King crab legs are a delicious and indulgent seafood treat. Their sweet, briny flavor and tender meat make them a favorite for special occasions and seafood lovers alike. When buying king crab legs, going with frozen rather than fresh is the way to go. Frozen king crab maintains its freshness and flavor better. The key is finding a reputable source that offers the highest quality frozen king crab legs. This guide will overview everything you need to know about buying frozen king crab legs and recommend the best places to purchase them online.
Why Go Frozen?
Many people instinctively think “fresh” seafood is best. However, since most king crab legs are wild caught in Alaska or the Bering Sea and then transported long distances, frozen is the way to go. Flash freezing right on the fishing boats locks in freshness. The extremely cold temperatures also prevent deterioration and bacterial growth. Thawing and cooking frozen king crab properly gives you a final product that tastes like it just came off the boat. The process fishermen use to freeze king crab right away optimizes quality.
Another plus – frozen king crab legs are available year-round. You don’t have to worry about seasonal availability. The best freshly caught king crab is usually only available in the colder months. With frozen legs, you can enjoy delicious king crab anytime you want. Freezing also makes king crab more budget-friendly since you aren’t forced to buy it only when scarce in-season fresh product hits the market.
Sourcing Matters
To end up with the highest quality king crab legs it matters greatly where you purchase them. Simply picking up frozen crab legs at your local grocery store often results in disappointing flavor and texture. The reason is most of this seafood has been thawed and refrozen multiple times in the distribution process. The more freeze-thaw cycles seafood goes through, the more the quality deteriorates. The frozen king crab legs at typical supermarkets are also older product that sat frozen for months before making it to the store.
For the best tasting frozen king crab, you want to buy directly from reputable sellers that source only the highest quality product. This means purchasing seafood that is:
- Wild-caught in premium fishing waters like Alaska
- Processed rapidly on site
- Flash frozen immediately to lock in freshness
- Shipped frozen directly to you soon after catching
Direct purchasing eliminates quality-harming distribution and storage time It also means fewer freeze-thaw cycles Buying directly from the source gives you the closest thing you can get to fresh caught king crab without being on the fishing boat yourself!
Best Online Sources for Frozen King Crab Legs
Buying directly from seafood processors based out of Alaska is your best bet for getting premium quality frozen king crab delivered right to your door. Two of the top processors I recommend are:
Alaska King Crab Company
- Family-owned business operating since 1984 out of Juneau, Alaska
- Specializes in live king crab processing and direct shipping
- Sustainable wild-caught king crab from Alaska & Bering Sea
- Regularly tested for quality and food safety
- Free overnight shipping available
Alaska King Crab Company is one of my top choices for frozen king crab legs based on their reputation, quality focus, and direct shipping straight from Alaska waters. Their online seafood store makes it easy to order cooked, vacuum-sealed crab legs flash frozen at peak freshness. They offer a variety of sizes like colossal, extra-large, and giant legs along with king crab clusters, sections, and claws.
Great Alaska Seafood
- Family business run out of Soldotna, Alaska for over 25 years
- Local processors & direct shippers of wild-caught Alaskan seafood
- Operate their own smokehouses, packaging, and shipping facilities
- Specialize in king crab, salmon, halibut, cod, shrimp & more
- Free overnight shipping on orders over 8 lbs
Great Alaska Seafood is another trusted processor I recommend for frozen king crab legs and other Alaskan seafood. They are based in Alaska and ship frozen seafood worldwide. Their king crab legs come in a variety of sizes like super colossal, colossal, captain’s select, and jumbo golden. You can expect premium quality and flavor ordering from this reputable Alaska processor.
Ordering Your Frozen King Crab Legs
Once you’ve picked a trusted source, ordering your frozen king crab is simple. Most processors offer convenient online shopping on their websites with checkout and quick shipping. Keep the following tips in mind when purchasing:
- Look for wild-caught Alaskan king crab for best quality
- Select your preferred size – larger legs tend to have more meat
- Factor about 1-2 lbs per person when buying for a meal
- Choose overnight shipping to keep the crab completely frozen in transit
- Provide freezer space so legs stay frozen until ready to cook
Reputable processors like the two recommended will package the frozen legs with dry ice in insulating containers to keep them rock solid during shipping. Once you receive your package, don’t open it. Transfer it as-is into your freezer. The frozen crab legs will keep for up to one year in a zero degree freezer before cooking.
