’s safer not to flip at all – simply broil until each side is golden. (The meat is already cooked, so you’re really just setting the egg/crumb binder.)
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Check and serve. Once both sides are evenly browned (and the center feels hot), remove the cakes from the oven. They should be firm and golden. Serve them hot right away. As one recipe cheerfully notes, “Serve hot and enjoy!”. Broiled crab cakes are delicious on their own or paired with lemon wedges and sauces like tartar, cocktail sauce, or remoulade.
Small or medium crab cakes cook very quickly under a high broiler. In fact, one home cook’s family recipe advises 3–4 minutes per side on high heat for smaller patties. The photo above shows the final result: perfectly broiled crab cakes ready to eat. The tops are golden-crisp while the interior stays moist.
Tips: Keep a close eye on them – broilers vary a lot in intensity. Remember that crab meat is pre-cooked, so overcooking will just dry out the cake. As soon as you see a golden crust, the cakes are done. If you’re using large, fancy lump crab, treat them gently. Some experts even broil on a lower setting or skip flipping entirely to prevent the delicate cakes from breaking apart. Finally, let broiled cakes rest a minute or two after removing them – they’ll continue to firm up and then are ready to enjoy.
Conclusion
To broil crab cakes, preheat your broiler and cook the patties close to the heat until browned. By following these simple steps – greasing the pan, arranging the cakes, and broiling just long enough – you’ll end up with homemade crab cakes that are crispy outside, tender inside, and full of crab flavor.
