Anyone know how EASY it is to make Snow Crab Legs at home? We love this tasty seafood treat, and it costs a lot less to make at home than to buy a crab dinner out.
Not only do you not need any fancy tools to cook snow crab legs at home, but you also only need a big soup pot and a colander or steamer insert. Get ready to enjoy a better than restaurant quality meal at a fraction of the cost! .
My kids love seafood so much! Sometimes I think they are pretty strange toddlers, but the truth is that we’ve fed them seafood so much that it seems like a “normal” food to them.
We don’t want to spend $100 on crab at a restaurant where we might be disappointed with the quality. Instead, we like to cook it at home and have big family meals together.
There’s a lot to learn today, like what kind of crab to buy, how to cook it at home, how to season it, and MOST OF ALL, HOW TO EAT IT!
Snow crab legs are a delicious treat that deserve a spot on any seafood-lovers menu. Their sweet, tender meat dipped in melted butter is utter perfection. But figuring out the right amount to buy per person can be tricky. You want enough succulent crab to satisfy everyone without spending excess money or having lots of leftovers. So how many pounds of snow crab legs should you plan for each guest? Let’s break it down.
An Overview of Snow Crab Legs
Before determining serving sizes, it’s helpful to understand snow crab legs Snow crab is found in cold northern waters like the Bering Sea The legs are long, thin, and delicately flavored with a touch of sweetness.
The legs come connected in half-pound clusters, which include the shell. After cooking, the edible meat inside amounts to about 1/3 to 1/2 pound per cluster. So a 1-pound cluster provides around 6-8 ounces of crab meat.
Recommended Serving Size Per Person
The recommended serving size for snow crab legs is 1.5 to 2 pounds per person. This translates to approximately 3-4 half-pound clusters per individual.
Here’s a breakdown
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1.5 lbs provides 9-12 ounces of edible crab meat
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2 lbs provides 12-16 ounces of edible crab meat
This serving size allows for moderately hearty portions to satisfy most appetites. Those with larger appetites may prefer servings on the higher end around 2 pounds. Smaller eaters can likely get by with just 1.5 pounds.
Factors That Affect Serving Size
Several factors can influence how much snow crab you need to prepare for each guest:
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Appetites – Those with heartier appetites will need larger portions. Older kids and men often fall into the bigger appetite category.
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Other foods – If serving crab alone, larger portions are needed. Smaller amounts suffice when paired with side dishes.
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Special diets – Guests on low-carb diets often focus more heavily on protein-rich foods like crab. Pile their plates high!
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Occasion – Special events call for bountiful plates. Plan for the high end of 2 pounds per guest.
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Preferences – Some people just love crab and will eat as much as you offer. Know your crowd.
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Cooking method – Broiling, grilling or steaming means less yield than boiling. Allow for extra.
Handling Leftover Crab Legs
Planning for 1.5-2 pounds per person helps minimize leftovers. But you may have a bit extra. Here’s how to handle it:
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Refrigerate leftover crab meat in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
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Use leftover crab meat in salads, pasta, or as a sandwich filling.
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Freeze leftover crab for longer storage. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
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Transform leftover crab into tasty crab cakes for another meal.
Tips for Cooking Snow Crab Legs
Once you’ve purchased the right amount of snow crab legs per person, it’s time to cook them up. Here are some useful tips:
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Thaw frozen legs in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
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Boil, steam, or bake legs for 5-8 minutes until heated through. Avoid overcooking.
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Serve crab legs immediately while hot for easiest meat removal.
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Supply small forks, crab picks, and nut crackers to help extract the meat.
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Offer melted butter, lemon wedges, and seasonings like Old Bay for dipping.
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Place a sheet pan or buckets on the table for discarded shells. Things can get messy!
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Watch out for hot steam when cracking open the crab. It can burn!
Indulge in Sweet, Tender Snow Crab Legs
When planning your next snow crab feast, allow for 1.5-2 pounds per person as a general rule of thumb. This provides a satisfying 8-16 ounces of delicious crab meat per guest. Adjust up or down based on your crowd’s appetites and preferences. Then dig in and savor the sweet heavenly flavor of snow crab legs dipped in butter or seasoning. A seafood delicacy worth splurging on!
How Much Crab Should You Get?
Crab legs are about 50% shell and 50% meat. One cluster of snow crab legs is about 1/2 pound.
Plan on giving each person about 1.5 to 2 pounds of crab legs if they like to eat a lot of crab.
As a side dish, one to two clusters, or half to one pound of legs, is a good amount for each person.
My toddlers will eat a bunch of them, and I’m not even going to say how much my husband can eat!
Tip: The claws are the best part! If you buy the legs at a seafood counter, make sure to ask for clusters that come with claws still on them. There is nothing more sad than getting home to discover the claw leg is broken off your cluster!.
Most crab legs you buy at the store will come pre-cooked and frozen. It is recommended that you thaw them before heating them.
Let the legs thaw overnight in the fridge if you have time. Place them in a pan with sides.
To get the job done quickly, put the legs in the sink and run cold water over them for a while. Once the ice glaze is off the side you are ready to rock and roll!.
Cracking Snow Crab Leg Sections
- Break a section of leg off.
- Take it in your hands and split it in half down the middle.
- Pull the meat out of the shell with your fingers.
- TIP: If the meat on your crab legs doesn’t come off easily, they may have gotten cold. Nice warm crab legs are the easiest!.
- If you don’t want to use your hands, crack nuts with a crab cracker. They are not expensive!.
- You can also eat the meat at the very end of the legs, where they connect to the crab’s body. A small fork or seafood pick can be used to pick it out. If you have any leftover make crab cakes!.
The claw arm of a crab has a tougher shell and is usually spiked. For King Crab and most snow crab claws you need some tools.
- To get to this part, use kitchen shears or a Crab Cracker!
- Cut the shell open along the leg and the claw with scissors.
- Pull out the meat and enjoy!
Snow vs Dungeness Crab Legs – Everything you need to know!!
FAQ
Is a pound of snow crab enough for 2 people?
How many pounds of crab legs will feed 5 people?
How much snow crab does the average person eat?
How many clusters is 1lb of snow crab legs?
How many pounds of snow crab legs per person for a boil?
How many crabs for 4 adults?
How much meat is in a pound of snow crab legs?
A pound of snow crab legs contains about 3/4 cup of meat. That means that you would need to serve 4 people 1/2 pound each of snow crab legs.
How much snow crab legs should you eat per person?
Snow crab legs are delicious and can be purchased almost anywhere that seafood is available. Usually, we recommended about 1 – 1/2 lbs per person, and if you have some big eaters then perhaps bump it up to 2 lbs per person. This also allows you to be a bit more prepared in case people end up eating much more than you expected.
How many crab legs per person?
Finding a balance is crucial. How many pounds of crab legs per person? You will need to think about the other food that you’re serving to your guests, such as sides, but you will probably want 1 to 2 pounds per person in most cases. If crab legs are only a small element of the meal, half a pound per person should be sufficient.
How much crab should a person eat per person?
There are no set-in-stone answers to “how many pounds of crab per person” but anything between 1-2 pounds will be ideal even if the person has a bigger or smaller appetite. How many crab legs for 4 adults? Each person will typically eat between 0.5 pounds to 2 pounds. Ask your friends what their appetites are like and buy accordingly.