Elegant Crabmeat Balls

Crabmeat mixed with fresh bread crumbs, sherry, lemon juice, and dry mustard, shaped into walnut-sized balls, wrapped in bacon, and broiled until crisp. These are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the platter before you’ve finished making the second batch.

Sherry and lemon juice do the flavor work inside the crab mixture. The sherry adds a warm, nutty sweetness while the lemon keeps the crab tasting bright and fresh. Dry mustard adds a subtle heat that rounds out the richness without overpowering the delicate crab flavor.

The bacon wrap serves double duty. It holds the fragile crab balls together during broiling and adds smoky, salty crunch around the tender center.

Broiling under medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning to brown evenly, gives you crispy bacon on all sides. High heat would burn the bacon before the center warms through.

Chef Tips

• Drain the canned crabmeat well and pick through for any shell fragments. Even a small piece of shell ruins a bite.
• Use fresh bread crumbs, not dried. Fresh crumbs create a softer, more tender ball that holds together better.
• Shape the balls firmly so they don’t fall apart during broiling. If the mixture feels too loose, add more bread crumbs.
• Use half-strips of thin-cut bacon. Thick bacon won’t cook through in the broiling time.

Variations

• Spicy crab balls: Add Old Bay seasoning and a dash of hot sauce to the crab mixture for a Maryland-style kick.
• Shrimp version: Replace crabmeat with finely chopped cooked shrimp for a more affordable option.