Maryland Crab Cakes Vs Baltimore Coddies: What's The Difference?

Maryland is known for its seafood, from crabs to clams, partly due to its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay. One of the popular dishes that hails from the area are Maryland crab cakes, which take advantage of the crustaceans that are native to its waters. Another dish that relies on seafood and looks vaguely similar are Baltimore coddies. Both of these seafood dishes are popular in the Old Line State, but the seafood ingredients and preparations are far different.

Like the names say, Maryland crab cakes use fresh crab meat, whereas Baltimore coddies use cod fish. While both ingredients come from the water, the two ingredients offer very different flavors. Both dishes can be fried, but the method is usually slightly different, and Maryland crab cakes also have other traditional preparations. You might see both on a menu at a seafood eatery across the state, especially along the coast, so we dug into more of the similarities and differences so that you don't have to before you place your dinner order.

Maryland is known specifically for blue crabs, which have a buttery and sweet flavor. There are many types of this dish, but what stands out about Maryland crab cakes is that it mostly uses lump meat from those blue crabs with very little fillers. In fact, the only other ingredients that typically make it to the mixture are beaten eggs and some sort of bread for binding, plus Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, and sometimes mayonnaise or Worcestershire sauce for flavor. In comparison, other types of crab cakes often have onion, bell peppers, and sometimes more breadcrumbs. The crab should be left in lumps, not shreds, and a lemon wedge is a simple way to garnish the completed meal.

The preparation is another big difference between this Maryland-centric dish and those coddies that we'll discuss soon. More often than not, Maryland crab cakes are pan fried in a little oil so that the outside browns and the inside cooks without deep frying. To make them, try our classic Maryland crab cakes recipe, which serves eight.

Baltimore coddies are a little less known than Maryland crab cakes — unless you reside in the state, especially near the water. The biggest difference is that these coddies use fresh or salted cod fish, compared to a shellfish like blue crab. There are also more filler ingredients to create a croquette-like dish. In addition to cod, the snack also includes mashed potatoes, aromatics like onion, spices, and eggs to bind it all together. Unlike the state's popular crab cakes, Baltimore coddies are also coated in saltine crackers that are milled or processed to achieve a consistency similar to breadcrumbs.

There are many delicious cod recipes and techniques, but Baltimore coddies are always fried, sometimes in more oil than crab cakes. Some recipes deep fry the cod in more oil, while other options use a shallow pan similar to pan frying. To complete the dish, the Baltimore coddies might also be served on a saltine cracker with yellow mustard, whereas crab cakes don't necessarily have a standard garnish or dipping sauce.

Despite the biggest contrast between the two dishes being the main ingredient, the cooking technique is the next biggest difference. Unlike some types of crab cakes that are coated in flour or breadcrumbs and fried in a large amount of oil, Maryland crab cakes let the meat shine without any coating on the outside. Pan frying is a popular method to cook them, but they aren't deep fried by any means. You can also find Maryland crab cakes from locals and restaurants alike that skip the oil and bake or broil instead.

However, Baltimore coddies must be fried to ensure that the saltine cracker coating turns brown and crunchy while the cod-and-potato mixture underneath cooks through. Pan frying seems to be the most common way to do this, although you could deep fry the coddies so you don't have to flip them halfway through. So the next time you're in state, stop by one of the best Maryland restaurants for crab to place an order where the dishes originated.