Cooking Guide for Perfect Crab Legs

There's nothing better than in-season crab legs … especially when they're the big, meaty king crab kind! Fresh frozen king crab legs are delicious, and you can do so much more with them than cooked frozen legs which have to be handled delicately so they don't become tough and chewy. If you've snagged some delicious fresh frozen king crab legs, here are some tips for cooking them!

Quantities

If you’re buying your crab legs (or any other fresh fish in your seafood order), you'll need around 8 ounces for an entrée-sized serving, and up to a pound for full adult-sized servings.

Defrosting tips

Don't defrost your king crab legs in the microwave - microwaves often have 'hot and cold spots' that mean you'll end up with little cooked, chewy bits on your crab legs. Defrost them in the refrigerator for 8 hours. If you take them out of the freezer before you go to work, they'll certainly be ready in time to cook when you get home.

Cooking styles for king crab legs

Cooking seafood can be tricky at the best of times! Here's how to ensure your king crab legs are delicious by whatever cooking method you favour:

• To steam crab legs: Bring a pan of water to the boil with some salt in it; pop your crab legs in and set a timer. If your crab legs are fresh frozen, allow them to steam for 12-15 minutes, or until they are warmed through and starting to become aromatic.
• To boil crab legs: Bring your water to a boil first, then drop the crab legs in. Don't leave the water boiling - let them simmer for around 15 minutes, depending on the size of the legs.
• To bake crab legs: Crack the crab legs and brush them with a mixture of butter, lemon juice and a seasoning of your choice, then bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes.
• To microwave crab legs: Note - this is only recommended if you have purchased pre-cooked frozen crab legs. Fresh legs can cook unevenly, as we mentioned earlier.