"Serve these as an appetizer or the main meal at your next party in the parking lot or backyard!"
10 pounds lump and jumbo lump crabmeat
2 1/2 cups finely crushed saltines
10 whole eggs
4 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce
4 lemons, zest and juice
5 tablespoons Old Bay
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped tarragon
1/4 cup minced chives
Tartar Sauce:
4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped dill
1/8 cup finely chopped capers
1/4 cup finely chopped cornichons
1/2 cup finely minced red onion
1/8 cup finely chopped tarragon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely minced chives
1/8 cup lemon juice
Pick through crabmeat to ensure there are no shells. Mix together all ingredients except crabmeat and saltines until base comes together. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in crabmeat, trying not to break up the lumps. Once crabmeat is homogenous with the mayonnaise base, sprinkle in saltines and again fold together. Allow mixture to rest in a refrigerator for about an hour until cold. Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop out crab cakes onto a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet tray.
To Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cakes in the oven, and cook until golden brown on the outside but just warmed in the middle, about 10 minutes.
To Fry: Prepare a breading station by placing all-purpose flour in one bowl, whisked whole eggs in the second bowl and panko breadcrumbs in the third bowl. Roll 2-ounce crab cakes into balls, and then bread each cake by dredging first in the flour, followed by the egg wash, and finally in the panko bread crumbs. Fry the crab cakes at 350°F until golden brown but just warmed in the middle, about 3 minutes.
To Make Tartar Sauce: Using a mixing bowl and rubber spatula, mix the ingredients together and set aside. Can be made a day ahead of time.