Did you know that the king crab is the largest type of crab and has the most delicious taste? Since crabs are generally sold cooked but frozen, you can actually process them into a variety of dishes at home. One of the most common ways to prepare king crab legs without changing the texture or taste is steaming them. However, you can also bake it in the oven with a mixture of lemon juice and other ingredients. To enrich the taste of crab on a hot day, try grilling it! Have limited time? Simply boil the crabs in a pot of boiling water, then serve them warm with the melted butter mixture.
Ingredients
Steaming King Crab Legs
- 700 grams to 1 kg king crab legs
- 710 ml water
- 3 lemons, each cut into 2
- 1 clove of garlic
For: 2-4 servings
Baking King Crab Legs in the Oven
- 1 kg king crab legs
- 120 ml of water, bring to a boil
- 60 ml lemon juice
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 170 grams butter
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp. parsley
For: 4 servings
Burning King Crab Legs
- 1 kg king crab legs
- 60 ml olive oil
- 55 grams of butter
- 1 lemon, cut into 4 parts
For: 4 servings
Boiling King Crab Legs
- 1 kg king crab legs
- 6 liters of water
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. seafood seasoning
For: 4 servings
Step
Method 1 of 5: Cleaning and Softening King Crab's Feet
Step 1. Soften the crab legs overnight in the refrigerator before cooking
Generally, frozen crab legs take about 8 hours to completely soften. Therefore, you can soften them overnight before the crab is cooked. If time is limited, crabs can be soaked in cold running water to speed up the softening process. While crab legs can also be frozen frozen for some recipes, be aware that they can cook more quickly and evenly if they have been softened beforehand.
- Since king crab legs go stale very easily, make sure you only soften them when preparing them.
- Most crab legs are sold frozen in supermarkets to keep them fresh. Generally, fresh crabs are very hard to find unless you live on the coast or by the sea. If you can find fresh crabs, don't forget to clean them before processing!
Step 2. Cut the crab legs with a very sharp knife if they are too large
Generally, you can cook crab legs whole, regardless of the method. However, there are also crab legs that are too large so they must first be cut into several pieces to facilitate the cooking process. Use a very sharp knife to cut the crab right at the joint!
If the crab can be cooked whole, don't cut it. In addition to reducing your hassle, crab meat will feel softer and more tender when cooked whole
Step 3. Slice the surface of the crab legs with a very sharp knife so that they can be opened more easily when eating
This step is optional, but it really makes the process of opening the very hard textured crab shells easier when you eat them! After that, flip the crab over to expose its white back, then make vertical slices with the help of a very sharp knife. Make sure the crab meat doesn't get cut!
- Keep the crab shells closed and not coming off until the crab legs are finished cooking. Once cooked, you can pull the shell from the slices that have been made to make eating the crab easier.
- Do not peel the crab shells or cut the shells too deep, as exposed meat is prone to drying out when cooked. In other words, slice the shell, but don't cut it.
Method 2 of 5: Steaming King Crab Legs
Step 1. Fill a large pot with about 720 ml of water
The temperature of the water used isn't important, but make sure it's enough to fill of the pot. After that, also prepare a steamer basket that is the right size to be placed in the pot. The steamer basket is generally a small metal basket that can be placed in the middle of the pan so that the bottom does not come into direct contact with the water at the bottom of the pan. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the pot so the crab legs can steam instead of boiling.
- Don't have a steamer basket? Try using a perforated basket made of metal. Alternatively, you can also use wire racks or aluminum foil as long as they are the right size.
- The water level doesn't need to be too specific. Most importantly, make sure there is enough quantity to steam the crab legs thoroughly, but not too much so the crab legs don't get submerged in them.
Step 2. Add half a lemon and garlic to the water if you want to season the steamed crab
This step is optional, but it works to give the crab meat a subtle flavor. To do this, you can cut 3 lemons and put them in the water. After that, also peel a clove of garlic and divide it in half before putting it in the water.
Reduce the amount of lemon and/or garlic if desired. Or, you can also use minced garlic that is sold in supermarkets or use chopped 1 clove of garlic
Step 3. Heat the water over high heat until bubbles appear on the surface
Heat the water until it reaches a temperature of 100°C. After the intensity of the bubbles on the surface has increased, it means the crab legs are ready to be inserted. Because the amount of water used is not too much, there is no need to wait for it to completely boil. Most importantly, make sure the water will not run out completely even if you use it to steam for about 5 minutes.
Check the water condition one last time. Ideally, the water level should not touch the bottom of the steamer basket. If the amount of water is too much, cool it down first, then pour the excess into the sink
Step 4. Place as many crab legs as possible in the steaming basket in the pot
The crabs may overlap slightly as far as the entire surface is in the pan. Generally, you can steam around 700 grams to 1 kg of crab at a time, although this will depend on the size of the pot and steaming basket used.
