King crab legs are a delicious and luxurious seafood treat. Their sweet succulent meat is packed with flavor and incredibly tender when cooked properly. However cooking king crab legs can seem intimidating for home cooks. Undercook them and the meat will be gummy and tough. Overcook them and you’ll have dry, rubbery crab legs. Follow this simple guide to learn foolproof techniques for cooking perfect king crab legs at home.
Choosing and Storing King Crab Legs
- Look for legs labeled as Alaskan King Crab. They are the largest and meatiest variety. Legs should have a vibrant red-orange shell and feel very cold and firm to the touch.
- Avoid legs with black spots or those stored in standing water which indicates they are old.
- Store king crab legs in original packaging on a bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Use within 2 days of purchase for best quality.
Thawing King Crab Legs
- Keep legs frozen until ready to cook, as this locks in freshness.
- To thaw, place legs in a single layer on a tray. Refrigerate for 8-12 hours.
- Do not thaw at room temperature or in standing water which causes moisture loss.
- Cook legs immediately after thawing. Do not refreeze.
Steaming
- Steaming is a simple, hands-off cooking method that retains moisture.
- Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil.
- Place legs in a steamer basket and set over boiling water.
- Steam for 4 minutes for frozen legs, or 2 minutes for thawed.
- Drizzle with melted butter and serve immediately.
Boiling
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Gently add legs and cook for 4 minutes (frozen) or 2 minutes (thawed).
- Drain and serve with drawn butter, garlic butter, or dipping sauce.
Grilling
- Thaw legs completely before grilling.
- Brush legs lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
- Grill over direct high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Take care not to overcook. Serve with lemon wedges.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Place legs on sheet and lightly brush with melted butter.
- Bake frozen legs 15 minutes, thawed for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning if desired.
Microwaving
- Arange legs in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate.
- Microwave frozen legs for 5 minutes, thawed for 3 minutes.
- Check for doneness and microwave in 30 second bursts if needed.
Tips for Success
- Cook legs just until opaque and shells turn bright red.
- Resist the urge to overcook. King crab can go from perfect to rubbery quickly.
- Brush with butter or dip in sauce to prevent drying out after cooking.
- Watch legs closely if reheating to avoid overcooking.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve crab legs with melted butter, lemon wedges, garlic aioli or rich dipping sauces.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, dill or lemon slices.
- Pair with crusty bread, roasted potatoes or rice pilaf.
- For easy shell removal, use crab crackers or small hammer.
With proper thawing and using simple cooking methods like steaming, boiling, baking or grilling, you can enjoy incredibly tender, sweet king crab legs Avoid overcooking for best texture Dip legs in butter, spices or sauce to add flavor. Now go enjoy this luxurious, delicious seafood at home.
Top Ways to Cook Red King Crab: an Alaskan Delicacy
With a protein like Alaskan Red King Crab, you dont need to do much to make an unforgettable, five-star meal. Its pefect for holidays or special occassions at home. It stands on its own as a delicious appetizer, can be enjoyed as decadant main course or served as a side dish that deserves a big section of your plate. These methods for cooking Red King Crab at home could not be simpler, making it easy to enjoy this Alaskan delicacy.
Red King Crab is frozen fully cooked to preserve its sweet taste and delicate texture, and the shell is split to easily remove the meat. Once the meat is thawed, you can even enjoy it cold, right out of the fridge.
While the split shell makes it easy to enjoy, do not use a cooking method like poaching that fully submerges the crab in liquid to avoid a soggy bite.
You can cook red king crab from frozen, or thaw it beforehand using our quick thaw or overnight thawing method depending on your preferences and tastes.
How to Steam Red King Crab
Steaming crab is the quintessential way to cook crab. Its particularly perfect for cooking split red king crab as it keeps the meat out of the liquid to preserve the toothsome bite. Bringing a steaming pile of red king crab legs is a showstopper, a sure way to impress and express love through food. Enjoy hot, right out of the shell – no cracking needed!
1. Set a steamer basket into a pot large enough to accommodate your king crab legs and claws, filling the bottom of the pot with an inch of water.
2. Bring it to a boil and add the crab to steamer basket. Close the pot with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil, and allow to steam for 4 minutes if thawed and about 6 to 8 minutes if frozen depending on size of pieces.
3. Plate and enjoy on its own, with drawn butter, or your favorite dip.
How to Prepare King Crab Legs
FAQ
Is it better to bake or boil king crab legs?
Baking crab legs in the shell creates a steaming effect, which helps the meat separate from shell. This process makes it super easy to crack and peel without losing all that delicious crab meat! Plus, the butter and Old Bay add even more richness to the crab meat.
Do you need to thaw frozen king crab legs before cooking?
Crab Legs Facts & Tips. You should allow frozen crab legs to thaw in your refrigerator overnight before cooking and/or consuming. The majority of crab cooking processes require a brief re-heat time of 5-10 minutes because our king crab has already been cooked.
Do you wash king crab legs before cooking?
Taking off the crab’s main shell can be done by hand – although kitchen shears are an easier method. Once this is done, you’ll want to rinse the main body meat under cool water to wash away any unwanted debris or viscera (including lungs and gills).
How many king crab legs can one person eat?
We recommend about ¾ lb king crab legs per person for dinner, or ~½ lb as an appetizer. If you’re serving snow crab, you’ll want to up that to 1 lb per person.Dec 15, 2021