The Ultimate Guide to Making Delicious Crab Leg Sauce

Crab legs are one of the most delicious types of seafood out there. There’s nothing quite like cracking open a juicy, tender snow crab leg or king crab leg and dipping it into a flavorful, buttery sauce.

While crab legs are tasty on their own the right sauce takes them over the top. A good crab leg sauce enhances the sweet crab flavor and makes the experience of eating them that much better.

There are many easy sauce recipes to consider – from garlic butter to creamy lemon sauce and classic seafood dipping sauces. This guide will walk you through several popular options plus tips for choosing and making crab leg sauce like a pro!

Why Make Your Own Crab Leg Sauce?

Here are some of the benefits of making homemade crab sauce:

• Control the ingredients. By making it yourself, you decide what goes in. You can adjust spices to your desired level of heat and kick. Plus, you can avoid additives or preservatives found in store-bought versions.

• Fit your diet. Homemade allows you to better tailor the recipe to your diet or restrictions. Make it low-carb, keto, or dairy-free if needed.

• Save money Purchasing ready-made crab sauce can get pricey Prepared sauces are often sold in small quantities with premium pricing,

• Impress guests. Serving homemade sauce shows extra effort that your guests will appreciate. It adds a special touch to dinners and seafood boils.

• Flavor versatility. You can customize the sauce to complement different shellfish like shrimp, lobster, and mussels too. The options are endless!

How to Choose Crab Leg Sauce

There are several factors to consider when choosing a sauce recipe:

Complementing Flavors

Think about flavors that pair well with sweet crab. Butter, garlic, lemon, and spices are classic combinations. Stay away from ingredients that would overpower the delicate crab taste.

Consistency

The texture of your crab dipping sauce matters. Thinner sauces are great for drizzling while thicker ones are better for dipping. Clarified butter provides an irresistibly smooth, velvety consistency.

Purpose

Are you pairing it with crab cakes? Using it for a seafood boil? Sauces like remoulade or tartar sauce work well for crab cakes. For shellfish boils, onion, garlic, and Cajun-style seasonings are popular.

Dietary Needs

If you require low-carb, dairy-free, or vegan recipes, you’ll need to find or modify recipes accordingly. There are many ways to create flavorful crab sauce without butter, milk, etc.

7 Delicious Homemade Crab Leg Sauce Recipes

Here are some of the most popular and proven crab leg sauce recipes to consider trying:

1. Garlic Butter Sauce

Butter and garlic are a match made in heaven. This simplest of crab sauces shines with its short ingredient list. Clarified butter provides rich flavor and velvety texture. Garlic and herbs complement the butter and crab beautifully.

Try this garlic crab butter recipe.

2. Lemon Butter Sauce

For an easy lemon cream sauce, mix lemon juice and zest into melted butter. The bright, tangy citrus cuts through the richness of the butter. Lemon also enhances the sweetness of the crab. It comes together in 5 minutes.

3. Brown Butter Sauce

For next-level buttery flavor, make browned butter crab sauce. Cook the butter longer to develop nutty toasted notes. Then drizzle the brown butter over crab legs or use it for dipping.

4. Seafood Boil Sauce

For crab leg dips with a kick of heat and robust Cajun flavor, make authentic seafood boil sauce. Onions, garlic, cajun seasoning and chicken stock create an addicting dip for shellfish.

Try this highly rated seafood boil sauce recipe.

5. Spicy Mayo Sauce

Spicy crab sauce is as simple as combining mayo with hot sauce and spices like cayenne or paprika. The creamy mayo helps tame the heat. Adjust spice levels to your own taste preferences.

6. Cilantro Lime Sauce

For a bright, zesty sauce, blend cilantro, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and spices like cumin in a food processor. The herbaceous cilantro pairs wonderfully with sweet crab.

7. Remoulade

Remoulade is a classic French condiment that also excels as a crab cake sauce. Mix mayo with mustard, capers, cornichons, herbs, lemon, Worcestershire and hot sauce for an exceptional accompaniment.

Tips for Making Great Crab Leg Sauce

Follow these tips for the best homemade crab leg dipping sauce:

• Clarify the butter first for an irresistibly rich, smooth sauce. Melting alone won’t achieve the same result.

• For infused herb sauces, add the herbs at the end so they don’t burn.

• Let flavors meld by making the sauce ahead and refrigerating before serving.

• Thin sauces with a bit of lemon juice, chicken or seafood stock as needed.

• Adjust spices to your taste. Start with less and add more if needed, tasting as you go.

• Grate garlic and mince herbs finely to release more flavor.

• Add seasoning blends judiciously as many already contain salt.

• Heat extra sauce gently to serve; avoid boiling again.

• Make and freeze extra sauce in ice cube trays for easy use later.

Storing and Serving Crab Leg Sauce

Properly storing and serving your homemade sauce helps preserve fresh taste and texture:

• Cool sauce completely before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating. Properly chilled sauce keeps 5-7 days.

• Clarified butter sauce solidifies when cold. Remelt over low heat before serving for a smooth dip.

• Frozen sauce keeps 6 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before using.

• Transfer sauce to small ramekins or bowls for dipping at the table.

• Warm sauce briefly before serving, if desired. Microwave 20-30 seconds or heat on stove while stirring.

• Provide small dipping cups, shells, or spoons so guests can drizzle sauce over their own crab.

-Serve sauce alongside crab legs or other seafood like shrimp, lobster, clams and mussels.

• Use sauce as a dip for cooked vegetables, bread, popcorn or anything that needs a flavor boost!

Frequently Asked Questions About Crab Leg Sauce

What can I serve with crab legs besides butter?

Popular sauces to serve with crab legs include lemon butter, brown butter, garlic butter, seafood boil dipping sauce, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce.

How do you make a good crab sauce?

Great crab sauces start with quality, rich-flavored ingredients like butter, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, citrus, and herbs. Spices, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and mayonnaise also make excellent additions.

Is melted butter good with crab legs?

Yes, melted butter is one of the best, simplest sauces for crab legs. Clarified butter has the best flavor. Mix in garlic, herbs or lemon to take it up a notch.

Can you use real butter for seafood boil?

Yes, real butter is preferred for making authentic seafood boil sauce. Margarine or oil-based substitutes won’t provide the same rich flavor. Clarified butter is ideal.

How do you keep crab legs warm during dinner?

Use a warming tray, chafing dish steamer, or slow cooker set on warm to keep cooked crab legs hot at the table. Serve with warmed drawn butter or dipping sauce.

The Takeaway on Making Crab Leg Sauce

A homemade crab leg sauce takes sweet, tender crab to new heights of flavor. Options like lemon garlic butter, spicy dipping sauce, and herb-infused sauces are all easy to whip up with a few pantry staples. Clarified butter makes a dangerously delicious base.

Experiment with different ingredient combinations to find your favorites. Make extra to have on hand for instant seafood sauce whenever crab is on the menu. Follow proper storage and reheating methods to keep your homemade sauces tasting their best. With the right dipping sauce, crab legs become an even more phenomenal meal.