Cheesy Jumbo Lump Crab Gratin (Printer-Friendly)
Luxurious baked crab casserole with melted cheddar and Gruyère cheese crust, creamy and golden.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shells
→ Cheese
02 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
03 - 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
04 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
→ Sauce
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
12 - 1/4 tsp paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Garnishes
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Lemon wedges for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a medium gratin or casserole dish and set aside.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until a smooth roux forms.
03 - Gradually whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream, stirring continually until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Stir in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until evenly incorporated.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Fold in half of the shredded cheddar, half of the shredded Gruyère, and all of the grated Parmesan, stirring until fully melted and smooth.
06 - Gently fold the jumbo lump crab meat into the cheese sauce, taking care not to break apart the lumps.
07 - Transfer the crab mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and Gruyère cheese across the top.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the gratin is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
09 - Allow the gratin to cool slightly. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges alongside.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- That golden bubbling cheese crust hides the sweetest most tender bites of crab you will ever taste at home.
- It looks like you spent hours but the whole thing comes together in under an hour start to finish.
02 -
- Breaking the crab lumps while stirring is the most common mistake and once they are broken you cannot undo it so use a folding motion with a gentle hand.
- Adding the cheeses off the heat prevents the sauce from breaking and turning grainy which is a lesson I learned after a very frustrating first attempt.
03 -
- Cold crab straight from the fridge will drop the temperature of your sauce so let it sit out for fifteen minutes before folding it in.
- A chilled glass of Chardonnay or something sparkling alongside turns this from a weeknight dinner into an occasion worth remembering.