Real crab in MDR?

[josprince]

We learned to add 3 words to each description...."Royal Caribbean Style".  Royal Caribbean Style eggplant parm. Royal Caribbean style key lime pie. Royal Caribbean Style chicken korma. 

[MD_Dan]

I'm sorry for taking this topic on a tangent and I want to get back to the original question ... If the OP has a reason for not eating crab (medical, religious, etc), can they trust that RCL will use imitation crab?  That question can only be answered by the staff.

[MaisonRose]

On 8/10/2022 at 4:07 PM, flamingos said:

The crab in the crabcake and the crab stuffed shrimp appears to be real crab, tastes like it.  

Here in Maryland a can of lump crabmeat is nearing $40. One can makes four small real Maryland crab cakes…so you can see where this is heading.

[MaisonRose]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:36 AM, NoShoes2 said:

 

I don't even order crab cakes anymore. I've been disappointed too many times!

Two places : here in Frederick RAGIN REEF and Jimmy’s in Dundalk which is off 95 N just after the Harbor Tunnel.

[MaisonRose]

On 8/12/2022 at 10:27 PM, forgotmyCCname said:

Not in our experience ! I can only speak to the greater Baltimore area , but we have not had a bad crab cake since moving to the area. We only order them at non-chain restaurants. The absolute best are at GM Restaurant in Lithicium Heights not far from BWI. No filler at all- pure Heaven! And they have a baklava cheese cake that is straight from heaven!

Jimmy's also has amazing crab cakes- there's a list of at least 25 excellent eateries with great crab cakes.

 
We have friends who schedule their flights when visiting so that they arrive during operating hours so we can swing by GM on the way home .

 

We are so spoiled that I never have ordered them on board. Maybe I will this coming trip to see what I have been "missing".

My policy: never have a crab cake unless you are in Maryland. About G&M I find that their huge crab cakes have more mushy filler since their renovation. But it is wonderfully convenient to BWI.

To Californians, I can report that I lucked into a very good crab cake in Sonoma back in the 90s.Also folks: read the label: there is a lot of crab meat coming in from Asia.

And skip the Worchestershire sauce.

[Homosassa]

LOL about Maryland blue crabs.

 

For years my husband mu husband inspected every oyster shucking/ crab picking and packing establishment in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia (the region also covered establishments in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but there wasn't much need for him in those states).

 

Little known fact - the blue crab population in the Chesapeake has been overfished to the extent that local demand can not be met by local supply.

 

Many of those crabs sold by the bushel or used in Maryland crab cakes actually are caught and shipped to Maryland from the  waters of the Gulf of Mexico

 

For wonderful crab cakes by BWI, try Timbuktu on Dorsey Road (Rte 176). Current price for a genuine Maryland crab cake is $35 for a single cake. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Homosassa

[kimberlym322]

7 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Little known fact - the blue crab population in the Chesapeake has been overfished to the extent that local demand can not be met by local supply.

 

Many of those crabs sold by the bushel or used in Maryland crab cakes actually are caught and shipped to Maryland from the  waters of the Gulf of Mexico

 

I think it depends on where you get them from.  The places I go to for bushels of crabs and crab cakes, the crabs come right off the local waters of Maryland and Virginia fresh every morning and afternoon.  
 

I guess I am just lucky to live on the water to be able to get them fresh like that!

[OBX-Cruisers]

On 8/12/2022 at 12:49 PM, Homosassa said:

For those who have never had a "real" Maryland crab cake: here is what is what goes in 1  and 1/2 lbs of picked crab meat (this includes the lumps from the back fin area and claws) to make twelve crab cakes:

 

1 cup mayo (Hellman's is preferred)

1 egg white (used to help bind those lumps of crab)

1 tablespoon parsley

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp cayenne OR 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 tablespoons cracker crumbs 

The cakes need to be refrigerated for at least fifteen minutes to hold together to stand up to be brushed on each side with butter and then broiled for five minutes on each side.

 

RCCL serves crab flavored bread cakes.

