Crab legs are a delicious seafood treat but preparing them at home can be intimidating for novice cooks. The hard, outer shell and potential for overcooking can lead to dried out rubbery meat if you don’t know what you’re doing. Luckily, there are some simple tricks you can use to fix up crab legs, ensuring tender, flaky, and flavorful results every time.
Start with High-Quality Legs
The first step to perfectly cooked crab is selecting legs that are fresh. Look for legs that have a clean smell with no fishy odor. The shell should be firm with a bright color. Soft or discolored shells indicate lower quality. It’s ideal to cook crab legs within a couple days of purchase, but they can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days.
When buying frozen crab legs, make sure they are solidly frozen with no signs of freezer burn or ice crystals. Thaw legs slowly in the fridge overnight before cooking. Quick thawing can cause moisture loss.
Choose Your Cooking Method Wisely
There are a few different ways to cook crab legs, each with their pros and cons regarding moisture retention.
Steaming is a gentle cooking method that keeps crab meat tender Place legs in a steamer basket and steam 8-10 minutes until opaque and flaky Be careful not to oversteam and dry out the meat.
Boiling in salted water infuses flavor while poaching the meat. Cook 5-7 minutes and drain well before serving.
Baking at 400°F for 15-20 minutes is easy but can lead to dryness if overcooked. Wrap legs in foil to help retain moisture.
Grilling imparts a smoky flavor but requires close monitoring to prevent burning and drying. Grill 4-5 minutes per side.
No matter which cooking method you choose, err on the side of undercooking. You can always put crab back on the heat. Overcooked crab becomes rubbery and loses its delicate texture.
Add Moisture During Cooking
Crab legs can dry out quickly during cooking. Adding moisture to the pot, pan, or steamer helps combat this.
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For boiling or steaming, toss in lemon slices, fresh herbs, garlic, peppercorns, or bay leaves. The aromatics infuse flavor while releasing moisture.
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If baking or broiling, place legs on a small rack or trivet above 1⁄2 inch of water or wine in the baking pan. As the liquid simmers, it keeps the air moist.
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Drizzle or brush legs with oil before cooking to help retain natural juices.
Don’t Forget the Butter
Serving crab legs with drawn butter is culinary tradition for a reason. The fat and richness of butter helps balance the lean meat’s delicate flavor. Butter also imparts moisture and prevents the crab from drying out after cooking. Be generous when dipping! Clarified butter has a high smoke point so it won’t burn.
For extra flavor, whip the butter with minced garlic, lemon zest, herbs, or other seasonings. Let the seasoned butter come to room temperature so it’s easy to dip.
Watch the Clock
It can be tempting to cook crab legs longer to “make sure they’re done”, but this will guarantee overcooked, rubbery meat. Follow recipe cooking times closely. When in doubt, pull them a minute or two early.
Crab legs cook quickly, usually 5-10 minutes depending on size. Ideal doneness is when the meat is opaque and separating from the shell. Resist poking or prodding the meat to test for doneness, as this causes moisture loss.
Keep it Simple
Crab legs are a delicacy that really shine with minimal adornments. Once cooked, crack them open and enjoy dipped in butter or lemon garlic aioli. At most, a spritz of fresh lemon or sprinkle of parsley is all you need to let the sweet crab flavor sing. Overcomplicated seasonings or heavy sauces will overwhelm the lovely seafood.
Proper Storage
Be sure to eat crab legs within a couple days of cooking for best quality. Store cooked crab legs in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For longer storage of raw legs, place in freezer bags with all air pressed out and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.
Following these simple tips will help you fix crab legs perfectly every time. With the right prep, cooking method, and serving style, you’ll enjoy tender, sweet and juicy crab meat that melts in your mouth. Crab legs can feel intimidating, but are actually quite easy and rewarding to make at home.
Here is a summary of the tips:
- Choose fresh, high-quality raw legs
- Use steaming, boiling or foil baking to retain moisture
- Add liquid to the cooking pan and baste with oil or butter
- Don’t overcook – 5-10 minutes is plenty
- Serve with melted butter or lemon garlic aioli
- Store cooked legs for 2-3 days max, freeze raw legs for longer storage
What was once an intimidating ingredient can now become a delicious part of your home cooked meals with these handy tricks for fixing up crab to perfection.
