Because crab legs are a tasty but pricey treat, you need to be extra careful to make sure you cook them just right and don’t overcook or undercook them. First, you need to know whether or not the crab legs were already cooked before you bought them. (Hint: They almost certainly were. ).
Since you already know the crab legs are cooked, you need to know how to reheat them. The goal is to get the crab legs hot all the way through without cooking the meat too much.
Cracking open a cooked crab leg and feasting on the sweet, tender meat inside is one of life’s greatest culinary pleasures. But undercooked or overcooked crab can be disappointing. With crab’s delicate texture it’s important to get the cooking just right.
So how do you know when crab legs are cooked to tender, mouthwatering perfection? Follow this guide to learn the foolproof methods for ensuring your crab legs come out done to a tee.
Are Store-Bought Crab Legs Already Cooked?
Before diving into cooking methods, it’s important to know that virtually all crab legs sold commercially are fully cooked before sale. This includes crab legs bought:
- At the fish counter or freezer section of grocery stores
- Pre-packaged at warehouse clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club
- From online seafood retailers or meal kit services
The crab is cooked right on the fishing boats or shortly after being brought to shore. So commercially sold crab legs, whether chilled or frozen, just need to be reheated. You’ll never find raw crab legs sold in stores.
Here are signs the crab legs you purchased are pre-cooked
- The shell is white or pinkish-red, not greenish-brown.
- The package states “fully cooked” or “previously frozen.”
- The retailer confirms the legs are cooked.
This prep work makes the job of cooking crab legs at home much easier!
Reheating Methods for Pre-Cooked Crab
Since store-bought crab legs are already cooked, the goal is just to reheat them until the meat inside is hot and steaming. Avoid overcooking, which can make the meat tough.
Popular reheating methods include:
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Boiling: Immerse legs in boiling, salted water for 4-5 minutes.
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Steaming: Steam over simmering water for 5-7 minutes.
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Grilling: Grill legs for 3-4 minutes per side.
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Broiling: Broil 4-5 minutes per side.
Adjust times based on the size of your crab legs. Larger king crab legs may need a minute or two longer than small snow crab legs. Check for doneness early to prevent overcooking.
How to Tell When Crab Legs Are Done
Because crab legs are already cooked, you can’t rely on the usual visual cues like color change. Instead, use these methods to test for doneness:
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Temperature check: Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of a leg. It should reach 165°F.
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Look for hot steam: Crack open a leg after reheating. It should release hot steam.
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Check inside: Open a leg and check that the meat inside is piping hot.
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Smell the aroma: You should notice a bright, briny seafood smell when done.
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Listen for cracking: The shells will start gently cracking as they heat and expand.
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Time it: Adhere precisely to reheating times based on the method.
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When in doubt, cut open: It’s better to risk drying out one piece than undercooking the entire batch.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Follow these tips to prevent undercooked or overcooked crab legs:
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Don’t cook too long: It takes just 4-5 minutes to reheat pre-cooked legs. Overcooking makes meat rubbery.
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Avoid room temperature thawing: Thaw frozen legs overnight in the fridge, not on the counter.
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Preheat cooking devices: Ensure boiling water, steamer, grill, and broiler are hot before adding legs.
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Flip halfway: Grilled or broiled legs need 2-3 minutes per side.
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Individualize cooking: Remove larger legs as they finish instead of group cooking.
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Watch like a hawk: Check often for doneness instead of walking away.
With these insider tips on determining crab leg doneness, you’ll be a pro at perfectly reheating those pre-cooked crab legs every time. Now get cracking!
How to Reheat Cooked Crab Legs
If you don’t want to eat the crab legs cold, you’ll need to boil, steam, grill, or broil them to warm them up. How long it takes to cook will depend on the method you choose and how heavy the crab legs are. Snow crab legs are light and clustered together, while king crab legs that are an arm’s length can weigh up to 1 pound. But keep in mind that the reheating time should be between 5 and 10 minutes at most. If you do it longer, the crab meat could get too cooked and go bad. Don’t forget that crab legs are already cooked; just heat the meat through without cooking it any more.
If the crab legs are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. For medium-sized crab legs that weigh 4 to 8 ounces, boil them in salted water for four to five minutes. Steaming them takes a few minutes longer. Broil or grill crab legs for three to four minutes per side. To cook crab legs that are bigger or smaller, add or take away a minute or two from each method.
Is the Crab You Bought Already Cooked?
If you bought crab legs from a fishmonger, a market’s fish counter, or a package in the frozen food section of the store, they are definitely already cooked. Whether you buy them cold or frozen, king, snow, stone, or any other type of crab legs, this is always the case. Fried and quickly frozen crab legs that are caught for sale are made as soon as the crabs are caught, sometimes right on the boat or as soon as they get to the docks.
Furthermore, you should never purchase uncooked crab legs. Whole, live crabs with their legs still attached are the only safe way to sell crab that hasn’t been cooked. If you’re not sure if crab legs are cooked, look at the shell. Raw crab has a greenish-brown shell, while cooked crab has a white and pink or reddish shell. Another way to tell if crab legs are fully cooked is to look at the packaging or ask the fishmonger.
How do you know when crab legs are done?
How do I know if my crab legs are cooked?
You can also check the crab leg packaging or ask the fishmonger if the crab legs you’re buying are fully cooked. Unless you want to eat the crab legs chilled, you’ll need to reheat them by boiling, steaming, grilling or broiling.
How do you cook crab legs?
You can cook crab legs using boiling, steaming, or broiling methods (our recipe below shows you all three!). Each method results in tender and juicy crabmeat. Boiling requires a large pot and time to bring water to a boil.
How do you cook frozen crab legs?
To cook frozen crab legs, place 4 crab leg clusters on a baking sheet and onto the center rack of a preheated oven at 450˚F for 25 minutes. Alternatively, if thawed, cook for 15 minutes. The crab legs are ready when you open the foil pack and they are steaming.
How to cook snow crab legs?
Before you start cooking, it’s essential to choose high-quality snow crab legs. Boiling is perhaps the most straightforward method for cooking snow crab legs, ensuring they stay juicy and flavorful. Start by filling a large pot halfway with water and bringing it to a boil. Season the boiling water with salt and Old Bay seasoning.