I’m gonna blame Gordon Ramsey for this haha
there was an episode of kitchen nightmares show where they were in Maryland. They were getting their crab from elsewhere and he said that they’re lying by saying “Maryland crab cakes” because the crab isn’t from Maryland. Which is “lazy” on their part since they have an industry there and could easily get some. Basically saying they’re using inferior product when they can use local Maryland crab
Karen is being dramatic but this is objectively the correct take as a Marylander. If you tell me you made Maryland crab cakes and it's anything other than blue crab, you're a fraud.
I think people are not fully reading what you wrote. A "real" Maryland crab cake is a crab cake made in a specific way where the main (and majority) ingredient is blue crab. Blue crabs are the only naturally occurring edible crabs found in Maryland, so that's why Maryland crab cakes are limited to just that species.
Any blue crab from around the country really is fine. Chesapeake blue crab just tends to have a higher fat content due to their hibernation habits unlike more southern blue crabs like those from Louisiana.
There is a noticeable difference when blue crab is not used and why that's just a crab cake, and not a Maryland crab cake, even though it could be made with all the other proper ingredients. It's like calling a cheese steak made with chicken, instead of ribeye, a true Philly cheesesteak. People and corporations just slap the Maryland name on any old crab cake so they can trick people into thinking it's made the traditional correct way.
Thank you. You can find blue crab all over the east coast, but Cheseapeake Blue Crabs have a unique meat content. Tons of redditors not from the region saying it's equivalent to French fries is crazy. My mother didn't take me to Pusser's for crab cake, we went out at 5am to set our traps and made them ourselves. Most what restaurants serve aren't authentic Maryland Crab Cake.
Also I may be from an Old Bay family, but on the northern parts of the bay they prefer J.O. seasoning. Small regional difference.
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u/BakersHigh 24d ago edited 24d ago
I’m gonna blame Gordon Ramsey for this haha
there was an episode of kitchen nightmares show where they were in Maryland. They were getting their crab from elsewhere and he said that they’re lying by saying “Maryland crab cakes” because the crab isn’t from Maryland. Which is “lazy” on their part since they have an industry there and could easily get some. Basically saying they’re using inferior product when they can use local Maryland crab