Air Fryer Maryland Old Bay Crab Pretzel Sliders

AF-200 Crew Seafood Recipe

Air Fryer Maryland Old Bay Crab Pretzel Sliders

Maryland crab cakes put the crab first and use just enough binder to keep it on the plate. Old Bay, mustard and pretzel buns turn small cakes into serious sliders. Chilling protects the loose, crab-heavy patties in the air fryer. The buns toast in the final minutes while the cakes finish heating through.

Air Fryer Maryland Old Bay Crab Pretzel Sliders
Air Fryer Maryland Old Bay Crab Pretzel Sliders preparation stage

You’ll Need

For the Crab Cakes
500g cooked white crab meat, drained
80g cream crackers, finely crushed
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped parsley

For the Sliders
8 pretzel slider buns
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp hot sauce
Shredded lettuce
8 dill pickle slices
20g softened butter

Optional but dangerous
Extra Old Bay
Potato crisps
Cold American lager

Method

Fold the crab with the crackers, egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, lemon and parsley.

Shape gently into eight thick patties and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat your air fryer to 190°C.

Spray or brush the crab cakes lightly with oil.

Air fry for 8-10 minutes, turning carefully once, until golden and piping hot.

Split and butter the pretzel buns.

Air fry the buns cut-side up for 2 minutes.

Mix the mayonnaise with the hot sauce.

Build the sliders with lettuce, crab cakes, pickles and the spicy mayonnaise.

Lad Tip: Fold the mixture and shape it loosely. A Maryland crab cake should flake when bitten; compress it like a burger and you have paid crab prices for a seafood doorstop.

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