Cooking crab legs can be intimidating. They are expensive and you don’t want to overcook them! But the truth is, it’s actually so easy to make the perfect crab leg. They can be baked, boiled, steamed, or grilled. This food is so fun to make and eating them creates a great way to socialize with friends and family.
Snow CrabThese have the smallest legs but a sweet, delicate meat. The shell is soft and some people can crack the shell without any tools. This crab leg texture is a little more firm than other crab leg textures.
Dungeness CrabCompared to King Crab, these legs have a sweeter, more mild flavor and are smaller in size. They have a very hard shell that requires tools to break.
King CrabThe most popular crab legs because of their size and delicious meat, these legs can grow up to 10 pounds in size. The meat is delicate and sweet and tastes perfect dipped in butter. The shell is hard and spikey.
Bake – preheat the oven and place the crab legs in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.
Prepare the butter – while the crab is baking in the oven, you can make the butter dipping sauce. In a saucepan, melt butter and cook garlic. Add Old Bay, sugar, and lemon juice. Filter the mixture with a coffee filter or cheese cloth.
Serve– when the crab is done baking, serve warm with the butter dip and plenty of lemon wedges.
To Grill Crab Legs: heat your grill and brush your crab legs with oil, both sides. Place the crab legs on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning once.
For certain types of crab, like Snow Crab legs, you can crack them open and get the meat out without using any type of tools because the shell is softer. However, for crab like King Crab, you definitely want some tools to make it easier. That’s where these shell crackers come in. I love the set I have because it also includes scissors, which are really handy for cutting up the side of a particularly thick and spiky King Crab shell. But like I said, the fun and satisfaction is in picking every last bit of meat out of that shell! Enjoy 🙂
Tips and Suggestions
Enjoy hot or cold – I like my crab warm when I eat it but others like to have it chilled. They are delicious at any temperature. If you want it chilled, place the legs in an ice water bath after cooking and they will cool quickly.
Storing and reheating – be sure to wrap up leftovers tightly within 2 hours of cooking. Leftovers last 3-4 days when properly stored in the fridge (according to the USDA). To reheat leftovers, you can reheat in the air fryer at 380℉ for 3-5 minutes. This method will reheat any type of cooked crab leg. It’s better not to microwave leftovers. The crab meat tends to turn rubbery in the microwave.
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