Delicious Baked Crab Imperial: An Easy Recipe for Restaurant-Quality Jumbo Lump Crab
Indulge in the exquisite flavor of this homemade Crab Imperial, a dish that transforms premium jumbo lump crab meat into a creamy, baked masterpiece. This elegant recipe is surprisingly easy to make, coming together in under 30 minutes, yet delivers a restaurant-quality experience right in your own kitchen. It’s the perfect choice when you crave a gourmet seafood delight without the fuss.
If you’re a fan of succulent crab dishes, be sure to explore other favorites like our Hot Crab Dip, the zesty Spicy Crab Bucatini, or classic Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce. Each offers a unique way to enjoy the delicate taste of crab.
My culinary journey led me to fall in love with baked crab imperial during a visit to Maryland, the undisputed home of incredible crab dishes. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a delicate and elegant experience. While utterly delicious on its own, it truly shines when paired with perfectly toasted baguettes, crisp crackers, or as a luxurious topping for a grilled steak. This recipe captures that authentic Maryland flavor and brings it straight to your table.
Why You’ll Adore This Crab Imperial Recipe
There are countless reasons why this particular crab imperial recipe stands out. It’s designed to be approachable for home cooks while delivering a taste that rivals the finest seafood establishments. Here’s why it’s destined to become a staple in your recipe collection:
- It’s a restaurant-quality meal crafted with the highest quality real crab and a harmonious blend of delicious ingredients. You’ll impress guests and family alike with its sophisticated flavor and presentation. The secret lies in fresh ingredients and a simple technique that enhances, rather than overwhelms, the natural sweetness of the crab.
- This recipe is naturally low carb and keto-friendly, making it a fantastic option for those following specific dietary plans. You can enjoy a rich, satisfying, and flavorful meal without compromising your health goals. It focuses on the pure goodness of crab and a creamy, flavorful binder without added starches.
- Its incredible versatility means you can easily adjust it to your personal preferences and dietary needs. Feel free to experiment with different seasonings, add vegetables, or vary the heat level to create your signature dish. This adaptability ensures it never gets boring and always suits your taste.
- Serve it as an impressive appetizer to kick off a dinner party, a luxurious main course for a special occasion, or a flavorful side dish to complement other entrées. Its rich flavor profile means a little goes a long way, making it flexible for various meal types.
- Any leftovers are a treasure! Repurpose them by stuffing them into lobster shells, mushroom caps, bell peppers, or even hollowed-out avocados for another delectable meal. This is an excellent way to enjoy the imperial mixture in new and exciting forms.
Essential Ingredient Insights
The success of a truly great Crab Imperial hinges on using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and some crucial tips for selecting the best components:
- Crab Meat: For this recipe, I specifically recommend jumbo lump crab meat due to its impressive large chunks, sweet flavor, and delicate texture. However, the beauty of this dish is its flexibility; feel free to use blue crab, snow crab, or king crab, depending on availability and your budget. Blue crab is particularly prized for its sweetness. When purchasing, always opt for crab meat found in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket or seafood market, as this indicates superior freshness over canned varieties. Look for clear, white, and flaky meat. Gently pick through the crab meat before using to ensure no small shell fragments remain.
- Old Bay Seasoning: This iconic blend of spices and herbs is absolutely essential for an authentic Maryland Crab Imperial flavor. It delivers a unique savory, slightly spicy, and aromatic profile that no other seasoning can quite replicate. If you don’t have it, a good quality Cajun seasoning can be a decent substitute, but Old Bay is truly the star here. It adds depth and regional character to the dish.
- Salt-free Lemon Pepper Seasoning: This ingredient is optional but highly recommended for an extra bright, citrusy kick. It complements the natural sweetness of the crab beautifully. It’s crucial to use a salt-free version because Old Bay seasoning is already quite salty. Adding more salt via the lemon pepper seasoning could easily over-season your dish.
