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.
Crabs can make for an elegant, delicious meal when cooked properly. While eating crab at a restaurant can get pricey, preparing it at home is a breeze once you know the techniques. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the different methods for cooking crab, from steaming and boiling to grilling. With a few simple steps, you’ll be able to make restaurant-quality crab dishes right in your own kitchen.
Getting Started
Before cooking your crab, the first step is to humanely kill it. This spares the crab any unnecessary suffering. An easy technique is to place the live crabs in the freezer for a few hours until they are numb and inactive. Then, using a spike, pierce the nerve centers behind the eyes and under the flap to kill the crab instantly. If you’d rather not kill the crab yourself, many seafood counters will do this for you if you request it.
Another option is to purchase crab that is already pre-cooked. Many grocers sell frozen crab legs and claws that have been pre-steamed. Just thaw them before cooking by placing them in the refrigerator overnight or soaking them in cool water for 30 minutes to an hour.
Steaming
Steaming is a popular cooking method that preserves the crab’s natural sweet flavor. Here’s how to do it:
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Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot Place a steaming basket or rack in the pot
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Using tongs, set the crab in the basket, stuffing cavity side down
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Cover and steam for about 7 minutes per pound, until the shell turns bright orange.
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Serve with melted butter for dipping.
Steaming keeps the crab moist while evenly cooking the meat. The shell will be easy to crack open.
Boiling
For quicker cooking, boiling crab is an option. Follow these steps:
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Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
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Add approximately 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the water. The salt seasons the crab while the sugar helps retain moisture.
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Gently place the crab upside down in the boiling water using tongs.
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Cook for 5-8 minutes, until the shell changes to a bright orange hue.
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Drain the crab and serve with drawn butter, garlic butter, or lemon wedges.
The boiling time will vary based on the size and quantity of crabs. Keep an eye on them as they cook.
Grilling
Grilling imparts a wonderful smoky flavor to crab. It works best for larger pieces like whole crabs, shells, and thick claws. Follow these tips:
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Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates.
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Place the crab shell-side down first. Grill for 3 minutes.
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Flip and continue grilling for another 5-7 minutes, until the meat is opaque.
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Baste the crab with a garlic-lemon butter as it cooks for extra flavor.
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Serve grilled crablegs with extra butter for dipping.
The preprocessed crab legs you find at the store are perfect for quick grilling. Defrost them first before grilling.
Handling Cooked Crab
Now that your crab is cooked, it’s time to crack open the shell to access the delicious meat. Here are some pointers:
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Use a crab cracker, small hammer, or kitchen shears to crack open legs, claws, and shells. Tap gently to crack rather than shatter.
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Twist off legs and claws where they meet the body. Bend back the joints and segments to reveal the meat.
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For whole cooked crab, pry off the top shell, then remove the feathery gills. Scoop out the meat from the body cavity.
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Serve crab with melted butter, lemon wedges, or even in a salad, pasta, or sandwich.
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Store leftover crab for up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
My Favorite Crab Recipes
Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to get creative with your crab recipes! Here are some of my personal favorites:
Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce
This recipe combines fresh snow crab legs with a decadent garlic butter sauce. Simply simmer the legs in the melted garlic butter for 5-6 minutes until heated through. The richness pairs perfectly with the sweet crabmeat.
Crab Cakes
For an easy appetizer, try crab cakes made with fresh lump crabmeat, breadcrumbs, egg, and spices. Form into patties, pan fry until golden brown, and serve with lemon wedges or a tangy remoulade sauce.
Crab Salad
Blend cooked crabmeat with celery, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and seasonings for a refreshing salad. Stuff it into avocados or serve over lettuce for a light summer meal.
Crab Dip
A hot crab dip is perfect for parties! Combine crabmeat with cream cheese, cheddar, green onions, and spices. Bake until bubbling and serve with crackers or raw veggies.
With the techniques in this guide, you can take your crab cooking abilities to the next level. Steaming, boiling, and grilling are all easy methods that keep the crab meat tender. Get creative with recipes to make crab cakes, salads, pasta dishes, and more. Your family and friends will be impressed with your impressive homemade crab creations.
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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 To Cook Crab Legs (3 Ways)
There’s no one best way to cook crab legs, it’s more so preference with the methods below. Just keep in mind that you can overcook crab legs where the meat will become rubbery. So stick to the timings below.
Boiling Crab Legs: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the crab legs in the pot. If necessary, gently bend the joints to make sure the legs are completely submerged in water. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they’re heated through.
Put an inch of water in a large pot and put a steamer basket on top of it. This is how you steam crab legs. Bring the water to a boil. In the basket, put the crab legs. Steam them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they’re hot all the way through.
Baked Crab Legs: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the crab legs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes (depending on size), or until they’re heated through.
Gordon Ramsay Demonstrates How To Cook The Perfect Crab | Season 9 Ep. 5 | MASTERCHEF
FAQ
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