Are Crab Legs Cooked When You Buy Them?

Learn how to make Crab Legs 4 easy ways; from the Instant Pot to steaming, baking and grilling. We love to serve crab meat with this incredible garlic lemon butter which tastes restaurant-quality.

It’s very easy to cook crab legs at home, so you can have a crab feast for a lot less money than going out to eat. Watch the video tutorial below and you will crave it until you make it.

Crabs must be sold live or cooked. In most grocery stores, crab legs will be sold pre-cooked and either frozen or thawed from frozen. Since most crabs are already cooked when you buy them, “cooking” them is really just a matter of heating them up just enough to keep their natural flavor and juices. Can you guess our favorite method?.

Crab legs are a delicious seafood treat that many people love to eat. However if you’ve never prepared crab at home, you may be wondering – are crab legs already cooked when you buy them?

The short answer is yes. Almost all crab legs sold in grocery stores and fish markets in the United States are fully cooked and ready to eat. Here’s what you need to know about buying pre-cooked crab legs and how to prepare them at home.

Commercial Crab Legs Are Cooked on the Boat

The vast majority of crabs harvested for their meat are cooked right on the fishing boat shortly after being caught. The crab legs are steamed or boiled to reach an internal temperature that kills any bacteria and makes the meat safe to eat.

So by the time the boat reaches the docks and the crab legs are unloaded, they have already been fully cooked The cooked crab is then immediately flash frozen to preserve freshness

This flash freezing process locks in flavor and texture. It allows the pre-cooked crab legs to be shipped to grocery stores while still frozen or thawed just before being put out for sale.

Look for Visual Signs of Cooked Crab

One way to double check that crab legs are pre-cooked is to look for visual signs:

The shells should be white or pinkish-red, not green or brown.
Cooked meat will be opaque and white, not translucent.
Frozen crab may have some ice crystals forming on the shell.
The edges of the shells may be starting to lift away from the meat if they have been thawed after freezing.
Packaging will usually state if the crab is cooked vs. raw.

So if the crab legs you are buying look like this, you can be confident they have already been cooked and are safe to eat.

Raw Crab Can Only Be Sold Live

It is illegal for raw crab to be sold any way other than live crabs. This is for food safety, as raw crab meat can harbor harmful bacteria.

So supermarkets and fish markets are not allowed to sell raw, unshelled crab legs or meat. The only way you may see raw crab is if there is a tank of live crabs at the seafood counter.

Knowing this helps confirm that all other crab legs at the store must indeed be pre-cooked.

How to Prepare Pre-Cooked Crab Legs

While the crab legs are fully cooked, you still need to heat them up at home before enjoying their delicious meat. Here are some easy methods for preparing pre-cooked crab legs:

Steaming

Place crab legs in a steaming basket or colander and set over a pot of boiling water.
Cover and steam for 4-7 minutes until heated through.

Boiling

Gently boil crab legs for 3-5 minutes to reheat. Be careful not to overcook.

Grilling

Place legs directly on a hot grill for about 4 minutes per side.
You can also wrap in foil with a little butter to grill.

Broiling

Arrange legs on a baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes per side.

Sautéing

Quickly sauté crab legs in butter over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.

Microwaving

Microwave frozen legs for 1 minute per leg to thaw.
Then microwave thawed legs for 1-2 minutes to heat through.

The exact time will vary based on amount and thickness of crab legs. Just check for hot steamed meat when cracked open.

Serve Immediately

Be sure to serve the hot crab legs right away, along with melted butter, lemon wedges, and your favorite sauces for dipping. Enjoy!

Tips for Buying and Cooking Crab Legs

Here are some additional pointers to help you pick out high-quality crab legs and cook them perfectly:

Buy legs that are tightly closed. Avoid any with cracked or damaged shells.
Opt for legs connected in clusters if possible, as they will have more meat.
Thaw frozen legs overnight in the fridge before cooking.
Fold legs in half when arranging them to fit more in a pot or pan.
Don’t overcook. Crab can get rubbery if cooked too long.
Use a crab cracker or small hammer to break open legs at segments.
Eat crab legs hot, warm or chilled – the meat tastes delicious any way!

Popular Types of Crab Legs

Some common varieties of crab legs you may see for sale include:

King Crab Legs – From Alaska, these extra-large, meaty legs are a real treat. The cost is higher but the big portions of sweet meat are worth it!

Snow Crab Legs – The most economical option, snow crab are smaller legs from colder northern waters. Still tasty and more affordable.

Dungeness Crab Legs – From the Pacific Northwest region, they are a good sized leg and reasonable price.

Stone Crab – Caught off Florida, the claws have firm, delicious meat worth splurging on.

Get Crabbing at Home!

