I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.
Posted on Last updated: August 31, 2022
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There’s no denying it; crab cakes are deliciously satisfying and filling.
There’s a reason that crab cakes are enjoyed around the world as a snack or appetizer.
More often than not, you have made crab cakes or purchased them at your favorite leftovers and ended up with leftovers.
When you tried to reheat your leftover crab cakes, you probably dried them out because you did not reheat them properly.
Luckily you will no longer have to subject yourself to dry reheat crab cakes again.
Of course, you can reheat crab cakes. However, there are some considerations regarding reheating crab cakes.
It does not matter how you reheat them; crab cakes are very delicate, so you must handle them carefully, or they will fall apart.
For this reason, you must make sure the heat distributes evenly while you are reheating the crab cakes.
In addition to this, if the heat is not distributed evenly, the exterior of the crab cakes will be hot while the interior remains cold.
Even though you are reheating the crab cake, you still want the exterior to be slightly crispy. No one will enjoy eating a mushy crab cake.
Although crab cakes are best enjoyed hot, you can eat them cold. However, we do not recommend eating your crab cakes cold as you will not experience the full flavor of the crab cake.
In addition to this, crabs are made with mayonnaise, crab meat, and eggs, which means eating them cold may affect the texture of the crab cake.
For this reason, we strongly suggest reheating them to have the best crab cake experience.
Reheated crab cakes can closely mimic the flavor of freshly made crab cakes as long as you reheat them properly.
Whether you are using prefer an oven or a toaster oven, it is the best way to reheat crab crakes.
The oven distributes heat evenly and gently heats the crab cakes without creating hot and cold spots. In addition, the oven will not alter the texture of the crab cakes.
Nevertheless, the oven can dry out your crab cakes if you do not pay close attention to your crab cakes.
To combat this, its a best to reheat your crab cakes on a cookie sheet or a pan wrapped with aluminum foil.
Alternatively, you can place a pan of water next to the crab cakes while they are reheating in the oven.
The steam generated by the water will help the crab cakes remain moist.
To reheat your crab cakes in the oven, let the crab cakes come to room temperature.
If you reheat the crab cakes as soon as they come out of the fridge, they will dry out.
Heat your oven to 325°F, then arrange your crab cakes on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
The foil prevents the crab cakes from sticking to the cookie sheet and decreases the likelihood that they will dry out.
Moreover, do not overcrowd the pan; leave 1-2 inches of space between each crab cake.
Brush each crab cake with a thin layer of melted butter. Not only will the butter add flavor, but it will also help the crab cakes stay moist.
Bake the crab cakes for 10-15 minutes until they are heated. Serve the crab cakes immediately.
Reheating crab cakes in the microwave is relatively easy and convenient. In fact, it is the fastest way to reheat crab cakes.
However, the drawback of reheating crab cakes in the microwave is their texture will be severely impacted.
Your crab cakes can become tough and rubbery if it is overheated.
Nevertheless, you can still reheat crab cakes in the microwave. Simply allow the crab cakes to come to room temperature, then arrange them on a microwave-safe plate. Make sure your crab cabs are spaced apart so the heat is distributed evenly.
Brush crab cakes with melted butter making sure to evenly coat each crab cake.
Heat the crab cakes on medium power for 1 minute. Serve the crab cakes immediately.
The stove is another great way to reheat crab cakes.
This method will give crispy crab cakes and evenly heat your crab cakes without modifying the texture.
To reheat your crab cakes on the stove, allow them to come to room temperature. Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Next, brush a thin layer of butter onto both sides of the crab cakes. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and tilt it to cover the skillet.
Once the oil is scorching hot, add the crab cakes making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Cover the skillet and heat the crab cakes for 2-3 minutes. Turn the crab cakes over and cook them for an additional 2-3 minutes until they are thoroughly heated.
Be sure to watch the crab cakes as they can burn easily.
Yes, you can reheat crab cakes in an air fryer. This will also yield crispy crab cakes and is easier than reheating them on the stove.
Allow your crab cakes to come to room temperature, then spray them with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat your air fryer to 370°F and let it run for 5 minutes.
Carefully arrange the crab cakes in the air fryer’s basket, leaving an inch of space between each crab cake.
Cook the crab cakes for 6-8 minutes until they are thoroughly heated, and their exterior is crispy.
Arrange the reheated crab cakes on a platter and serve them immediately.
Reheating crab cakes is just as easy as reheating crab legs. Tough, dry, mushy crab cakes will now be a thing of the past now that you know how to reheat crab cakes.
So, the next time you have leftover crab cakes, do not be afraid to rehat them using one of the 4 methods listed above.
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I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.