- Mayonnaise: A good quality mayonnaise serves as the creamy base for the imperial sauce, binding the ingredients together and adding richness. Opt for your favorite brand, as its flavor will subtly influence the final taste.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Just a touch of Worcestershire sauce adds a deep, savory, umami note that enhances the overall complexity of the imperial sauce. It’s a classic secret ingredient for many savory dishes.
- Egg: The egg acts as a binder, helping the crab imperial hold its shape and preventing it from becoming too loose once baked.
- Fresh Parsley: Incorporating fresh parsley into the mix provides a vibrant, herbaceous note that balances the richness of the dish. It also serves as a beautiful garnish, adding a pop of color.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens all the flavors, cutting through the richness and highlighting the natural sweetness of the crab. A squeeze of fresh lemon just before serving is also highly recommended.
- Hot Sauce & Dijon Mustard: These two ingredients add a subtle tang and a touch of warmth without making the dish overly spicy. They contribute to the complex flavor profile, providing a gentle kick and balancing the creamy elements.
How To Craft Baked Crab Imperial: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this gourmet dish is surprisingly straightforward. Follow these steps carefully to ensure a perfect Crab Imperial every time:
- Prepare Your Oven and Ingredients: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). This ensures even cooking from the moment your dish enters the oven. While the oven preheats, gather all your ingredients and measure them out. This “mise en place” approach makes the cooking process smooth and stress-free.
- Mix the Creamy Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients: mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, egg, fresh parsley, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt-free lemon pepper seasoning. Whisk these ingredients thoroughly until they are well combined and form a smooth, uniform creamy mixture. This will be the luxurious coating for your crab meat.
- Gently Fold in the Crab: This is a crucial step for maintaining the integrity and texture of your jumbo lump crab meat. Add the pristine crab meat to the mayo mixture. Using a rubber spatula or a large spoon, gently fold the crab into the sauce. The goal is to coat the crab without breaking up the delicate lumps. Over-mixing will shred the crab and result in a less appealing texture, so be very careful and deliberate.
- Assemble and Bake to Perfection: Carefully transfer the crab mixture into a suitable casserole dish. An 8×8 inch dish or individual ramekins work wonderfully. Spread the mixture evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the imperial is heated through and the edges begin to turn a light golden brown.
- Achieve a Golden Crust (Optional but Recommended): For that irresistible golden-brown crust and a slight crispiness on top, briefly broil the crab imperial for 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, as broilers can vary in intensity, and it can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly.
- Garnish and Serve: Once out of the oven, allow the crab imperial to rest for a few minutes. Garnish generously with freshly chopped parsley for a burst of color and fresh aroma. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges on the side for an optional squeeze of citrus. Enjoy this magnificent dish warm!
Mastering Crab Imperial: Top Tips and Creative Flavor Variations
Elevate your Crab Imperial to new heights with these expert tips and exciting variations. Whether you’re aiming for a classic taste or a unique twist, these suggestions will help you perfect your dish:
- Avoid Overbaking at All Costs: This is perhaps the most critical tip. Crab meat is already cooked when you purchase it (unless specified otherwise). The purpose of baking the imperial is simply to heat it through, melt the creamy sauce, and allow the flavors to meld. Overbaking will result in dry, rubbery, and flavorless crab. Keep the baking time to the minimum needed to achieve a warm, bubbly center and a lightly golden top.
- Seasoning Alternatives for Old Bay: While Old Bay is the traditional choice, if you find yourself without it, a homemade Cajun seasoning blend can be an excellent substitution. Cajun seasoning offers a similar savory, spicy, and earthy profile that complements crab wonderfully. Just be mindful of its salt content and adjust accordingly.
- Add a Delightful Crunch: For an extra layer of texture, consider adding crushed Ritz or saltine crackers on top of the imperial before baking. These not only provide a satisfying crunch but also absorb some of the rich flavors. Alternatively, a sprinkle of shredded cheese (such as sharp cheddar, Gruyere, or Parmesan) will create a bubbly, golden-brown crust that’s incredibly appealing.