 

Good recipe and accurate description of what you get at RCI and at many restaurants on land too.  You probably need to at least double the crackers in your recipe if you use lump crabmeat but THAT is for special occasions considering the current price

[Homosassa]

16 hours ago, kimberlym322 said:

I think it depends on where you get them from.  The places I go to for bushels of crabs and crab cakes, the crabs come right off the local waters of Maryland and Virginia fresh every morning and afternoon.  
 

I guess I am just lucky to live on the water to be able to get them fresh like that!

Sure, OK....

 

We have friends that live in Crab Alley on Kent Island. Their local suppliers mix the Gulf crabs in with the local crabs in the bushel baskets.

 

There have been shortages of legal size Jimmys for decades. Of course, Sallys and sooks have been off limit for years.

 

Maryland state implemented regulations regarding the amount allowed to be harvested each day (15 bushels ) a year ago.  The restriction is decades late for to conserve the crab numbers.

 

 

[Homosassa]

10 hours ago, OBX-Cruisers said:

Good recipe and accurate description of what you get at RCI and at many restaurants on land too.  You probably need to at least double the crackers in your recipe if you use lump crabmeat but THAT is for special occasions considering the current price

I have taken to using claw meat along with the lump because of the cost.

 

I will use the claw meat over the back fin lump and never will make bread (cracker) cakes.

[smokeybandit]

Claw meat makes for a much better crabcake anyway. Sacrilegious I know, but true.

Skip the Worcestershire and mustard. Takes away from the flavor of the crab. Old Bay enhances the flavor, but you can easily overdo it.

[Homosassa]

3 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Claw meat makes for a much better crabcake anyway. Sacrilegious I know, but true.

Skip the Worcestershire and mustard. Takes away from the flavor of the crab. Old Bay enhances the flavor, but you can easily overdo it.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Old Bay.

 

The Worcestershire in my recipe is there for those who don't like cayenne.

 

Using Old Bay is like using "Italian" seasoning or other seasoning mixes. A good short cut for bad (lazy) cooks.

 

The back story for Old Bay is that a waterman on the Eastern Shore used to sell his crabs either by the bushel or would boiled in the local bay water with his own spice blend.

 

His boiled crabs became popular. He started to package up his spice blend and sell it to customers for use at home (still needed to use salt water from the bay or add salt to fresh water).

 

When he sold the rights to his blend, salt was added to the commercial product (originally by a firm on Wye Island). 

 

Salt is the primary ingredient of Old Bay. Some of the other spices are mustard, cayenne  and celery seed  (plus others). 

 

When I get crabs that have been steamed and have a coating of Old Bay, I request a side bowl of water and do a racoon imitation and scrub the Old Bay off the crabs. I want to enjoy the crab, noy salt with a dash of other spices.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Homosassa

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

The back story for Old Bay is that a waterman on the Eastern Shore used to sell his crabs either by the bushel or would boiled in the local bay water with his own spice blend.

That's an urban legend. A German immigrant invented it.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/features/retro-baltimore/bs-md-ci-retro-old-bay-20180809-story.html

 

10 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

I want to enjoy the crab, noy salt with a dash of other spices.

Then why put a sauce derived from salty anchovies in it?

[Homosassa]

2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

That's an urban legend. A German immigrant invented it.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/features/retro-baltimore/bs-md-ci-retro-old-bay-20180809-story.html

 

Then why put a sauce derived from salty anchovies in it?

I don't.

 

My recipe says cayenne OR Worcestershire sauce.

 

As far as the German immigrant story goes, he may have invented a spice mixture.  However, an old eastern shore food inspector I know inspected the Wye Island facility and knows the history of the Wye River Seasoning as it was known and is still sold today .

 

There was an agreement to allow the seasoning to still be sold under the name Wye River when McComick bought the rights to the seasoning formula and managed to buy the basically identical Old Bay formula  in the ninties.

[obinaija]

Royal Caribbean has not used real crab in MDR in the 15+ years I have sailed them. 100% imitation. Imitation doesn't cook well. Real crab has fibers like chicken breast. Imitation mushes between your fingers.  Real crab will sometimes have bits of shell and bone. Tell the waiter you are allergic to imitation and they won't serve them to you. Fake

Edited September 27, 2023 by obinaija
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