Crab Imperial

Name: Crab Imperial
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1 egg,, lightly beaten; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 shallot,, finely chopped; 1/2 cup coarsely crushed Ritz crackers; 2 tablespoons melted butter; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; 1 pound fresh jumbo lump crab meat,, picked over to remove any pieces of shell

Crab Imperial is a simple, classic Maryland seafood recipe that really lets the flavor of the crab shine through. It's warm, creamy, and delicious.

Prep15 min
Cook20 min
Serves6
Rating5.0

Crab Imperial is a simple, classic Maryland seafood recipe that really lets the flavor of the crab shine through. It’s warm, creamy, and delicious. Serve with crackers or baguette slices for an elegant appetizer. If there are any leftovers, they make a great omelet filling.

What Is Crab Imperial?

It’s a classic crab recipe in which the crab is combined with a mayonnaise-based mixture and then baked with a bread crumb topping. Typically it is served in individual ramekins of scallop shells, but baking it in a single dish is much easier and more practical for the home cook.

Which Type Of Crab To Use?

Lump crab meat is the main ingredient in Crab Imperial. You’ll want to use 1 pound of good quality fresh jumbo lump crab meat. This dish is all about the crab flavor. The other ingredients are just there to accentuate the crab flavor. Jumbo lump crab meat comes in big chunks that have a wonderful sweet flavor.

Jumbo Lump Crab Meat is expensive. You can substitute lump crab meat or back-fin crab meat if needed, but use fresh, NOT canned.

Crab Imperial is a classic Maryland recipe

Other Ingredients

The crab is tossed with 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, an egg, some lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, parsley, and shallot.

I like to add a cracker crumb topping but you can leave it off if you want.

The mixture only needs about 20 minutes to bake. Just long enough to get it hot.

How To Serve

Can be served either as an appetizer or main dish. If serving as a main dish, some great sides to go with it are a garden salad with Creamy Italian Dressing, Angel Biscuits, Hush Puppies, and Marinated Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion Salad.