King crab legs are a delicious treat and impressively easy to cook at home. While fresh king crab cooks in 10-15 minutes, frozen king crab legs only need 3-8 minutes to heat through since they are pre-cooked before freezing. With a few simple tips, you’ll learn exactly how long to boil king crab legs to achieve tender, juicy results.
Key Factors That Impact Boil Time
The boiling time for king crab legs can vary slightly based on
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Raw vs. pre-cooked – Raw crab legs take 10-15 minutes, while pre-cooked legs only need reheating.
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Frozen vs. thawed – Frozen legs require a few extra minutes to allow the cold meat to come to temperature.
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Size of legs – Larger king crab legs need a minute or two more than smaller legs
Boiling Guidelines Based on Type of King Crab Legs
Raw Fresh King Crab Legs
For fresh, uncooked king crab legs purchased from a fish market or dock:
- Smaller legs: Boil for 10-12 minutes
- Larger legs: Boil for 12-15 minutes
Check for doneness by looking for opaque, white meat when you open the shell. The crab should be cooked through fully and feel firm.
Raw Frozen King Crab Legs
Since the center of raw frozen legs is extremely cold, allow a couple extra minutes:
- Smaller legs: Boil for 12-14 minutes
- Larger legs: Boil for 14-17 minutes
Pre-Cooked Thawed King Crab Legs
For legs that are already cooked but were frozen, simply thaw completely before boiling:
- Smaller legs: Boil for 3-5 minutes
- Larger legs: Boil for 5-8 minutes
This brief boiling just heats the pre-cooked meat without overcooking it.
Pre-Cooked Frozen King Crab Legs
For pre-cooked legs that are still frozen, allow a few extra minutes to heat the cold center:
- Smaller legs: Boil for 5-7 minutes
- Larger legs: Boil for 7-10 minutes
Use the lower end of the range for smaller legs. You can always boil an extra minute if needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Boiling King Crab Legs
Boiling king crab legs is simple with these key steps:
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Fill a large pot halfway with water and add 1 Tbsp salt per 1 lb crab. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
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Use tongs to gently add the legs, bending them to fit if needed.
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Cover, reduce heat to medium-high, and start timer based on leg size above.
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When timer goes off, check largest leg for opaque meat. Carefully touch the shell to check it’s hot.
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Remove from heat and transfer legs to a platter with tongs. Enjoy immediately.
Tips for Perfectly Boiled King Crab Legs
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Thaw frozen legs overnight in the fridge for best flavor
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Use a tall stockpot so legs can be fully submerged
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Don’t crowd the pot – boil in batches if needed
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Add Old Bay or other crab seasoning to the water
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Resist flipping legs while cooking to allow even steaming
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For food safety, internal temperature should reach 145°F
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Serve with melted butter, lemon wedges, and enjoy!
How to Know When King Crab Legs Are Done Boiling
It’s easy to judge doneness when boiling king crab legs. Look for:
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Bright red shell color
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Opaque, white meat throughout
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Meat firms up and flakes apart
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Internal temperature of 145°F
Undercooked crab will be gummy with translucent flesh. Overcooked crab turns rubbery and dry. Use a thermometer and the guidelines above to avoid both issues.
Common Boiling Mistakes
Watch out for these errors when learning how to boil king crab legs:
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Not using enough water – Causes uneven cooking
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Boiling too many legs at once – Prevents even heating
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Adding legs to cold water – Dramatically lengthens cook time
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Boiling from frozen – Always thaw first
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Checking doneness too late – Results in tough texture
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Flipping legs constantly – Hinders steaming process
Enjoy Perfectly Cooked King Crab Legs
Armed with these handy boiling times for king crab legs of all sizes and states, you can confidently cook tender, succulent crab at home. Be sure to use a big enough pot, refrain from crowding, and boil pre-thawed legs. In 10 minutes or less, you’ll have restaurant-quality king crab ready to crack open and dip in melted butter.
How To Make Boiled Crab Legs
To learn how to make boiled crab legs, just follow the detailed instructions and a few fun butter variations below. Refer to our how to make crab legs article for even more helpful tips for how to boil crab legs. Use the recipe below for all the details, and you’ll be indulging in your “restaurant meal at home” in just a few minutes:
Picking the Pan
The best way to boil crab legs is to use a stockpot. Since king crab legs are long, the entire length of them can be immersed in water in this tall, narrow pot. If you don’t have a stock pot, use a large Dutch oven.
Prepare the Water
Seafood seasoning—a blend of many herbs, spices, and salt is added to the water to boost the crab flavor behind-the-scenes.
Cook the Crab
The crab is already cooked, so all you need to do is reheat them. The large pot ensures they have enough water around them to reheat evenly.
Serve with Butter Dipping Sauce
Remove shells as you are ready to enjoy the succulent meat inside. Dip pieces of the crab meat into melted butter and then pop them into your mouth, for sinfully rich flavor. Use plain melted butter or try one of our butter variations in the how to season crab legs section below, for even more flavor.
King Crab Versus Snow Crab
Snow Crab
The most common form of frozen crab legs are from snow crabs. They originate mostly in the Northern Pacific and Canada’s east coast. Its white flesh is frequently tinged with pink and is slightly salty in flavor.
King Crab
You can find king crab legs in some big box stores or online. King crabs have a snowy white, mildly flavored meat, and are edged with bright red color. The meat is slightly more tender than snow crab and king crab are typically more expensive than snow crab. They are commonly found in the Northern Pacific, particularly around Alaska or Japan. It’s common to see king crab legs labeled as Alaskan king crab or Japanese king crab.
Substituting Snow Crab for King Crab
Snow crab legs can certainly be used in place of the king crab in this recipe. The frozen legs are cooked exactly the same way as the king crab; however, they may take less time. Start with cooking them as directed in the recipe below but be sure to check them after 3 minutes to see if they are hot before cooking them any longer.
Make your occasion, as well as your guests, feel special with any of these other favorite seafood recipes:
Ultimate Crab Cakes: A savory blend of crab meat with Swiss cheese and bell pepper in crispy, crunchy-crusted crab cake. Yum!
Crab Cake Bites: A bite-size way to enjoy delectable crab cakes that’s perfect for a party.
Shrimp Scampi: Shrimp cooked in a garlicy butter sauce for a comfortable weeknight dinner or an impressive birthday dinner.
Seared Scallops with Garlic Beurre Blanc: A fancy way to say scallops in a garlic-white wine sauce. It’s a seriously impressive dish that’s ready in just 20 minutes.
Seafood Bisque: A rich, creamy chowder made with both shrimp and fish is an extravagant way to treat yourself at lunch or to serve as a first course at a dinner party.
How to Boil Alaskan King Crab Legs
FAQ
How long does it take to boil king crab legs?
Can you overcook king crab legs?
No matter how you decide to warm crab legs, do not overcook or the crab meat will be tough and dry. If you want to serve crab legs as a chilled dish, simply thaw them in the refrigerator and serve.Nov 2, 2023
How do you know when king crab is done?
Steam the crab legs for 6-10 minutes. You will know when they are done when you can smell the crab and they are hot to the touch.Feb 15, 2018
How do you know when a crab boil is done?
Add the crabs to the boiling stock, and use long tongs to press all the crabs underneath the liquid. Cover the pot, and let the stock come back to a boil. Once it does, cook the crabs until they are bright red-orange in color, about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the crab.