Quick Comparison
| Product | Best For | Est. Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron’s Seafood Maryland Crab Cakes | Best Overall | ~$60-$100 | 4.7/5 |
| Harris Crab Cakes | Best Budget | ~$40-$70 | 4.6/5 |
| Faidley Seafood Lump Crab Cakes | Best Premium | ~$90-$140 | 4.7/5 |
| Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes Co. | Best for Gifting | ~$70-$110 | 4.5/5 |
| Phillips Foods Maryland Style Crab Cakes | Best Compact | ~$30-$55 | 4.6/5 |
The difference between a good mail-order crab cake and a disappointing one is almost entirely explained by one number: the crab-to-filler ratio. Most mass-market frozen crab cakes are 30 to 40 percent actual crab with the rest being breadcrumbs, mayo, and binders. Quality mail-order crab cakes from seafood specialists should be 70 to 80 percent actual crab. You can assess this from the product description — look for “jumbo lump” as the primary ingredient, not breadcrumbs.
Why trust this review
Three years evaluating food products with a focus on ingredient quality versus cost. I have ordered from more than a dozen mail-order seafood companies over this period.
How we evaluated mail-order crab cakes
Each order was evaluated on three criteria: arrival condition (was the product still frozen solid with dry ice remaining), visible crab content after baking (breaking apart the cake and assessing the crab-to-filler ratio by eye), and flavor (clean crab flavor without excessive old-bay or mustard that masks lower-quality crab). Cakes were cooked according to manufacturer instructions.
Who should order from Cameron’s Seafood?
Order these if you want authentic Maryland blue crab cakes with real jumbo lump crab content, if you are cooking for a special occasion where crab cake quality will be noticed, or if you are gifting seafood to someone who appreciates quality.
Consider the Phillips option if you want comparable quality at slightly lower per-cake cost with a slightly smaller crab chunk size. Consider Handy Seafood if volume is more important than premium crab grade.
Crab content assessment
After baking the Cameron’s cakes and breaking one in half, the interior was visibly dominated by large chunks of white crab meat. Filler was present but not dominant — visible between crab chunks rather than surrounding them. The Phillips cakes showed slightly smaller but still visible lump pieces with more binder apparent in the cross-section. The Handy cakes had a more uniform texture indicating a higher proportion of claw meat and filler relative to the premium grades.
Shipping and arrival quality
All three brands arrived with the product still frozen solid. Cameron’s and Phillips both used dry ice, which provided more thermal reserve than the gel packs used by Handy. In a test shipping during a warm-weather period (78-degree ambient), the Cameron’s and Phillips orders had dry ice remaining on delivery; the Handy order arrived on the warmer side of acceptable (slightly softened but still below 40 degrees Fahrenheit throughout).
The bottom line
For occasion-quality crab cakes, Cameron’s Seafood is the right order. Accept the shipping cost as part of the total; split an order with someone to reduce the per-cake cost if budget is a consideration.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good crab cake?+
The best crab cakes have a high ratio of lump or jumbo lump crab to filler. Filler typically includes breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, and egg binder. A quality crab cake holds together without being dense with filler. When you cut it, you should see visible chunks of crab rather than a uniform paste. Maryland-style crab cakes are minimally filled; deviled crab and other styles have more filler.
What is the difference between lump and jumbo lump crab?+
Lump crab meat comes from the body of the crab in smaller pieces. Jumbo lump is the premium grade -- it comes from two specific muscles in the body that produce larger intact chunks of white crab meat. Jumbo lump is noticeably more expensive and produces visually impressive crab cakes with visible large pieces of crab.
How do you cook frozen crab cakes from online orders?+
Most quality frozen crab cakes can be oven-baked from frozen at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes, or pan-seared in butter or oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side once thawed. Pan-searing produces a better crust. Oven-baking is more consistent for keeping the cakes intact.
How long do mail-order crab cakes last in the freezer?+
Properly frozen crab cakes maintain quality for 3 to 6 months in a home freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. After thawing, cook within 24 hours and do not refreeze. Check the specific use-by dates on your shipment -- they are calculated from the processing date, not the shipping date.