Ingredients
- 18 mini potato buns
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked through
- 10 strips bacon
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- Freshly ground pepper
- Diced red onion, sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves, for topping
- Pickles, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the crab cakes: Tear 3 buns into small pieces to make about 3/4 cup; put in a medium bowl. Whisk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, the melted butter, egg, Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the bun pieces and stir to combine; let sit 10 minutes, then gently fold in the crabmeat. Brush a baking sheet with butter. Tightly pack the crab mixture into 15 small patties and arrange on the prepared baking sheet; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the bacon on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden and slightly crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Break each piece of bacon into thirds; set aside. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise, the lemon zest and the reserved bacon drippings in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the broiler. Arrange the remaining 15 buns cut-side up on a baking sheet; brush with butter and broil until golden. Transfer the crab cakes to the broiler and cook, rotating the pan as needed, until golden and warmed through, about 6 minutes.