Thawing & Cooking Your Frozen King Crab
Follow these simple steps for thawing and preparing your frozen king crab legs perfectly:
- Keep legs frozen until ready to cook, do not thaw early
- Place frozen legs still in package in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours to thaw
- For quicker thaw, place legs in a large bowl of cold water for 1-2 hours
- Check directions on packaging for recommended cook times
- Boil legs for 4-8 minutes depending on size until bright orange
- Crack open legs and pull out delicious tender meat!
Now you’re ready to enjoy the sweet briny flavor of premium king crab legs just as if they were prepared dockside in Alaska! Carefully sourcing frozen king crab legs from a trusted direct shipper based out of Alaska and following proper cooking methods lets you experience incredible seafood from the comfort of your own home. Just pick your favorite reputable Alaskan processor, order online, and get ready for a king crab feast!
Need It By Tomorrow? Order by 3:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Thursday for next day delivery! Plus, get free shipping on orders over $300.
Sourced through trusted experts and chosen for taste, texture and quality.
Flash frozen to lock in the fresh-off-the-dock taste.
Packaged with dry ice and shipped overnight directly to your door.
Simply thaw, prep, heat, and eat.
Make It A Party: We’ve done all the work for you by putting together all the things you need for a crab feast in one easy-to-carry package.
I didn’t know shrimp could be this huge! The ones that were cooked were the size of my hand and the diameter of my thumb! They were so tasty! Everything came frozen and well-packed. Completely happy!.
This was my second time ordering from Alaskan King Crab Co. and I am overwhelmingly happy with my purchase. There is no comparison with king crab legs you can purchase from your local supermarket. The freshness is immediately noticeable. I will always get my crab legs from AKC. Although they are pricey, they’re well worth it.
I haven’t seen lobster tails this big in years. They’re bigger than any restaurant lobster tails I’ve ever seen. They were tender and juicy, and they even they sent instructions on how to cook them perfectly. Along with the lemon and butter, my order came with a few free jars of garlic seasoning. The best lobster tails ever!.
The fresh halibut was well packed and didn’t taste like fish. There’s a reason why it’s called “steak of the sea.” Delicious!.
Save $$$ Save from 5% up to 15% on our subscription offerings.
Overnight Shipping Delivered straight to your doorstep with free shipping on orders over $300.
Flexibility Skip, swap, update frequency, or cancel anytime. No hassle guarantee.
If you’ve never cooked king crab before, don’t worry! Here’s a quick and easy guide on how to do it.
Steaming a Frozen Cooked Alaskan King Crab Legs – Today’s Delight
FAQ
How much is 1lb of king crab legs?
|
Premium Red King Crab Legs
|
|
Reg.
|
|
Jumbo King Crab Legs Approximately 1.25 legs/claws per pound
|
1 lb
|
$79.99
|
|
|
5 lbs
|
$299.99
|
|
|
10 lbs
|
$549.99
|
|
Colossal King Crab Legs Approximately 1 leg or claw per pound
|
1 lb
|
$84.99
|
Does Costco sell king crab legs?
Why is it hard to find king crab legs?
Are frozen king crab legs good?
Is there free shipping for Alaskan king crab?
Get FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING on All Alaskan King Crab Orders when you order the largest and most impressive of all crabs caught in the world. You’ll taste the unmatched flavor, quality, and texture of Alaskan King Crab.
How do I order Alaskan Jumbo King crab legs for home delivery?
Choose the exact date you want your crab to be delivered to your front door. You don’t have to worry about paying too much to have jumbo king crab delivered to your doorstep, either, because shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Order your Alaskan jumbo king crab legs for home delivery today through our secure website now.
Are Alaskan king crab legs shipped overnight?
No problem. At Maine Lobster Now, we offer Alaskan king crab legs shipped overnight and delivered right to your home. Our crabs are wild caught in the cold waters of Bristol Bay and Norton Sound. Nearly 100 boats fish in the area and they collectively harvest millions of pounds of red king crab in a 2-3 month period.
Are king crab legs worth it?
Although king crab legs from Alaskan King Crab Legs & Seafood are pricey, they are worth it. The freshness is immediately noticeable and the largest lobster tails I have seen in years! In fact, they’re larger than anything I’ve ever seen at a restaurant.