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Home » American Recipes » Crab Rolls

Crab Rolls

By Hank Shaw on June 18, 2020, Updated October 27, 2020 - 27 Comments

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4.84 from 25 votes
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crab rolls on a plate
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I grew up with lobster rolls. After all, my mom is from Ipswitch, Massachusetts, pretty much the epicenter of Lobster Roll Nation. I’d never heard of crab rolls.

Then, one day, I wandered into Obrycki’s in search of food during a layover in Baltimore-Washington airport. Crab rolls were on the menu. OK, I’ll bite. I ordered them.

“Good call,” the bartender said. They’re my favorite. Sure they are. Everything’s your favorite when you’re the bartender. I expected a glob of mayo-based crab salad in a tired hot dog bun.

An Obrycki’s crab roll is not that. Yes, there’s mayonnaise, and yes there is a bit of celery, and the obligatory Old Bay seasoning — I think it’s the law to include it with any crab dish within 150 miles of the Chesapeake Bay — but this sandwich (can you call something on a hot dog bun a sandwich?) was all about the crab.

While not as minimalist as a New England lobster roll, which can literally be buttered lobster in a split-top roll, this crab roll is full of crab with only the Old Bay-lemon-mayo to tie it all together. Celery is a minor addition entirely for texture, not a filler.

Another image of crab rolls on a plate.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I wrote notes about this amazing lunch on a napkin, determined to reverse engineer it at home.

This is what I came up with. While probably not the exact Obrycki’s crab roll, it’s close, and really good. I used Dungeness crab because that’s what I had, but any crab will do. Obviously they use blue crab in the Chesapeake.

Oh, and good luck finding split top rolls outside of New England, and that’s one thing I won’t buy online. Just use a good quality hot dog bun, or something else that makes you happy. I won’t come to your house to beat you up if you used, say, a kaiser roll or even a tortilla.

Just make these crab rolls. They are easy to put together, cool on a hot summer day, and absolutely memorable.

Crab rolls recipe
Print Recipe
4.84 from 25 votes

Crab Rolls

These are based off crab rolls I had at Obrycki's in Baltimore. Try to get good quality crab, as it matters. Tinned crab isn't very good here. Once made, the salad will keep a couple days in the fridge.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 415kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 pound lump crabmeat
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons minced chives
  • 1 stalk celery, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 hot dog buns

Instructions

  • Toss the crabmeat in the melted butter. Mix all the remaining ingredients except for the buns in a large bowl. Fold the crabmeat into this.
  • Grill or toast the buns; you can spread some butter on the buns first if you'd like. Fill with the crab mixture. Serve with pickles and potato chips.

Notes

NOTE: You can substitute crawfish tails, shrimp or lobster for the crab. 

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1259mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 492IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 2mg
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Filed Under: American Recipes, Featured, Fish, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar for Steve KempinSteve Kempin says

    August 20, 2022 at 9:32 am

    Excellent thank you Hank another outstanding recipe!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Jake GlotzbachJake Glotzbach says

    August 18, 2022 at 5:27 pm

    Awesome recipe that lets the crab shine through! The meat is not overly seasoned with this recipe. If you are looking to change things up from the regular picked crab or crab cakes, or just want a great meal, this one is for you.

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Jeff BJeff B says

    July 27, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    Made these crab rolls tonight – awesome. Old Bay dosage was perfect — noticeable, but not overwhelming. And, the butter toasted rolls just added to the decadence. We accompanied the crab rolls with fresh ears of sweet corn from local farmer’s market. We’ll definitely being doing this one again.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for GregGreg says

    July 11, 2022 at 5:32 pm

    This was fantastic. The old bay was so light you could hardly taste it. Added just enough fur flavor. The black pepper was more prevalent than the old bay honestly.

    Great recipe for our leftover picked blue crab.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for KeiraKeira says

    June 6, 2022 at 1:17 pm

    I’m going to try this, I like the idea of the Old Bay and the chives and I’m going to see how it turns out. I think I’ll just go lightly on both, or sprinkle a little on top.?

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Barry DoohanBarry Doohan says

    August 23, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    Excellent and easy! Everyone loved the flavor

    Reply
    • Avatar for JoseJose says

      July 6, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      Just made this and enjoyed it with my wife. We both thought it was good and it was easy for me to make.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for JonathanJonathan says

    July 9, 2021 at 10:06 pm

    Could I use frozen dungeness crab that I caught in March for this? We got so many that I vacuum sealed a few after steaming them and haven’t found a use for them yet since this was my first time freezing them. Additionally, could I use my frozen crab for your risotto too or does freezing ruin the meat?

    Reply
    • Avatar for CalleCalle says

      October 9, 2021 at 6:55 pm

      Made these with steamed frozen crab tonight and they were delish!

      Reply
  8. Avatar for MikeMike says

    June 24, 2021 at 1:34 pm

    I’ve made this without old bay, which I hate, substituted Paul Prudommes seafood seasoning, excellent. I bought crab yesterday to make again.

