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Jumbo lump

The Purist

This one's for the people who order the crab pretzel and then complain there's too much cheese on it. You know who you are, and you're right. Jumbo lump crabmeat, the big, sweet, intact pieces, barely bound, warmed on a great pretzel, with just a whisper of cheese so the crab can actually taste like crab. It costs more. It's worth it.

Servings
Makes 4 pretzels
Prep
15 min
Cook
12 min
Oven
425°F

Steps

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Warm the pretzels if they are not fresh from the oven.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the mayo, Dijon, lemon juice, and Old Bay. Gently fold in the jumbo lump with a rubber spatula. The goal is every lump intact. Stop the second it is coated.
  3. Brush pretzels with melted butter. Lay one slice of cheese on each: thin, edge to edge, no more.
  4. Bake 5 minutes, just until the cheese melts and the pretzel is hot.
  5. Spoon the crab mixture over the top generously. Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes, just to warm the crab through. Do not brown it. Jumbo lump should never be crispy.
  6. Finish with chives, flaky salt, and lemon wedges on the side.

Tips from the test kitchen

  • Buy the best crabmeat you can find and afford. This recipe has nowhere to hide. Pasteurized refrigerated jumbo lump from a reputable Maryland packer is ideal.
  • Handle the crab like it owes you money but you are being polite about it. Broken lumps are a tragedy here.
  • Serve within minutes. The purist waits for no one.

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