King crab legs are a delicious, indulgent seafood treat. Their sweet, succulent meat is packed with flavor and incredibly tender when cooked properly But boiling king crab legs can seem intimidating for home cooks. Questions like “How long should I boil them?” and “Will they come out tough and rubbery?” are common
In this complete guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to cook perfect boiled king crab legs at home You’ll learn
- What boiling does to king crab legs
- How long to boil them
- Tips for preventing rubbery crab legs
- How to season them for maximum flavor
- Serving ideas once they’re cooked
After reading, you’ll feel confident that you can boil succulent, tender king crab legs to enjoy with friends and family.
What Happens When You Boil King Crab Legs?
King crab legs already have some pre-cooking done before they arrive at the grocery store or market. This pre-cooking ensures safety by killing any bacteria. But the process leaves the crab meat tough and tasteless.
By boiling the legs at home, you essentially finish cooking them, heating up the meat and infusing it with flavor. The hot water denatures the proteins in the flesh, turning it opaque and firm yet still tender when done right.
Boiling also allows seasonings to penetrate the shell and flavor the meat. Unlike grilling or broiling, boiling crab legs infuses them with seasoning versus just coating the outside.
How Long Should You Boil King Crab Legs?
King crab legs require just a short boiling time to finish cooking while avoiding chewyness. Most recipes recommend boiling for 4 to 8 minutes.
For best results, follow these boiling guidelines:
- Frozen legs: Boil 8 to 10 minutes
- Thawed legs: Boil 6 to 8 minutes
- Pre-cooked legs: Boil 4 to 5 minutes
The thickness of the legs impacts boiling times. Larger, thicker legs need a minute or two longer than thinner legs. Check for doneness at the lowest recommended boiling time by poking the meat with a fork. It should flake easily and look opaque throughout.
Tips for Preventing Rubbery Crab Legs
The number one issue home cooks run into when boiling crab legs is overcooking, leading to rubbery meat. Here are some tips to keep that from happening:
- Use a thermometer and boil until the internal temperature reaches 165°F
- Don’t let the water return to a rolling boil when adding legs
- Pull legs out of the water as soon as they are done
- Avoid steaming after boiling as it continues cooking
Also be sure to purchase good quality crab legs from a reputable source. Lower quality legs sometimes have additives that make the meat prone to toughening.
Seasoning Boiled King Crab Legs
For best flavor, season the boiling water instead of the crab legs themselves. Good seasoning options include:
- Old Bay seasoning
- Lemon juice
- White wine
- Sea salt
- Cajun seasoning
Use about 1 tablespoon of seasoning per quart of water. Boiling infuses the crab legs with flavorful seasonings for finger-licking results.
Serving Up Your Boiled King Crab Legs
Once boiled to tender, perfect doneness, you’ll want to serve these crab legs in a way that makes them shine. Here are some delicious options:
- Cracked legs – Use a mallet to crack legs open and serve with melted butter for dipping. Provide small forks for digging out meat.
- Crab cakes – Remove meat and mix with bread crumbs, egg, and seasonings to make tasty crab cakes.
- Salads – Chill and add crab meat to fresh green salads, pasta salads, or seafood salads.
- Etouffee – Make a creamy crab etouffee by sautéing trinity, adding stock and crab meat, and serving over rice.
- Dip – Mix canned crab meat with cream cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, and spices for a hot crab dip.
Now that you know how to boil king crab legs correctly, you can enjoy this decadent shellfish at home. Follow the guidelines above for tender, succulent crab legs your family and friends will love. Dig in and get cracking on those legs for a special meal.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
- Tip 1: When cooking these Boiled Crab Legs, don’t stack them in the pot; cook them one at a time.
- Tip 2: Most frozen crab legs are already cooked, so all you have to do is heat them up in boiling water. If so, be careful not to cook them too long, or the meat will get tough and lose its flavor.
- Tip 3: Each person should have one pound of crab legs. This recipe for boiled crab legs can easily be doubled or even tripled if you’re having people over.
- Tip 4: To make your Boiled Crab Legs taste even better, add some finely chopped garlic to the melted butter.
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How to Boil Alaskan King Crab Legs
FAQ
How long does it take to boil king crab legs?
Is it better to steam or boil king crab legs?
Do you need to thaw frozen king crab legs before cooking?
Is it OK to boil frozen crab legs?
How do you cook king crab legs?
Option 1: Boiled crab legs. Fill a large stockpot 3/4 of the way full with water, and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the crab legs, bending the king crab legs as needed to submerge as much of the leg as possible in the water. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to cook the legs in 2 batches.
How long do you boil crab legs?
Boil crab legs for the recommended cook time, typically around fix to eight minutes for thawed legs and 10 to 12 minutes for frozen legs. Once cooked, remove the crab legs from the boiling water and drain the excess water before serving with your favorite dipping sauce and accompaniments.
Do precooked crab legs need to be boiled?
Precooked crab legs just need to be heated with boiling water. They don’t need to be in the water any longer than they absolutely need to be! For the raw crab legs, the times I included on the reference guide start from the time of placing them in boiling water. Adding them sooner could overcook!
How do you cook crab legs in a pot?
The pot has to be large enough to hold crab legs that can be submerged in water, while leaving an inch at the top. You have to be careful of water boiling over the top by not filling it completely with crab legs! Boil multiple pots as needed. Step 2: Bring water to a boil. Bring your water to a boil on high heat.