This Chesapeake Crab Burger recipe combines two summertime favorites into one delicious hamburger. It is a perfectly seasoned and grilled ground beef patty topped with delicate crab meat in a light, flavorful sauce.

Chesapeake Crab burger on a bun with lettuce and tomato


 

Alright guys, I have a burger recipe for you that is going to make you the star of your 4th of July party this year! Maybe I’m a little bit biased since I’m from Maryland but I think that crab makes everything better and this Chesapeake Crab Burger combines two summer cook out classics into one awesome burger.

It is a seasoned ground beef patty grilled to perfection and topped with delicate lump crab meat. The crab meat is cooked in a light, flavorful sauce that brings out the slightly sweet flavor that makes crab so delicious! If you have a crab-lover in your life they are going to love you for making this!

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Burger patty made from ground beef and lightly seasoned

What Fat Percentage is Best for Burgers?

If you can find it 70/30 ground beef is best for burgers. You want the meat to have a higher fat content to keep it moist as it cooks on the grill. In general it is easier to find 80/20 ground beef at the grocery store so that is what I usually wind up using. It works just fine and you get a delicious juicy burger every time!

To What Temperature Should You Cook Your Burger ?

A burger should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. This is a medium well burger with no pink inside.

I love a medium-rare steak but because hamburger is made with ground beef it needs to be cooked to 160 degrees F to be safe. By grinding the meat the beef is completely exposed to the air and that means bacteria can grow in it. Unlike a steak where only the outside of the meat is exposed to the air and can safely can be cooked rare or medium rare.

An instant thermometer is your best friend when it comes to grilling. Just poke it into the center of the meat and in a few seconds you know the internal temperature. I suggest this instant meat thermometer. You’ll have perfectly cooked beef, chicken, or pork every time.

Lump crab meat being cooked in a flavorful sauce

How to Prepare the Crab Meat

The lump crab meat on top of the burger makes this Chesapeake Crab Burger recipe really special. You start by sauteing shallots and garlic, then add a little seafood stock to deglaze the pan letting the liquid reduce for about 30 seconds.

Then you add your mustard, salt and pepper and bring the liquid to a boil. Drop in your crab meat so it gets heated all the way through, and then remove it from the heat and add butter. Is your mouth watering already? Mine is! When your burgers are ready place them on a bun and top them with the crab and add a little Old Bay mayonnaise and dig in. So good!

Chesapeake Crab Burger topped with lump crab meat

Forget the Mayonnaise Try This Instead!

To add even more flavor to this amazing burger recipe I’ve created a special sauce. Nothing goes better with crab than Old Bay seasoning so I’ve added 1/4 teaspoon to 1/4 cup of mayonnaise and gave it a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before whisking it together. This simple sauce take the Chesapeake Crab Burger to the next level!

Chesapeake Crab Burger is the perfect Memorial day recipe

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Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Chesapeake Crab Burger Recipe

This Chesapeake Crab Burger recipe combines two summertime favorites into one delicious hamburger. It is a perfectly seasoned and grilled ground beef patty topped with delicate crab meat in a light, flavorful sauce served on a kaiser roll.
Chesapeake Crab burger on a bun with lettuce and tomato
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

Burger:

  • 1 pound 80/20 Ground beef
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 Hamburger buns

Crab Topping:

  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 large Shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • teaspoon Kosher salt
  • teaspoon Pepper
  • ¼ cup Seafood stock
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ pound Lump Crabmeat
  • 2 tablespoons Butter

Old Bay Mayonnaise:

Instructions

Burger:

  • In a large bowl combine the ground beef, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  • Form the meat mixture into 4 equal size patties.
  • Pre-heat grill to a medium-high heat. Place the patties on the grill and close lid cooking for 5 minutes before flipping the patties and cooking for approximately 5 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the burger is 160 degrees F.
  • While the burger cooks make the crab topping.
  • Place the cooked patties on the buns and top the burger with the crab mixture.
  • Add Old Bay mayo and enjoy!

Crab Topping:

  • In a saucepan over medium-high heat add the olive oil and the finely minced shallot. Saute until the shallot is softened and translucent.
  • Add the seafood stock to the pan making sure to scrape up any little bits off of the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook for 30 seconds letting the stock reduce slightly.
  • Add the mustard, salt and pepper to the stock and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add the crab meat and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Once done remove from the heat and add gently stir in the butter.

Old Bay Mayonnaise:

  • Whisk all ingredients together.

Nutrition

Serving: 1burger, Calories: 668kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 172mg, Sodium: 1753mg, Potassium: 543mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 256IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 142mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Keyword: burger recipe
Handwritten signature for Kat & Melinda