MaMa's Crab Balls Recipe

This past weekend, to celebrate Memorial Day as well as my grandmother's 92nd birthday, our extended family (of nearly 30!) had a fish fry. We have three small lakehouses all next to each other at Lake Martin, so it's fun to have everyone together (but not cramped) for special occasions and holidays.

On Monday, all the Waddle women gathered in one of the kitchens to watch MaMa (pronounced Maw-Maw) make her famous Crab Balls. She used to make these years ago when they spent summers down at the bay. My cousin Angie called it a "vintage recipe." :)

Lois Carr Waddle

Below is the basic recipe, and then I'll walk you through the steps, as there are some helpful tips and suggestions that aren't explicit in the instructions.

Crab Balls

One recipe batch makes about 40 balls.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups or 1 lb lump crabmeat (MaMa uses clawmeat for better flavor)

3 eggs separated

1 tsp mustard

4 cloves garlic minced

paprika (sprinkle)

1/2 tsp salt

tabasco (3 drops)

worchestershire (a dash)

6 slices bread soaked in cold water

unsalted crackers (2 sleeves)

Chop fine, boil until soft, and cool following:

1/2 to 3/4 bell pepper

1/2 onion

2 ribs celery

Directions:

Soak bread and squeeze out excess water.

Mix it with crabmeat in a mixing bowl.

Add in vegetables, lightly beaten egg yolks, and seasoning.

Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Take 1 tsp of mixture, drop on cracker crumbs.

Shape into balls, and roll around in unsalted cracker crumbs.

Fry quickly in deep fat.

Drain on paper towel.

After boiling the vegetables, drain and place in a mixing bowl. After they cool, add a dash of worchestershire sauce.

Cut the crust off the bread. MaMa uses white bread. To soak it, simply dip a slice in a bowl of cold water until it's covered.

Don't leave it in there...just take it right back out and press the excess water out with your hands. MaMa suggested using the boiled water from the vegetables to pour over the bread instead to give it more flavor.

Place bread in bowl with crabmeat and mash together. MaMa mentioned that, prior to using the crabmeat, it's important to run your fingers through it and look for shells because the meat will typically have some shells in it. But don't do it so much that you break the pieces of meat down to shreds.

Add the cooled vegetables to the bread and crab mixture. Stir in the egg yolks and remaining seasoning. Just a note: the original recipe called for lump crabmeat, but MaMa uses the darker claw meat because it has more flavor. White meat tends to look more appealing, but since the balls are fried, the color doesn't make much of a difference.

Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. My mom shared a tip about knowing when eggs whites have been beaten enough. You'll know they're ready when you turn the bowl upside down and the eggs don't move. (Trust us...we tested it.)

Crush the unsalted crackers and place on baking sheets or wax paper.

Taking a tsp of mixture, drop it on the crackers and quickly work with fingers to shape ball and cover with crackers crumbs.

Because there isn't any mayonnaise or other binding agent holding the balls together, you have to shape them quickly or they will fall apart.

Place crab balls onto a baking sheet.

If you make the balls the right size (1 tsp of mixture), the recipe will make about 40 balls.

Using a FryBaby, an outdoor deep fryer, or stovepot, heat deep fat or oil. It's important to use a thermometer so you can be sure to keep the oil between 325 and 350 degrees. If the oil isn't hot enough, the balls will take too long to cook and will absorb a ton of oil, making them very greasy. If the oil is too hot, the balls will cook too fast on the outside, leaving the inside uncooked.

Use a wire basket to lower the balls into the oil. (You may be able to fit up to 8 balls in your basket.) The recipe calls for deep fat, but you have several options. Most people use Wesson oil. My uncle uses peanut oil because it can reach a higher temperature without burning easily. Crisco is another option.

Fry the balls in oil about 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Give them plenty of room in the pot; don't put all in at once. As soon as you see them getting brown, take basket out and drain on paper towels.

Crab Balls make yummy appetizers and are also a great addition to a plate of fish, hushpuppies, french fries, coleslaw, and other artery-clogging delicacies that make Southern summer meals so delicious. Enjoy!!!