Crab legs are a delicious and indulgent seafood treat that can take your dinner from basic to luxurious in an instant. While live crab requires intricate preparation ready-to-eat crab legs make enjoying this decadent shellfish simple and easy. If you’ve picked up some pre-cooked frozen crab legs at the market but don’t know where to begin preparation have no fear! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the various methods for preparing ready-to-eat crab legs, as well as tips and tricks for maximizing flavor.
A Quick Overview of Pre-Cooked Crab Legs
Before jumping into preparation, it helps to understand exactly what ready-to-eat crab legs are. Essentially, they are raw crab legs that have been pre-cooked and frozen for distribution and sale. This pre-cooking process allows the crab to retain maximum freshness and flavor, as it is cooked very soon after being caught. The quick freeze ensures that all that luscious texture and taste is locked in!
When you buy pre-cooked frozen crab legs at the store, all you need to do is thaw them out and heat them through before eating. This makes enjoying premium crab incredibly easy – no messy prep or intricate cooking required! Pre-cooked frozen legs are most commonly sold for larger crab varieties like king crab, snow crab, and Dungeness crab.
Thawing is the First Step
After selecting your pre-cooked frozen crab legs, the first step is allowing them to safely thaw. This prevents you from overcooking the legs later on as they are already cooked through. There are a few methods you can use to properly thaw frozen crab legs
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Refrigerator thawing: Place legs in a bowl or shallow dish and leave in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours. Rotate and turn legs a few times as they thaw.
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Cold water thawing Submerge legs in a bowl or pot of cold tap water, changing water every 30 minutes. Legs should be thawed in 2-3 hours.
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Microwave thawing: Place legs on a microwave-safe plate, spaced apart. Microwave in 30 second bursts, flipping between bursts, until thawed. Take care not to partially cook the legs.
Once crab has thawed, it should feel limp and bendable, not stiff. At this point, you’re ready to move onto heating and preparation.
Boiling for Full Flavor
For maximizing that fresh from the sea flavor, boiling is my personal favorite method for preparing pre-cooked crab legs. Here’s a simple process:
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Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil.
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Carefully drop thawed crab legs into the pot. For under 15 legs, boil 4 minutes. For over 15 legs, boil 8 minutes.
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Remove pot from heat and take out crab legs with tongs. Serve immediately.
The boiling water slightly permeates and tenderizes the meat, while also warming it through perfectly. I recommend serving boiled crab legs with drawn butter, lemon wedges, and maybe a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning.
If you want extra flavor, you can add seasonings or aromatics to the boiling water. A few cloves of crushed garlic, lemon slices, or pickling spices all infuse the crab as it heats. Get creative with your own signature flavors!
Steaming for Convenience
While boiling on the stovetop locks in mouthwatering flavor, it can also create a bit of messy cleanup. If you’re looking for convenient low-mess preparation, steaming is an easy alternative:
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Fill the base of a steaming pot or basket with 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
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Place thawed crab legs in steaming basket or perforated insert.
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Steam legs for 4 minutes under a tight lid. Add 4 more minutes for over 15 legs.
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Remove steaming basket and take out legs with tongs. Serve immediately.
Steaming gives you that ease-of-cleanup you crave with very comparable results to boiling in terms of taste. I like to enhance steamed legs with a simple drizzle of melted butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Quick and delicious!
Grilling for Outdoor Flair
Something about the smoky essence of the grill just screams summer. For an outdoor twist on crab legs, throw them on the barbecue:
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Oil thawed crab legs generously with olive oil or butter.
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Heat grill to 300°F and place legs directly on grates.
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Grill legs for 3-5 minutes per side, flipping once.
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Check frequently to prevent burning.
Grilled crab legs are amazing served on a bed of fresh greens, topped with mango salsa or your favorite bbq sauce. I like to bring them to parties for a totally unique shared appetizer.
Baking for Hands-Off Convenience
Lastly, baking crab legs in the oven is a simple hands-off approach. Although it takes a bit longer than other methods, very little effort is required:
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
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Arrange thawed crab legs in a single layer on sheet with slight spacing between.
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Add about 1⁄8 inch water to the bottom of the pan.
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Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 8-12 minutes.
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Remove from oven and uncover carefully to avoid steam burns.
The light basting of water helps the crab meat gently steam and tenderize in the sealed oven environment. For fuller flavor, add lemon slices, garlic, and seasonings to the pan before baking.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
Preparing perfect ready-to-eat crab legs is easy with a few helpful tidbits to keep in mind:
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Check legs frequently as they cook – they go from perfect to overdone quickly!
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Consider cutting legs in half width-wise before cooking for easier meat access.
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Combine boiling and grilling by grilling pre-boiled legs for 2-3 minutes per side.
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Let cooked legs rest for 5 minutes before eating – this allows juices to reabsorb for better texture.
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Crack shells with a mallet or scissors before eating – watch out for stray shards!
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Provide crab picks, small forks, and plenty of lemon wedges for easiest meat removal.
With the simple methods above and a few tips and tricks, you’ll be ready to prepare incredible ready-to-eat crab legs to impress your family and friends. The delicate taste of premium crab can be enjoyed by anyone with these fool-proof cooking techniques. Dig into tender, succulent crab meat bursting with sweet ocean essence in no time at all! What are you waiting for – grab some pre-cooked crab legs at the store today and get cracking!
Steaming King Crab Legs
- To make a big pot steam, add two cups of water and heat it up. (There is a part in a steaming pot that lets you put food on top of the water.) ).
- Put the crab legs in the steam pot insert, which should be in the pot above the water.
- You could also just use a regular pot and put the crab legs inside a metal colander. Then, you could put the colander inside the pot and place it above the boiling water. Cover the pot with a lid for 4 minutes. It will take 8 minutes to cook all 15 legs at once if you add 4 minutes.
- Remove the crab legs from the pot. Check to make sure they are warm and heated through.
- Enjoy!
Boiling King Crab Legs
- Fill a large pot up half way with cold water.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add the crab legs. Turn the heat down to just above medium.
- Boil for 4 minutes. It will take 8 minutes to cook all 15 legs at once if you add 4 minutes.
- Take the crab legs out of the pot and run them under cold water to stop them from cooking any more.
- Enjoy!
Reheating King Crab Legs
How do you cook crab legs in a steamer?
Place the steamer basket over 1 inch of water. Place the crabs in the steamer basket and bring the water to a boil. When the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat a simmer and cover the stockpot. Maintain a simmer as you steam the crab legs until they are heated through, 5-7 minutes.
Can crab meat be consumed as part of a diabetic diet?
Yes, you can. Crab meat has mineral proteins, is rich in calcium, manganese, zinc and polyunsaturated fatty acids from the omega 3 series, which have several beneficial effects, such as lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and preventing complications resulting from diabetes.
How do you cook frozen crab legs?
– Arrange the crab legs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. – Optionally, brush them with butter mixed with crab leg seasoning. – Tent the foil around the crab legs and bake
How do you cook crab legs in a crock pot?
Place the crabs in the steamer basket and bring the water to a boil. When the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat a simmer and cover the stockpot. Maintain a simmer as you steam the crab legs until they are heated through, 5-7 minutes. When the crab is heated, remove the legs with long-handled tongs and set them aside to cool slightly.