Pamlico River Redfish Cakes
The Story Behind The Recipe
For years, anytime I cooked a steak and wanted to dress the meal up for a special occasion, I always added a crab cake to the plate. Most of the time those crab cakes came pre-made from somewhere like Fresh Market or another grocery store. I never really took the time to make my own from scratch, and I definitely never went through the trouble of catching crabs and picking meat by hand. That always felt like a whole lot more work than it was worth.
On a drive to Florida, while listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos, I stumbled across episodes of Duck Camp Dinners where they made a style of fish cake. That got my head spinning.
Redfish — especially red drum from Eastern North Carolina waters — has firm, flaky white
meat that felt perfect for this kind of recipe. I’m always looking for ways to cook with foods from my local region and make use of what we have access to around home. So instead of using crabs for crab cakes, I decided to use crabs as bait and turn the red drum we caught in the Pamlico River into our own version of a fish cake.
That became the inspiration behind these Pamlico River Redfish Cakes.
They’re simple, easy to make, and a fun way to take a successful day on the water and bring it to the dinner table for your family.
Directions
Cook the Redfish
Cook your redfish any way you prefer — grill, cast iron skillet, or flat top. We prefer cooking
it in cast iron seasoned with Fox Hollow Outdoors Original Seasoning. Cook until done,
allow it to cool slightly, then break the fish into chunks and portion out roughly one pound.
Mix the Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, combine the redfish, breadcrumbs or crackers, mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, parsley, and salt. Fold the ingredients together gently. Do not overmix — you want to keep some integrity and texture in the fish.
Form the Cakes
Once combined, portion into 5–6 equal cakes. Roll lightly into balls and gently press into
patties by hand. Place on a plate or tray until ready to cook.
Cook the Redfish Cakes
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a small amount of high-heat oil and a
little butter. Cook the cakes until golden brown on both sides and heated through
completely.
Serving Suggestion
These redfish cakes are the perfect complement to a steak dinner and a great way to enjoy
the rewards of a successful day fishing on the Pamlico River.
Ingredients
1lb cooked redfish
1/2 cup breadcrumps or crushed crackers
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Fox Hollow Outdoors all-purpose salt, to taste
Oil or butter for cooking