Table of Contents
What Does King Crab Taste Like?
Rich, soft, and briny, king crab is reminiscent more of lobster than of crab. The meat is also easy to extract and fills the shells, which gives you a good amount of meat per pound — unlike most other crabs.
How To Cook King Crab
There are a few ways to cook a king crab legs. I prefer not to boil crab legs because they can easily become waterlogged, which reduces the flavor. My favorite methods are steaming and baking and both are so easy to do!
How to Steam King Crab Legs
- Add a basket to a large pot along with a few cups of water.
- Add the crab legs to the basket. Feel free to bend them at the joint to make them fit.
- Place the lid of the pot on. If the lid does not fit because of the basket, place foil over top of the pot and crimp the edges to seal and steam.
- Steam for about 5-7 minutes.
*Note: Crab legs always come precooked on the crabbing boat or the fishing pier upon being caught, so the goal of steaming is to rehear rather than cook through.
How to Bake King Crab Legs
- Lay the crab legs on a large sheet of foil. Bring up the sides of the foil and crimp them together to form a sealed package.
- Transfer the foil-wrapped crab legs to a sheet tray and place in the oven at 400˚F for 15 – 18 minutes.
- Remove from the foil package from the oven and discard the foil.
How to Serve King Crab Legs
- Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the crab leg at the joint and along the leg to expose the meat.
- Add the cut crab legs (with the shells on) to a plate with a side of melted butter, lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley.
Tips and Tricks for Preparing Crab Before Cooking
- If using frozen king cab legs, there’s no need to thaw before cooking. Just increase the steaming time to 10 minutes.
- You can cut the legs into 2 to 3-inch pieces before cooking. Use kitchen shears and snip between joints for easier cutting and eating.
- Remember that king crab legs are sold already cooked. Be sure not to steam them too long or you can overcook them.
If you love this recipe, you would love this 6 Seafoods You’ll Instantly Fall In Love With. Who would have thought that preparing this fancy dish could be so simple? There’s no reason to be intimidated, so give this a try in your own kitchen today!
Classic King Crab
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds Alaskan king crab legs and claws
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- Lemon wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small pan on a stove and keep warm on the lowest setting.
- Set a steamer tray inside a large pot and pour enough water inside to steam the crab. Remember, you are only reheating the crab, so you will only need about an inch of water, tops. Bring this to a boil before laying the crab legs on the steamer. Cover the pot and steam for 5 minutes.
- Remove the crab legs and use kitchen shears to cut the shells. You can either totally remove the meat from the shell or just get each one started for your guests. Serve with the melted butter and lemon wedges on the side.