- Think Beyond the Basics: Embrace Crab Cake Influences: Consider this dish an extension of a crab cake; whatever you enjoy in your favorite crab cakes can likely be incorporated here. Don’t hesitate to add finely diced red bell peppers, minced onions, celery, or even a touch of panko breadcrumbs to the mixture for added texture and flavor. Sautéing these vegetables lightly before adding them can enhance their sweetness and aroma.
- A Splash of Sherry for Depth: For an even more sophisticated flavor profile, include a splash of dry sherry (about 1-2 tablespoons) in the imperial sauce before folding in the crab. This is an optional step, but the sherry adds a subtle nutty, slightly sweet complexity that beautifully enhances the crab and ties all the flavors together.
- Spice it Up: If you love heat, increase the amount of hot sauce or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sauce mixture. Taste as you go to achieve your desired level of spice.
- Herbaceous Twists: Experiment with other fresh herbs like chives or dill, which pair wonderfully with seafood, for a different aromatic dimension.
Unveiling the Sweetest Crab Meat
When it comes to the “sweetest” crab meat, the crown often goes to Blue Crab. Renowned for its delicate texture and distinctively sweet flavor, blue crab is widely considered by many seafood aficionados to be the best-tasting crab, especially when sourced fresh from the Chesapeake Bay. Its natural sweetness truly shines in dishes like Crab Imperial. While jumbo lump crab from other species is also fantastic, if you can get your hands on fresh blue crab lump meat, it will undoubtedly elevate this dish to an unparalleled level of deliciousness. Other great options like Dungeness crab also offer a sweet and succulent flavor.
Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Crab Imperial
Crab Imperial is incredibly versatile and can be paired with a variety of side dishes to create a memorable meal. While I personally adore serving it as a luxurious steak topper – adding an incredible layer of flavor and decadence to a perfectly grilled ribeye or filet mignon – there are many other delightful combinations:
- Classic Comfort Sides: For a comforting and satisfying meal, serve your Crab Imperial alongside a generous portion of creamy mashed potatoes. The smooth, buttery potatoes provide a wonderful contrast to the rich crab. Another excellent choice is tender honey roasted carrots, which offer a touch of sweetness and vibrant color.
- Fresh Green Salads: A crisp, light green salad with a bright vinaigrette is an excellent way to cut through the richness of the imperial. Think mixed greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a lemon-herb dressing.
- Steamed or Roasted Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, green beans, or even roasted Brussels sprouts make fantastic healthy accompaniments. Their freshness and slight bitterness can perfectly balance the creamy crab.
- Rice or Grains: A simple pilaf, white rice, or even a quinoa salad can absorb the delicious imperial sauce and provide a hearty base for the dish.
- Bread for Dipping: Don’t forget fresh, crusty bread, toasted baguette slices, or even warm butter crackers – perfect for scooping up every last bit of that luscious sauce.
- Wine Pairings: For an elevated experience, consider pairing your Crab Imperial with a crisp white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or a light Chardonnay.
I hope you thoroughly enjoy preparing and tasting this delightful Crab Imperial! If you’ve tried this recipe, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. And don’t forget to connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest for more delicious recipes!
Crab Imperial
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Ingredients
- 1 lb crab meat , jumbo lump crab
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 tsp old bay seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt-free lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp parsley , fresh
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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In a large bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, old bay seasoning, egg, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, and salt-free lemon pepper seasoning.
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Add the crab meat to the mayo mixture and fold gently. Place the crab mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes. Broil for 1 minute.
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Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with fresh lemon, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overbake the crab because it can get dry. The crab is already cooked when you purchase it, you just want to warm it up in the oven.
- Want some crunch? Add crushed Ritz or saltine crackers on top. You can also add shredded cheese on top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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