Perfect for breakfast this crab cake benedict is a fun twist on the classic brunch recipe. They are easy to make and disappear quickly. Make these for your next brunch and you are bound to have a hit.
I love a good eggs benedict for brunch. They are easy to make and most importantly they taste amazing. Crab cakes are also something you cannot go wrong with. The very first time I had these when visiting my family on the East coast I knew that I would be making them often. You can make these in bulk for a special holiday brunch or when you want to impress your guests at your next brunch.
In this recipe
There are really just a few parts to this and luckily you can just put one of them in the toaster. The three you will focus on are the crab cake, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce.
Crab: personally I love using blue crab or Dungeness crab for my crab cake. However any crab you use will work as long as there are nice large lumps.
Panko: you want to use as little as possible. Since these will be fried in a skillet I will use a little to help it bind together while cooking.
Mayonnaise: this will help bind the crab cakes while they are cooking.
Old Bay: a little goes a long way. This will be the majority of the seasoning for crab cake. Additional salt is not needed.
Eggs: you want to use the freshest eggs for poaching as it will make it easier to hold that nice shape.
Making the crab cakes
When making the crab cakes you want to make sure that you do not over mix. The reason for this is that you want to keep the crab lumps as large as possible. This also goes with handling them as little as possible as well. If you have a cookie cutter that is about the same size as the English muffin you can use that as a mold. Then fry for 3-5 minutes on each side until they are nice and golden brown. You’ll want to resist flipping them constantly since this can casue them to break apart.
The fresher the better
One of the most important things you want to keep in mind when poaching eggs is to use the freshest ones you can get ahold of. One of the biggest reasons for this is that the whites become more watery and thinner as the eggs get older. This will mean when you place them in the water the egg whites will spread out and not stay near the yolk. While a little spread is expected you don’t want a pot full or eggy water.
Making a little acidic whirlpool
Yes I know that sounds a bit weird but stick with me. You want to add some white vinegar to the water to make it acidic. This will help keep the egg whites from spreading everywhere by coagulating the whites. Taste the water to make sure it has a little acidic cite. By making a gentle whirlpool and gently dropping the egg in the middle of the whirlpool it’ll make a nicely shaped egg. Only cook a couple of eggs at a time like this. I use a small bowl to gently lower the egg into the water.
Looking for other brunch recipes?
Crab Cake Benedict
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl heat proof
- Spatula
- Skillet
- Slotted spoon
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 English muffins split, toasted
Crab Cakes
- 1 pound crabmeat lump meat, picked over shells
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons green onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- ½ tablespoon Old Bay
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Poached Eggs
- 4 eggs
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
Hollandaise sauce
- ½ cup clarified butter unsalted, kept warm and liquid
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper optional
Instructions
Making the Hollandaise sauce
- Fill a saucepan with about an inch of water and bring to a boil on high heat.
- While the water is heating whisk the egg yolks and the 2 tablespoons of water in the metal mixing bowl.
- Once the water is boiling place the bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk continuously until the mixture becomes a light pale color. You will need to remove to bowl from the heat several times to keep the egg yolks from cooking. This will take about 2½ minutes of whisking on and off the heat.
- Once the mixture is a pale yellow remove from the heat a final time and whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Then slowly pour in the clarified butter continuously whisking. Keep whisking until all of the butter has been added. You should have a pale yellow sauce whisk in pepper if you are using it.
Making the crab cakes
- In a mixing bowl combine all of the crab cake ingredients except the butter. Stir until evenly mixed. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into same size disks.
- In a skillet melt the butter on medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook 3-5 minutes for each side.
Poaching the eggs
- Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil and add the vinegar. Reduce the heat to low to keep on a simmer.
- Create a gentle vortex with the water and gently add egg to the middle of the vortex. Repeat with another egg. Cook for 2-3 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Repeat with the remaining two eggs.
- Top the toasted English muffins with the crab cakes, then egg and finally hollandaise sauce. If desired garnish with chopped parsley.
Nutrition
This right here, is a masterpiece! Not only the name is good but everything about it, the crunch, softness, creaminess, and the richness of the elements just compliments each other very well, this is textbook i tell you!
Oh my gosh, I love this recipe so much!
I made this and it was so easy and delicious! I can’t wait to make this again for everyone.
Wow! This recipe is so perfect! Everything looks delicious from the muffin to the sauce! A perfect treat for everyone to love and enjoy! I’ll definitely make this at home! Thanks for sharing this with us! Loved it!
I have only ordered these at a restaurant. The recipe seems pretty easy. Excited to give it a try! Thanks for the recipe share!