Crab Meat Cobb Salad
Get ready for a truly delicious and hearty Cobb Salad, chock- full of lump crab meat, potato croutons and slab bacon! Such a winner for either lunch or dinner!
| Ted’s Takeover Recipe: Crab Meat Cobb Salad | Hi friends, I have for you today a delicious take on the traditional Cobb Salad using fresh jumbo lump crab meat, slab bacon, avocado, veggies as well as potato “croutons” cooked in a bit of the fat from that delicious slab bacon– and served with your choice of a homemade Champagne Vinaigrette or Southwestern Ranch Dressing.
So my wife, hailing from the Chesapeake Bay region would be very quick to point out the importance of only using fresh jumbo lump crabmeat for this salad, not “back fin” or shredded crab meat. And under no circumstances should (gasp!) imitation crab meat be used 😉 …
But seeing as I only make this salad once a year for our New Year’s Eve dinner, I don’t feel too bad about shelling out a little extra money for the jumbo lump!
Due to the amount of prep time involved, this is not your typical weeknight salad– but it is definitely worth it. I usually pour myself a glass of wine and just enjoy the process of trying to make each ingredient perfect. Think of it as a great way to kill a couple hours before the New Year’s Eve celebrations begin.
You can’t go wrong with either dressing option but I’m definitely partial to the vinaigrette, whereas my wife has a tendency to reach for the ranch. They’re both simple to create, so if you’re like us you can easily prep both ahead of time. Enjoy the recipe, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
*Looking for savory New Year’s Eve appetizers and mixed drinks? Try our Baked Cheddar and Olive Balls and Gibson Cocktail!
Crab Meat Cobb Salad
- Total Time: 1.5 hrs
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
**Both the Champagne Vinaigrette + Southwestern Ranch Dressing Recipes included below.
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
- 1/2 pound slab bacon (if your butcher has it, any kind will do if not)
- 1 large or 2 small Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 8 grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 large carrot, cut in thick matchsticks and blanched
- 1/2 of a red onion, diced
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- 2 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
- 6 sprigs Italian parsley, leaves removed from stems
- *diced hard boiled eggs (optional)
Champagne Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Southwestern Ranch
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon milk or cream
- 1.5 teaspoons chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For The Salad
1.) Pour crabmeat into strainer over sink and rinse with cold water. Sort through all the pieces to make sure there are no shells. Place back in refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble salad.
2.) Cut bacon into thick cubes, fry in a heavy skillet until crispy and set onto plate with paper towels to drain. Pour excess fat out of skillet and set aside.
3.) I think of the Yukon Golds as potato “croutons” in this salad. To prepare, add a little olive oil to the same skillet you used for the bacon. (You can use some of the bacon fat here for extra flavor). Cut Yukon Golds into cubes and cook over medium low heat. Turn potatoes in pan every 10-15 minutes until all sides are evenly browned. This process will take about an hour. Be sure the flame is not up too high or they will burn. Once complete, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4.) While potatoes are cooking, peel carrots and cut into thick matchsticks. Blanch in boiling water for two minutes and then transfer into ice bath to stop cooking process.
5.) Dice avocados and toss in a small mixing bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of sea salt.
6.) Dice red onion, cucumber and cut grape tomatoes in half.
7.) Make your choice of dressing–see instructions for each below.
8.) Place chopped romaine hearts and parsley leaves into a large mixing bowl and pour half of the dressing over top. Using tongs, gently toss greens to coat with dressing throughout. Transfer greens to individual salad bowls and top evenly with all of the other ingredients. Drizzle remaining dressing over top.
Vinaigrette
-
Combine all vinaigrette ingredients and whip together in a ramekin or small glass bowl. Dress salad or serve vinaigrette on the side.
Ranch Dressing
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayo, lemon juice and milk until smooth.
- Add in seasoning and whisk again until incorporated evenly. For a thicker consistency, add a touch more sour cream, for a thinner dressing, add a bit more milk. Pour over salad or serve on the side.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 1 hr (skillet potatoes)
You had this girl at potato croutons!! Yummy! This will be a must try for us. What a wonderful and special tradition, I love it!!
Thanks so much Natalie! I really hope you do try this one. I know it involves a bit of prep time, but I guess I’m just one of those weirdos who enjoys the process (almost) as much as tasting the results.
Ted- this is more than just a salad! Wow, there’s so many good things going on here, and my palate wants them all. Totally worth the effort in every way. And I agree with Catherine, jumbo lump for sure!
Thank you so much Noelle! I really hope you try it! I know this salad requires some effort but what else is there to do during the day on New Years Eve besides drink wine and make a really amazing salad?
This whole salad sounds so incredible, with all the yummy goodies. I’ve never heard of potato croutons, but that is just genius and I love the crab meat spin on it versus chicken or shrimp to take it up a notch for special occasions! Pinning for later! xo
Thanks so much Kim! I really hope you have a chance to try it. We love crabmeat so New Years Eve can’t get here fast enough!