If you want to steam a lot of crab legs at the same time, try doing this in stages so that the crabs cook more evenly. Steaming too many crabs at once can result in uneven doneness
Step 5. Cover the pot and steam the crab legs for 5 minutes
After the alarm or timer sounds, check the crab's condition. Cooked crab will emit a very strong aroma, and is bright red and feels warm all over the surface.
Step 6. Melt butter for crab dip, if desired
Melted butter is a simple spice variant that can be used to enrich the taste of crab! You just need to melt some butter and dip the crab meat in it before eating. To make it, put about 113 grams of butter in a saucepan, then heat it on the stove. If you want to increase the taste, also pour 2 tbsp. lemon juice and 2 tsp. garlic powder. After that, pour the butter sauce over the surface of the crab or dip the crab meat into it after the shell has been peeled.
This step is optional because the taste of the crab will still be delicious even if it is not served with butter sauce
Method 3 of 5: Baking King Crab Legs in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 177°C
While preparing the crab legs, preheat your oven as well. At the very least, wait 5 to 10 minutes for the desired temperature to be reached, and ensure that the oven door remains closed before adding the crabs in.
Be careful if you want to use a different temperature setting. Remember, the wrong temperature will affect the baking time. In addition, temperatures that are too high can also make the texture of the crab legs too dry when cooked
Step 2. Arrange the crab legs in a single layer on a flat baking sheet
Use a flat baking pan commonly used for baking cookies so that you can fit more crabs at once. Do not use a baking sheet with high edges so that the crabs are cooked more evenly. In general, you can place about 1 kg of crab on a flat baking sheet.
If you can't bake all the crab legs at the same time, try doing it in stages or using several pans at once. Don't pile the crabs so they cook more evenly
Step 3. Bring about 120 ml of water to a boil and pour the boiling water into the pan
Try boiling the water in the microwave or teapot for convenience, and be careful not to injure your skin when pouring the hot water. Once it boils, pour the water into the pan until the bottom is about 0.3 cm deep. The amount of water can be reduced or added according to the size of the pan used.
- Wear rubber gloves to avoid splashing very hot water on your hands.
- Although it's optional, adding water helps keep the crab moist while it's roasting. Without water, crab meat can feel dry and tough when eaten.
Step 4. Mix the lemon juice, garlic, and various other herbs to season the crab legs
One of the advantages of the grilling method is that it allows you to add a variety of spices to the surface of the crab. For example, you can pour about 60 ml of lemon juice into a separate container and add 3 tbsp. olive oil, 170 grams of butter, 3 cloves of garlic and 1 tsp. parsley to enrich the taste.
Use a mixture of other ingredients, if desired. For example, you can use ingredients such as salt, cajun seasoning, or other types of herbs such as dill. If you are reluctant to season the crab, feel free to ignore the use of seasoning
Step 5. Spread or pour the spices used all over the surface of the crab
Use a kitchen brush to coat the entire surface of the crab with the seasoning mixture. If you don't have a brush, pour the seasoning directly onto the surface of the crab, then distribute the seasoning manually so you don't miss any part.
Instead, leave half a portion of the seasoning to eat with the cooked crab. This step is optional, but it really enriches the taste of the crab
Step 6. Cover the surface of the crab with a sheet of aluminum foil
Use aluminum foil to trap moisture and flavor the crab. To do this, place a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the crab, then insert all the edges into the bottom of the crab so that there are no open gaps. Be careful when transferring the foil-wrapped crab to the oven so that no seasoning is wasted!
Step 7. Bake the crab legs for about 15 minutes
Set an alarm or timer at 15 minutes, then open the aluminum foil to check the crab's condition. Ideally, crabs will be bright red when cooked. In addition, the entire surface will feel warm to the touch and the delicious aroma will waft throughout the kitchen!
Remember, the baking time is very dependent on the type of oven and the temperature setting used
Method 4 of 5: Burning King Crab's Legs
Step 1. Heat the grill to 163°C
Use a low to medium temperature setting if possible, then wait 15 minutes for the recommended temperature to be reached. While waiting for the grill to heat up, prepare the crab legs to be grilled.
If the temperature range of the grill you are using is limited, just use a medium temperature. Remember, the crab roasting process must always be monitored so that the meat doesn't end up being overcooked
Step 2. Grease the surface of the crab with oil if you don't want to wrap the crab in aluminum foil
Pour about 60 ml of oil into a bowl, then dip the brush into the bowl and then rub it all over the crab. Powerful oil prevents crabs from sticking to the grill bars when grilled.
- If you don't have a brush, manually apply oil all over the crab or soak the crab in a bowl of oil.
- You can also wrap the crab legs in aluminum foil. Don't worry, aluminum foil is safe to burn on the grill and is effective at preventing crabs from sticking when cooked. Also use aluminum foil instead of oil if the crab will be seasoned before grilling.