Now that you know crab legs are pre-cooked, you can grab them anytime and prepare a seafood feast at home. Just decide which method sounds good – steaming, grilling, sautéing – and add a few minutes of reheating before cracking into the sweet crab goodness.

Armed with the tips above on how to select, thaw, and cook previously frozen crab legs, you can pick some up at the store and enjoy restaurant-quality seafood at home. A crab leg dinner paired with melted butter or zesty dipping sauces makes for an easy yet luxurious meal.

So go ahead – get crabbing! Cook up some delicious crab legs for your family and you’ll feel like you’re dining on the coast. Just remember they are likely pre-cooked, so simply focus on creatively reheating them. Now get ready to enjoy tender, succulent crab meat anytime a craving strikes.

are crab legs cooked when you buy them

How to Cook Crab Legs:

It’s possible to steam, grill, or even bake crabs in the oven. We’ve talked about all of the best ways to cook crabs. If I had to choose, I would say steamed crab when I was cooking for a lot of people and Instant Pot crab legs when I was cooking for two.

Instant Pot Crab Legs:

Put a trivet in an Instant Pot 6 qt and add 1 cup of water. Each batch should have three to four clusters of fresh or frozen crab legs. The legs should be folded to fit more in; thawed legs fit better than frozen ones because they are more flexible.
Put the lid on top and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes with quick release. You can use the same water for a second batch right away.

Place a steam basket at the bottom of a large stockpot with 1 cup of water. Add as many crab legs as your pot will accommodate and still close the lid tightly. Bring the water to a boil then cover and steam cook until fragrant and steaming hot (about 5 minutes for thawed or 10 minutes for frozen crab legs).

Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, create a foil pack for 4 clusters of crab legs. Bring the two ends together in the center, and fold them together twice. Then fold the other two ends together twice to seal the foil packet. Do not add water to the foil pack. It will steam cook with the natural moisture from the crab legs.

Grill over medium/high heat or about 450˚F for 15-20 minutes if frozen or 10 minutes if thawed. It’s ready when you see steaming as you open the foil pack.

Create the same foil pack as in the grilling method with 4 crab leg clusters. On a baking sheet, bake the crab legs on the middle rack of a 450˚F oven for 25 minutes if they are frozen or 15 minutes if they are thawed. They are ready when steaming as you open the foil pack.

Reheating King Crab Legs

FAQ

How do you tell if crab legs are precooked?

How do you know when crab legs are done? Depending on whether you’re crab legs are fresh or frozen, it’s the color you want to watch. Frozen legs are already cooked and will already be orange or red in color. Fresh crab meat will be a greenish brown and when they’re done, the crab turns pink/red and the meat is opaque.

Do you have to cook store bought crab legs?

Many crab legs, especially king crab legs and stone crab claws/legs, are also precooked. Some crab legs are frozen raw. If you’re unsure of whether or not your crab legs are precooked or raw, ask your fishmonger or read the label on the package. Crab legs must be completely cooked in order for them to be safe to eat.

Why are crab legs sold cooked?

Fresh crab is every seafood lover’s dream. Many people don’t realize this. But crab is immediately cooked and flash-frozen to preserve its freshness when it’s caught. So when it comes time to cooking crab, you’re simply warming up the crab legs, which takes just a few minutes!

When you buy crab is it already cooked?

Most crab meat is sold precooked. Precooked crab meat has the same great flavor as fresh crab meat. The crabs are typically cooked on the fishing boat and immediately flash frozen to preserve the rich flavor of the meat. Whether you pick up precooked or fresh crab meat, it is best to buy it frozen.

Can crab legs be cooked at home?

Yes, you can cook crab legs at home. It’s true that you can make impressively, restaurant-quality crab legs — boiled, broiled, or steamed! — in your own kitchen. Because most crab legs are sold already cooked and frozen, all you really have to do is reheat them, and that only takes about five minutes.

Can you cook frozen crab legs?

If the crab legs are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Boil thawed crab legs fully immersed in salted water for four to five minutes for medium-sized crab legs weighing 4 to 8 ounces; steaming takes a few minutes longer. Broil or grill crab legs for three to four minutes per side.

How do you know if crab legs have been cooked?

To determine if crab legs have been thoroughly cooked, observe the following indicators: When reheating pre-cooked crab legs, a duration of approximately 5 minutes in seasoned water is sufficient. However, if you have purchased fresh, raw crab legs, they will require boiling for around 6 to 8 minutes.

Can you buy uncooked crab legs?

Commercially caught crab legs are cooked and then flash frozen immediately after the crabs are caught, sometimes right on the boat or as soon as they’re brought in to the docks. Furthermore, you should never purchase uncooked crab legs. The only safe way to sell uncooked crab is by the whole, live crab, which will still have its legs attached.