Red Lobster Crab Cakes

1. Get out and measure your ingredients.
2. Fresh crabmeat will guarantee the best result, however, when using packaged crab if the meat is odorless when the package is first opened you only need to dry crab with paper towel to remove any excess liquid. You do not need to soak crab in milk so skip that step.
3. Place your crabmeat in a bowl with milk, making sure crab is totally submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to remove odors.
4. Meanwhile, place ¾ cup panko in a resealable bag and finely crush with a kitchen hammer or rolling pin. Transfer crushed panko into a skillet, over medium high heat, and toast crumbs, stirring continuously, until golden brown, between 4 and 5 miutes. Transfer toasted panko to shallow plate and stir in a pinch of salt and pepper. Wipe out your skillet, add butter and set your heat to medium.
5. Pulse celery, onion, and garlic together in your food processor until diced, maybe 7 pulses, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer to skillet when butter is melted with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
6. Stir skillet frequently until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporated, around 5 minutes. Place vegetables in large bowl to come to room temperature and cool off.
7. Strain crabmeat through a fine strainer to remove as much liquid as possible.
8. Press firmly to remove liquid but not so hard you destroy the lumps of crabmeat.
9. Next, pulse shrimp in your food processor until finely minced, 15 pulses, scraping down sides as required. Add cream and pulse three more times. Dump mixture into bowl with cooling vegetables.
10. Add mustard, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning to the bowl.
11. Stir until well combined.
12. Add crabmeat and fold gently with a rubber spatula,
13. Be careful not to overmix and ruin lumps of crabmeat.
14. Divide mixture into 8 balls and place on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper,
15. Firmly press into patties that are about ½ inch thick, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
16. Coat each crab cake in panko, firmly pressing so the crumbs stick to the outside of the crab cake.
17. Repeat until all crab cakes are coated with crumbs.

Skillet Method

1. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering or a drop of water flicked in it dances. Place 4 cakes in skillet at a time and cook without moving them as much as possible until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, carefully flip, add another tablespoon or two of oil, reduce heat to medium low, and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, another 5 or 6 minutes. Transfer cakes to platter. Repeat with remaining 4 cakes and use more oil if needed. Serve immediately.

Air Fryer Method

1. Spray the basket of the air fryer with cooking spray before adding the crab cakes (make sure to leave room around each crab cake for air flow). Cook at 370 degrees for 10 minutes before flipping each crab cake and cooking for another 10 minutes.
2. Serve immediately.
3. Enjoy every bite!