There are three easy ways to cook crab legs: boiling, steaming, and baking. In less than 10 minutes, each method will give you perfectly warmed crab meat. There are also lots of tips in this post on how to choose and cook the most common types of crab legs.
Fresh crab is every seafood lover’s dream. And the good news is that crab is super easy to cook at home. Why? Because the crab you purchase from your local fishmonger is already pre-cooked and frozen. Many people don’t realize this. But crab is immediately cooked and flash-frozen to preserve its freshness when it’s caught. That means all you have to do to cook crab is warm up the legs, which only takes a few minutes!
You can dip crab in a tasty sauce (I’ll talk more about that below), or you can use fresh crab as a protein in crab salad, bowls, and other things. It’s easy to make a crab boil dinner that looks fancy but is actually very simple because the crab is already cooked.
Cooking crab at home can seem intimidating, but it’s actually quite simple with the right techniques Whether you want steamed, boiled, or grilled crab, these easy methods will have you serving up tender, sweet crab meat in no time.
Getting Started
The first step is getting your hands on some fresh crab You can buy them live or fresh from the seafood counter or market If you don’t want the hassle of dealing with live crab, you can also use thawed, pre-cooked frozen crab legs and claws. Just make sure they are fresh and firm when thawed.
For live crabs, you’ll need to humanely kill them before cooking An easy way is to place them in the freezer for several hours until they are unconscious and numb to pain Then, spike the nerve centers quickly to kill them – one under the flap on the back and another in the front depression. Now they are ready to cook immediately.
Steaming
Steaming is a quick, easy and flavorful way to cook crab. Fill a large pot with an inch of water and bring to a boil. Place your crabs on a steaming rack or coil of foil and set in the pot. Cover and steam for about 7 minutes per pound. Use tongs to carefully transfer the cooked crabs to a colander to drain and cool.
The gentle steam heat keeps the crab meat tender and sweet. Adding herbs or spices to the steaming liquid infuses extra flavor. Steamed crab is perfect for serving with melted butter or sauce.
Boiling
For boiled crab, choose a large pot filled with enough water to cover the crabs by 2-3 inches. Bring the water to a rolling boil and carefully submerge the crabs. Cover and boil for 15-20 minutes based on size. Reduce heat and simmer gently to prevent overcooking.
Boiling cooks the crab quickly, but can toughen the meat if boiled too long. Check it frequently and remove the crab as soon as it is opaque and cooked through. Drain and serve with drawn butter or dipping sauces.
Grilling
Grilling draws out the natural sweetness of fresh crab and adds charred flavor. Heat your grill to high and lightly coat the crab with oil to prevent sticking. Grill 8-10 minutes per side depending on size. Baste with sauce or melted butter in the last few minutes.
Cracking the shells before grilling allows more smoky flavor to penetrate. Grilled crab is amazing served on its own or in tacos, salads, pasta and more. It’s easy to grill up fresh crab for seafood appetizers after coming home with a big catch.
Serving Suggestions
No matter how you cook your crab, a simple lemon or garlic butter sauce takes it to the next level. Just melt butter with minced garlic, lemon juice, parsley and pepper. Dip the hot crab meat right in for seafood perfection.
For easy cleanup, use crab crackers and picks to extract the meat while avoiding shards of shell. Provide small dishes for empty shells and plenty of napkins. You can also serve crab pre-cracked if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty.
Crab cakes are an elegant way to use up leftover crab. Combine cooked crab meat with breadcrumbs, egg, mayo, onion and spices. Form into patties and pan fry until golden. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce for amazing crab sandwiches.
For special occasions, stuffed baked crab makes an impressive presentation. Fill crab shells with a mixture of crab meat, bread crumbs, clams, cheese and herbs. Bake until hot and bubbly for a decadent meal.
With these simple cooking methods, you can enjoy restaurant-quality crab without leaving home. Try steaming for pure, delicate flavor or boiling for convenience. Grill crab on summer nights for added sizzle. However you choose to cook your crab, follow these tips for tender, juicy results.
How To Eat Crab Legs
While you may need a crab cracker to break open King crab and Dungeness crab legs, your hands are likely all you’ll need for Snow crab. Just break the crab leg at the joint, then press down with your thumb to crack open the middle of the leg shell. Pull off one side of the shell and you should be able to pull the crab meat right out.
- To serve, have a sauce for dipping, lemon wedges for squeezing lemon juice on top, and maybe a pinch of old bay spice. For an easy and tasty way to enjoy fresh crab legs and bring out their natural flavor, try this recipe! You could also save the crab meat and make these crab-stuffed mushrooms for the best holiday appetizer!
- For the crab dipping sauce, melt unsalted butter in a small bowl and mix in fresh garlic, lemon juice, and salt. This easy mix goes well with any seafood, but it goes especially well with fresh crab. Reference the above for dipping sauce ingredients!.
How Many Crab Legs Per Person?
You need to know how many crab legs each person will need for your seafood or crab boil. A simple way to figure this out is to remember that two to three clusters of crab legs weigh one pound. Each cluster includes crab legs, a claw, and a part of the shoulder.
Then, guess that each person will need about one pound, plus two pounds for someone who is really hungry or for seafood lovers at the table. If you’re making a “surf and turf” meal with filet mignon, 5 pounds is plenty.
Helpful tip: There’s a bit more meat in king crab legs compared to other varieties. So if you’ve got big seafood eaters, this could be a great option to buy with fewer legs.
Cooking Tips: How to Prepare Crab
FAQ
How to cook crab for beginners?
Which cooking method is best for crab?
How long do you boil a crab for?
How do you cook fresh crab in the shell?
How do you cook a 1kg crab?
To cook a 1kg crab, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil – use 30g of salt per litre of water. Place the crab in the boiling water and cook for 8–10 minutes. Remove the crab from the water and let it cool before preparing. Do not put the crab into iced water as this will cause it to become waterlogged.
How do you cook a live crab?
To cook a live crab, bring a large pot of water to a raging boil and add salt if desired. Place the live crab directly into the boiling water, then cover with the lid. Cook for 12 minutes.
How do you cook a king crab?
To cook a king crab, place it in a baking dish with a bit of water, cover with foil, and bake for about 15-20 minutes if it’s not pre-cooked. If the king crab is pre-cooked and frozen, heat it through by boiling for approximately 5-7 minutes. Heat through king crab in a baking dish or boiling water. Post-cooking, clean the crab by removing and discarding the gills and mandible. Optionally, clean out the tomalley.
How long do you cook a 2 pound crab?
Let the crabs steam for 1 minute. You should reduce the heat to medium-high and let the crab keep steaming until it’s cooked (about 15 more minutes for 2 pounds of crab). You can figure your cooking time as being about 7 minutes for each pound of crab that you’re steaming. Remove the crabs. Lift the crabs out of the pot using your tongs.