    Reply
    • Avatar for JasonJason says

      January 12, 2022 at 12:13 am

      What’s with all of the old bay haters? Is this a regional thing?

      Reply
      • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

        January 17, 2022 at 9:56 am

        Jason: Probably. I like Old Bay, and it is 100% needed if you want to make these crab rolls Chesapeake style.

  9. Avatar for KenKen says

    June 24, 2020 at 8:14 am

    The recipe looks great, I can’t wait to try it. Freihofer’s bakery makes New England style split top rolls but I haven’t been able to find them here in north Jersey for several years. Trader Joe’s sells them labeled as Hot Dog Buns.

    Reply
  10. Avatar for David ThompsonDavid Thompson says

    June 19, 2020 at 12:13 am

    Leave out the chives and Old Bay. I grew up in Maryland and hate the stuff, it dominates all the delicate seafood flavors. When I was a kid, we caught crabs out of the Severn River and made crab rolls just like this. Next day was crab cakes for lunch, then a bushel of mussels for dinner with linguine. Breakfast was one of those huge omelets filled with a crab sauce, folded over and cut into chunks. Yummy. Stuff you never get in a restaurant. When I lived in Lake Charles, I bought two brand new 30 gallon trash cans and all they were ever used for was crabbing. My wife, my 4 year old and I could go crabbing, fill both trash cans and throw back anything under 8″ in 1 hour. Put the phone tree in action and we had a neighborhood crab boil.

    Reply
  11. Avatar for RuebenRueben says

    June 18, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    Made these for dinner after finishing shucking dungenesse crab. Added some kelp pickles on the side for a nice quick meal. Thanks for the recipe from southeast AK.

    Reply
  12. Avatar for Malcolm BurganMalcolm Burgan says

    June 18, 2020 at 2:58 pm

    Looks like something I want to try here in South Australia. Big blue swimmer crab season starting in September here. Can’t wait. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Egons BaumanisEgons Baumanis says

      June 18, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      I get my Blue swimmer crabs at Cowell on the Eyre Peninsular in South Australia . I cant wait to try this recipe. I have picked crab waiting in my freezer. I agree the Rolls need to be fresh. Yummy. Thanks

      Reply
  13. Avatar for Walter MateraWalter Matera says

    June 18, 2020 at 9:18 am

    Hmmm, while Dungeness crabs are readily available here in Portland-ish, why couldn’t you make this just as neatly with cold trout, or steelhead, or salmon or . . . I’m taking the g’grandchildren to a trout pond this afternoon and you’ve got my attention. What seven-year-old wouldn’t want a sandwich he’d caught himself?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      June 18, 2020 at 11:02 am

      Walter: No reason other than what I ate were crab rolls in Baltimore. 😉

      Reply
  14. Avatar for Nancy ShawNancy Shaw says

    June 18, 2020 at 9:12 am

    One of the hardest things to find even in New England is the correct original split top lobster roll bun. The sides are smooth bread – not crust and require toasting before stuffing with the ingredients. There are several sites online that show the type of bun that I grew up eating and still seek when ever a lobster or crab roll is to be made. https://lobsteranywhere.com/new-england-style/history-lobster-roll/ and mainelobsternow.com /lobster-rolls/lobster-roll-buns-6pack
    There is a recipe online to make and bake your own New England buns!
    Thanks for a yummy sounding post!
    Love,
    Mum

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Stacey GuthrieStacey Guthrie says

    June 18, 2020 at 7:58 am

    Hey Hank, Whole Foods has Brioche split top rolls, Whole Foods brand. I have seen them in the bay area, and checked their Sacramento store website, they have them there also. I used them to make shrimp rolls, very much like this recipe.

    Reply
  16. Avatar for glendaglenda says

    June 18, 2020 at 7:12 am

    what is in old bay seasonings?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      June 18, 2020 at 7:24 am

      Glenda: Interesting. Are you not from America? It’s a very, very famous seasoning mix here associated with the Chesapeake Bay, and crabs in particular. Here is a recipe for making it from scratch.

      Reply
      • Avatar for MichelleMichelle says

        June 18, 2020 at 12:00 pm

        I hadn’t heard of Old Bay until I moved to the east coast.

  17. Avatar for Phil DupuisPhil Dupuis says

    June 18, 2020 at 7:00 am

    Hank, being a New England kid who spent most of his adult life within spitting distance of the Chesapeake I really appreciate this. BTW, top split hot dog buns are available here in central Florida, must be all the Yankee retirees.

    Reply
  18. Avatar for Joe BayaJoe Baya says

    June 18, 2020 at 4:30 am

    I’m gonna crush this with some Gulf Coast Blue Crabs!

    Reply
  19. Avatar for Bob BeaudoinBob Beaudoin says

    June 18, 2020 at 4:26 am

    Looks delicious, I’m going to make it next time I go crabbing, thanks for the recipe Hank.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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