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Channel Clinging Crab Spicy Crab Cakes

Zachery Dyke

Zachery Dyke

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Channel Clinging Crab Spicy Crab Cakes

Channel Clinging Crabs, also called Caribbean King Crabs, or Spider Crabs, are found throughout South Florida and the Caribbean. While big Channel Clinging Crabs are sometimes hard to come by, they are delicious when you do get one! When I was living in the Florida Keys, I saw them frequently, though most were pretty small. The nice part about these crabs, unlike Stone Crabs, is that you can actually retain the entire crab.

How I Got This Channel Clinging Crab

This particular crab I got when I was spearfishing off of Dania Beach in South Florida. He was actually out in the sand moving between reefs and I was able to easily grab him. I am sometimes hesitant to take these because I don’t see big one too frequently, but this one came from a spot I have seen a lot over the past few years. They do serve a purpose on our reefs, as most creatures do, so I don’t want to over-harvest them.

channel clinging crab
Channel Clinging Crab

The Inspiration For This Recipe

When I got home with this crab I immediately started craving some crab cakes. I also wanted something with a little spice so I decided to Google “Spicy Crab Cakes Recipe.” The first one that I came across was by Sarah from Healthyish Foods. It looked like a great recipe so I decided to make a few tweaks to make it my own!

spicy crab cakes
Spicy Crab Cakes

I decided to swap the jalapeño pepper for Serrano and add a little bit of cayenne pepper for an extra kick! I also used the Channel Clinging Crab I harvested instead of using store bought crab. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

channel clinging crab spicy crabcakes
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Channel Clinging Crab Spicy Crab Cakes

by zachery dykeZachery Dyke
For a spicy twist on classic crab cakes, try this Channel Clinging Crab Spicy Crab Cakes recipe!
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Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings: 2

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 8 oz Crab Meat
  • 2 tbsp Kewpie Mayo (or regular mayo)
  • ½ Egg (add more if needed)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha
  • ¼ tsp Paprika
  • ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper (more or less depending on the spice level you want)
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Parsley Flakes
  • 1 tsp Cooked Serrano Pepper (diced)
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • ¾ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 2 tbsp Butter

Instructions 

Cooking The Crab

  • Boil your Channel Clinging Crab for 12-15 minutes. The specific length of time will depend on the size of your crab.
  • Remove and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
  • Remove meat and set aside.

Making The Crab Cakes

  • Finely dice your Serrano pepper and place in your small pan on medium heat with some oil for about 1 minute.
  • Remove and set aside.
  • Combine your Kewpie mayo, egg, Worcestershire sauce, Sriracha and lemon juice in your large bowl. Whisk together.
    2 tbsp Kewpie Mayo
    ½ Egg
    1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
    1 tbsp Sriracha
    1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • Add in your paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and parsley flakes. Whisk together.
    ¼ tsp Paprika
    ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
    ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
    ¼ tsp Salt
    ¼ tsp Black Pepper
    1 tsp Parsley Flakes
  • Add in your crab meat and Serrano peppers. Slowly add your breadcrumbs and start mixing together until you get a consistency that doesn't fall apart but isn't too wet.
    NOTE: Don't add all the bread crumbs at once, slowly add them because you may not need them all.
    8 oz Crab Meat
    1 tsp Cooked Serrano Pepper
    ¾ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  • Form into 2 evenly sized patties. You can also do 4 smaller patties if you prefer.
  • Cover the patties and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Remove patties from the refrigerator.
  • Heat your butter in your medium pan over medium-low heat, add the crab cakes and cook until golden brown on each side. Make sure that they warm all the way through!
    2 tbsp Butter
  • Remove from heat, plate and serve! I served this one with a simple Sriracha Mayo!
  • Enjoy!

Notes

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