How Long to Grill King Crab Legs for Perfectly Cooked Seafood

King crab legs are a delicious and impressive seafood choice. Their sweet, briny flavor pairs nicely with a bit of smoke from the grill. However, king crab legs do require some special handling when cooking. Undercook them and they’ll be gummy and unappetizing Overcook them and the meat dries out So how long should you grill king crab legs to achieve crab meat that is tender, moist, and full of flavor?

Factors That Affect Grill Time

Several factors impact just how long it takes to grill king crab legs

• Thickness of the legs – Thicker legs will take longer to cook through than thinner legs.

• Frozen vs thawed – Frozen crab legs require more grill time than thawed ones. Thawing first allows for more even cooking.

• Direct vs indirect heat – Cooking over direct high heat cooks faster than indirect, lower heat.

• Cut vs uncut – Cutting through the shell exposes more surface area, reducing cook time.

• Grill temperature – Higher heat grills faster than lower temperature.

• Use of a pan or packet – Enclosing the legs in foil or a pan traps heat and moisture, speeding cooking.

Taking these factors into account will help you determine the best grill time for your particular batch of king crab legs.

Recommended Grill Times

Here are some general guidelines for how long to grill king crab legs:

• Thawed, uncut legs over direct high heat: 8-12 minutes
• Thawed, cut legs over direct high heat: 6-10 minutes
• Frozen, uncut legs over indirect medium heat: 16-20 minutes
• Frozen, cut legs over indirect medium heat: 12-16 minutes
• Thawed legs in a foil packet over direct medium heat: 15-18 minutes

No matter which method you use, turn the legs halfway through grilling. This ensures even exposure to the heat source.

Judging Doneness

Appearance and texture are the best ways to tell when king crab legs are cooked to tender perfection.

• The shells turn bright red-orange when done. Watch for this color change.

• The meat becomes opaque and milky white when fully cooked.

• Press the thickest part of the leg with tongs or a spatula. When cooked through, the meat feels firm yet yields slightly.

• Try lifting a section of shell. It should pull away easily when the crab is finished grilling.

Use these visual and textural cues, along with the recommended grill times, to determine when your king crab legs are ready.

Step-By-Step Grilling Instructions

Follow these simple steps for flawlessly grilled king crab legs every time:

1. Thaw Frozen Legs

Always thaw frozen king crab legs before grilling. Place them in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours. The slow thaw helps maintain quality.

2. Prepare the Legs

Rinse thawed legs under cool water and pat dry. Using kitchen shears, cut lengthwise through the bottom shell. This exposes more meat for faster, more even cooking.

3. Brush With Oil or Butter

Coat both sides of each leg with olive oil, melted butter, or a combination. This keeps the meat moist and prevents sticking.

4. Season As Desired

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon pepper, or other favorite seasonings.

5. Preheat the Grill

For direct high heat, preheat to 400-450°F. For indirect medium heat, preheat to 325-350°F. Arrange coals or burners for center direct or outer indirect as needed.

6. Grill The Legs

Place legs directly over fire or to the sides, meaty-side down first. Grill approximately 8-10 minutes per side, turning halfway. Watch for shell color change.

7. Check for Doneness

After total recommended time, check doneness. Look for opaque, milky meat and shells pulling away easily. Grill 1-2 minutes more if needed.

8. Serve and Enjoy!

Transfer grilled king crab legs to a platter. Add lemon wedges, melted butter, or dipping sauce. Now dig into the sweet, smoky seafood!

So for tender, juicy king crab legs off the grill, allow 8-12 minutes over direct high heat, or 15-20 minutes indirect, depending on whether they are thawed and cut. Checking appearance and texture will confirm when they’re perfectly done. Use these grilling times and techniques for king crab legs cooked to succulent perfection.

Grilling King Crab Legs In Foil Packets

Cooking king crab legs in foil packets on the grill is a foolproof method. The sealed environment traps heat and moisture, steaming the crab gently inside its own juices. Here are some tips for grilling king crab legs in foil:

• Use heavy-duty aluminum foil to make packets. Two large legs fit per packet.

• Always start with thawed legs. Frozen will take too long to cook through.

• Add seasonings before sealing the foil. Try garlic powder, lemon pepper, parsley, grated lemon zest, or Old Bay seasoning.

• For each packet, place legs atop a pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.

• Cut slits in the bottom shell before sealing to expose more meat.

• Grill foil packets over direct medium heat with lid closed.

• Cook approximately 15-20 minutes, turning packets halfway through.

• Check for doneness by opening a packet and inspecting the crab legs.

• Be careful when opening the foil as hot steam will release.

Grilling king crab legs in sealed foil lets you infuse lots of flavor. The moist environment gives you tender meat with minimal effort.

Tips for Perfectly Grilled King Crab Legs

• Always grill thawed king crab legs. Frozen takes too long, drying out the meat.

• Cut lengthwise through the bottom shell before grilling for more even cooking.

• Grill over direct high heat for 8-12 minutes per side for cut, thawed legs.

• Use indirect medium heat for frozen legs, cooking about 16-20 minutes total.

• Enclose in foil packets over direct medium heat to steam and add flavor.

• Check for doneness by looking for opaque meat, red shells, and flexibility when pressed.

Mastering these simple tricks ensures you serve succulent, sweet king crab legs off the grill every time. Now that you know exactly how long to grill them, enjoy this impressive appetizer or entree. Just add melted butter, lemon, or dipping sauce for seafood perfection.