A easy way to prepare stone crab claws or Jonah crab claws when you want a delicious seafood dinner.
HOW TO COOK CRAB LEGS
Learn how to cook crab legs perfectly – buttery, sweet & tender! Make this easy crab legs recipe boiled, steamed, baked, broiled, or grilled.
Once you learn how to cook crab legs yourself, you might never want to order them from a restaurant again. This crab legs recipe is one of my favorite special occasion seafood dinners, along with oven baked halibut, lobster, and filet mignon in the oven.
While they are pricy even at the store, cooking crab legs at home is surprisingly easy and still more affordable than a fancy restaurant dinner. I’ll show you the best ways to do it and you can choose your preference.
MY OTHER HEALTHY RECIPES:
5 WAYS TO COOK CRAB LEGS
There are five ways to make this crab legs recipe — here is how to choose:
Boiled crab legs – The classic, probably easiest method is to cook crab legs in boiling water. It makes for tender, juicy crab meat and is great for large batches, because you can fit a lot in a large stockpot. But, this method can also be lacking in flavor because some of it escapes into the water, even if you season the water — which you should.
Steamed crab legs – This method is similar to boiling, but because the crab legs don’t get submerged in water, their flavor doesn’t seep into the water and they are more flavorful than boiled ones. The downside is you need a steamer basket and won’t be able to fit very many legs into it, so you’d have to cook in batches.
Broiled crab legs – One of my favorite ways to cook crab legs! Broiling caramelizes the crab a bit and you’re able to add more flavor by brushing with butter or olive oil before cooking. Some people also add seasonings, but most of them won’t make it past the shell.
Baked crab legs – This method is similar to broiling, but the oven is set to a lower temperature, so it takes much longer. You can use this method if you want the benefits of broiling but don’t want the caramelization.
Grilled crab legs – Grilling imparts a smoky flavor, plus it’s a great way to cook crab in the summer months without heating up your kitchen.
prep time: 5 MIN
Scook time: 5
MINStotal time: 10 MINS
servings: 4
Ingredients
2 pounds crab claws, thawed
1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 stick
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
Thaw the crab claws completely.
Either defrost in the refrigerator overnight or place under running water for 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Skim off the froth on the surface using a spoon.
Then stir in 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
Optional: Reheat the claws by boiling or steaming for 3-4 minutes (see note).
To boil: fill a medium pot halfway with cold water and add a pinch of salt.
Bring to a boil and use tongs to add the crab.
To steam: Add an inch of water and a steamer basket to a medium pot.
Bring the water to a boil and use tongs to add the crab.
Using kitchen tongs, transfer the claws to a platter and serve with warm lemon butter sauce.
Notes
Crab claws can easily become overcooked and dry out, so limit warming time to several minutes at most.
Crab claw shells are scored to make them easier to open, but crackers are still very helpful for removing all the meat.
Storage: Leftover cooked crab will last up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It should not be re-frozen.