Step 3. Wrap the crab legs in aluminum foil if you want to spice them up
First, place 4 sheets of aluminum foil on the kitchen counter. Then, arrange the crab legs on top without overlapping each other. In general, you can use all four sheets of aluminum foil to wrap around 1.6 kg of crab legs. Therefore, increase the amount of aluminum foil if the amount of crab is more than that. Set aside the aluminum foil for later use.
There is no need to use aluminum foil if the crab is not seasoned. Instead, simply grease the surface of the crab with oil to prevent it from sticking to the grill bars when grilled
Step 4. Brush the surface of the crab legs with butter and various other favorite spices to increase the taste
For example, you can manually spread about 55 grams of butter all over the surface of the crab, then add the juice of one lemon that has been divided first.
- To enrich the taste of the crab, sprinkle the surface with chopped 5 cloves of garlic. After that, also add 2.5 grams of chopped parsley or powder, 1 tsp. sea salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper powder.
- If you want, you can also pour a little melted butter over the surface of the cooked crab.
Step 5. Grill one side of the crab legs for about 5 minutes
Place the crab legs in an area near the side of the grill and away from charcoal or other heat sources so the meat doesn't end up overcooking. At least, leave about 12 cm between the crab legs and the heat source on the grill. After that, close the grill and grill the crabs without any distractions.
If you want to wrap the crab legs in aluminum foil before grilling, make sure the package is very tight to trap the various seasonings you're using. In other words, don't let the butter and other delicious condiments ooze out when the crab is grilled
Step 6. Turn the crab legs over and grill the other side for up to 5 minutes
Use food tongs to flip the crab over at the same location. Then, close the grill again. Once cooked, the crab will be bright red in color and emit a very strong aroma. In addition, the temperature will feel warm evenly.
Remember, the cooking time really depends on the type of grill used and the temperature setting, especially since each grill has different characteristics. Therefore, do not leave the kitchen while the crab is grilling to prevent it from burning
Method 5 of 5: Boiling King Crab Legs
Step 1. Fill half of a large pot with cold water
The amount of water needed depends on the size of the pan used. In general, a standard-sized pot can be filled with about 6 liters of water to boil about 2 kg of crab legs, but this can of course be adjusted according to your needs.
Make sure the crab legs are completely submerged in the water so they cook more evenly. If the pan is too small, boil the crabs gradually or use several pots at once
Step 2. Season the water with a pinch of salt to give the crab a delicate taste
For example, start by adding about 1 tbsp. salt into the water. Then, add about 2 tbsp. instant seafood condiments that you buy at the supermarket. If you want, you can also add herbs such as parsley and dill, natural flavors such as garlic and lemon, or any other seasoning you want.
Salt is useful for seasoning crab legs and making them cook more evenly. Even if you don't want to use any spices, at least keep adding salt
Step 3. Use high heat until the water starts to boil
Turn on the stove over high heat and wait for the bubbles to appear consistently on the surface. Be patient and don't rush to reduce the flames at this stage.
Remember, the water must come to a complete boil before adding the crab legs. If the water isn't boiling yet, you'll have a harder time detecting the level of doneness of the crab later
Step 4. Soak the crab legs in water
Dip the crab legs into the water, being very careful not to splash the very hot water in all directions. Then, use tongs to push the crab legs into completely submerged before starting to boil them.
- Remember, the part that is not submerged will not boil. If you want the crab to cook evenly, make sure the entire surface is well submerged.
- If there are too many crab legs, try boiling them gradually.
Step 5. Reduce the heat and wait for the water to boil again
After the crab legs are inserted, the water temperature will decrease so that the bubble intensity decreases. Therefore, wait a few minutes for the water to boil again so that the crabs can be cooked quickly and evenly.
After the water boils, reduce the heat and boil the crab until it is completely cooked. When the water starts to form small, consistent bubbles and emit a small amount of steam, set your alarm or timer
Step 6. Boil the crab legs for 5 to 7 minutes or until they are evenly warm
Leave the pot covered and boil the crab legs until they change color. Supposedly, the crab will turn reddish in color and the delicious aroma will waft throughout your kitchen as it cooks! Once both conditions are met, use tongs to remove the crabs from the water and transfer them to a serving plate to eat while warm.
Serve the crab legs warm with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon. If you want, you can also eat it directly without adding any other spices
Tips
- Since crab legs are generally sold frozen but cooked, you generally only need to warm them up before eating them. Immediately taste the crab when the alarm sounds so that the condition is not too cooked when eaten.
- Crab meat does not need to be seasoned before processing, especially since it is actually cooked. However, you can serve it with a dip in the form of melted butter.
- Crab legs can be boiled at the same time as other seafood dishes, such as crab, to make a large pot of seafood soup.
