Tide To Table: Not Yo Momma's Crab Cakes & Crab Dip

Some recipes go deeper than flavor—they come with stories. And in this episode of Tide To Table, I get to share one that’s close to my heart. Eric and I come from a very large family (our mom is one of 14!) and a small holiday gathering or family reunion would still have 50 people. Feeding this army could seem overwhelming if not for the amazing cooks in this clan. Everyone pitches in and we always seem to have more food than we can consume. For this weeks episode we wanted to showcase a few staples from these gatherings that always seem to make the menu. Being born and raised in Maryland you become particular about all things crab and we wanted to showcase a couple of ways we consume this coastal delicacy.

We’re cooking crab two ways today: a crispy, golden crab cake seared in cast iron, and a hot, creamy crab dip that’s been a staple at just about every holiday and family gathering I can remember. If you asked me to paint a picture of what the kitchen looks like during a family reunion on my mother’s side it would be she and my Aunt Kathy whipping up trays of silver dollar size crab cakes among a variety of other seafood dishes. That dip? It’s our mom’s recipe. And every time I taste it, I’m back in her kitchen, sneaking a cracker into the pan before it’s even cooled. Add a skillet full of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and you’ve got the kind of spread that brings people together, whether it’s a coastal holiday or just a weekend cookout.

If you’ve been following this series, you know by now that I host Tide To Table and my brother is the chef behind the griddle. He also happens to be a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with decades of experience across the culinary spectrum-so he knows his way around flavor. But more than that, we grew up cooking together, boating together, and sharing meals just like this one.

We’re keeping things simple, fresh, and undeniably coastal—exactly how we like it. Whether you’re prepping for a party, a tailgate, or a lazy weekend afternoon, this spread has you covered.

This one meant a lot to us. Cooking crab with my brother, using our mom’s recipe, and doing it all on the same coast we grew up on—Tide To Table doesn’t get more personal than that.

These are the kinds of meals that stick with you. Not just because they taste good (and they do), but because they’re part of a story—our story—and now, maybe, yours too.

Stay tuned for more from Tide To Table, brought to you by Sportsman Boats. From boat to table, we’re cooking coastal—one meal at a time.