How do I eat crab legs?
To eat snow crab legs, the first step is to remove each leg from the cluster. Just snap it off once cooked, it should come away easily enough.
Then, snap each leg in two by breaking it at the joint. Use two hands on each part to gently bend it back and forth until the shell breaks, and then the meat should easily slide out.
Use a crab cracker or just your teeth to break open the crab claw shell. Make sure not to crush the meat inside, then, the shell back until you can slide the crab meat out.
For the cluster, crack it gently with your hands and fold it open. The meat is found on the inside. Use a small fork to remove all the pockets of meat.
To eat king crab legs, simply take a pair of kitchen shears and cut down the leg shell lengthwise. Then, fold it open and expose the juicy crab meat inside.
- King Crab Legs. You can also make these recipes with king crab legs, but as they’re larger you’ll need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
- Butter. Use regular melted butter or make a garlic butter sauce to serve with the crab legs once cooked.
Did you make this recipe?
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How to Make How To Cook Snow Crab Legs (4 Ways!)
- Boil water. Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water and place it over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil.
- Season. When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add the lemon halves, butter, and seafood seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Cook crab. Add the snow crab clusters and place a tight fitting lid on top of the pot. Cook the crablegs for 8 minutes, or until they are bright red in color and seaming hot. Serve crab legs immediately.
- Add water and seasoning. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your instant pot along with the melted butter and seafood seasoning. Mix to combine.
- Add crab legs. Place the trivet insert into the Instant Pot and then place the crab legs and lemon halve son top of the trivet.
- Cook. Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook-Manual for 3 minutes.
- Release pressure. When the time is up, release the pressure manually by switching the valve to the “venting” position. Serve your instant pot crab legs immediately.
- Make seasoning. Juice the lemon into a small bowl and then add the melted butter and seafood seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Season crab legs. Brush the crab legs with the butter mixture and then place them in the air fryer in a single layer.
- Cook. Cook at 350F for 7 minutes, or until they are bright red and very hot. Serve immediately.
- Prepare grill. Preheat a gas grill, charcoal grill, or pellet grill to high heat (around 400°F).
- Grill crab legs. Brush the crab legs with the butter and seasoning and place them on the grill. Cook for 5-7 minutes, turning once about halfway through until bright red and very hot. Serve these crab legs immediately.
You should find two kinds of crab legs in your local grocery store: Snow Crab Legs or King Crab Legs. Snow crab legs are sold in crab leg clusters, and we’ll be using 2 clusters for these recipes. The other type, king crab legs, are larger and sold as individual legs. Snow crab legs are the cheaper option, so you can choose which to buy depending on the occasion and your budget!
You can make a seafood platter, with your crab legs as part of the spread, or serve them on their own with small bowls of melted butter and lemon wedges for flavoring the meat.
When you buy your crab legs you can store them in the refrigerator or freezer, depending on when you are planning to use them. Fresh crab legs will last for up to two days in the refrigerator, or for up to 6 months in the freezer. It is best to use them fresh, but I know this isn’t always possible!
Cooked crab legs are best enjoyed fresh. I recommend eating them immediately after they are cooked. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Use a digital meat thermometer (affiliate link) in the thickest part of the leg to know exactly when your crab legs are ready. Cook to 140 degrees F.
- Use fresh lemon that you slice yourself, and fresh lemon juice to serve the crab legs for the best results.
How to Cook Crab Legs, 4 Ways I Taste of Home
FAQ
What to fix with crab legs?
When serving crab legs, consider pairing them with classic sides like corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, or a refreshing coleslaw. For dipping sauces, melted butter (possibly infused with garlic or herbs) and lemon wedges are popular choices.
What can I use at home to crack crab legs?
You can use the nutcracker, mallet, or your hands (if the shell is soft enough) to extract that sweet sweet leg meat.Apr 17, 2023