It is easy to prepare crab legs at home using different methods in the kitchen. Since most paws come in pre-prepared form, the only thing you'll do is rewarm them and add some flavor. Here's what you need to know to prepare crab legs using a number of different methods.
Ingredients
Makes 3 to 4 servings
- 1.5 kg of frozen and pre-prepared crab legs;
- 1 table spoon of salt;
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder;
- 1 teaspoon of dill;
- 1/4 of an American cup of unsalted butter.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Boiling
Step 1. Thaw the crab legs
Put the paws in the fridge the night before preparation and let them thaw slowly.
- While slow thawing in the refrigerator is recommended, you can defrost the paws by placing them under cold running water for several minutes.
- The vast majority of crab legs are pre-cooked. Your only real option for getting raw paws is to buy live crabs.
- Cook the crab legs as soon as possible after defrosting them. They stay good in the fridge for only two days and should not be refrozen.
Step 2. Fill a large pot with water and spices
Water should fill half of the pot. Add garlic, garlic powder and dill; after that, heat the water to medium-high temperature.
- You could use a Dutch oven instead of the heavy pan.
- Instead of garlic powder and dill, you could use 2 tablespoons of some generic ready-made seafood seasoning or whatever else you fancy.
Step 3. Add the crab legs
Reduce heat to medium and cook the paws for 3-6 minutes.
- Leave the pot uncovered while cooking the paws.
- Crab legs will only need to be cooked for heating purposes. Overcooking them will ruin their delicate flavor.
- The water must be kept on a simmer during the process.
Step 4. Serve hot
Remove the paws with tongs and place them on a plate to enjoy immediately.
If desired, you can serve the shanks with melted butter
Method 2 of 5: Steamed
Step 1. Thaw the crab legs
Put the paws in the fridge the night before preparation and let them thaw slowly.
While slow thawing in the refrigerator is recommended, you can defrost the paws by placing them under cold running water for several minutes
Step 2. Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and salt
Add 2 cups (500 ml) of water to the bottom of a large steamer along with a table spoon of salt. Bring it to a boil over medium-high temperature.
- You need to have enough water to cover the bottom. Do not allow it to touch the top metal surface of the pan.
- You could also use a large pot. For this, it would be necessary to have a basket or other product that can be attached to the pan for steaming.
Step 3. Place the paws on the steam pan tray
Arrange in a flat layer on the tray and place it over the pot of boiling water.
Ideally, you should use a basket or tray that can be placed low enough to cover the pan
Step 4. Cover and cook
Cover the pan with boiling water and cook the crab legs for six minutes.
- Bring the water to a boil before covering the pan and starting to time.
- Finished crab legs should give off a “stew odor”.
Step 5. Serve hot
Remove them from the basket with tongs and serve them hot with an accompaniment of melted butter.
Method 3 of 5: Baking
Step 1. Thaw the crab legs
Put the paws in the fridge the night before preparation and let them thaw slowly.
While slow thawing in the refrigerator is recommended, you can defrost the paws by placing them under cold running water for several minutes
Step 2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
Prepare a deep baking pan by filling a finger of it with hot water.
Since this pan will go into the oven, it is better to use hot water than cold or room temperature water. The hot water is already close to the temperature inside the oven. If cooking the ducks in cold water, you will need to wait a few additional minutes to allow the water to heat inside the pan
Step 3. Place the crab on the baking sheet
Arrange the paws in a single layer in the water.
- Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil after adding the legs.
- Note that water can be added to the pan before or after arranging the crab legs.
Step 4. Bake until warm enough and turn once
The paws will need to roast for 7-10 minutes.
Although not completely necessary, turning the crab after 4 minutes roasts the food more deeply. Place the aluminum foil back on the baking sheet before returning it to the oven
Step 5. Serve hot
Immediately transfer the paws to a plate and enjoy with melted butter and salt to taste.
Method 4 of 5: Slow Cooking
Step 1. Thaw the crab legs
Put the paws in the fridge the night before preparation and let them thaw slowly.
While slow thawing in the refrigerator is recommended, you can defrost the paws by placing them under cold running water for several minutes. Even if you don't have to run the paws under running water to thaw them, doing so could help remove any ice crystals or slime remaining on the meat. Dry the food with paper towels before using it
Step 2. Transfer the paws to a slow-cooker
Arrange the paws in flat layers inside the slow-cooker. Add enough water to cover the tops of the paws.
- You will need to create multiple layers of paws. All these layers must be flat.
- Due to the shape of the legs, an oval pan works better than a round one.
- You need enough water to just cover the crabs. Exaggerate or save too much and the paws won't look good.
Step 3. Mix the butter, dill and garlic
Melt the butter in a small bowl and mix the garlic powder and dill in it.
- If you prefer a stronger garlic taste, you can use 4 chopped garlic cloves instead of the concentrated powder.
- Since the crab legs will be cooked slowly, the flavors from the spices will have a greater opportunity to penetrate the hard shell of the legs and add more flavor to the meat.
Step 4. Add the seasoned butter to the crab legs
Pour the melted butter over the paws into the pan.
Try to spread the butter over as many crab legs as possible. You can dump it to coat the crab more deeply, but that's not necessary
Step 5. Cook on high temperature for 4 hours
Cover the slow-cooker and cook the paws until they are hot and almost melting inside the shells.
If you haven't had time to thaw the paws and are cooking them straight from the frozen state, add another 30 minutes to the cooking time
Step 6. Serve hot
Use tweezers to remove the legs from the pan. Transfer them to a plate and enjoy while they are still hot.
If desired, you can serve the crab legs with more melted butter or lemon wedges
Method 5 of 5: With the microwave
Step 1. Thaw the paws
The quickest way to do this is to place the food under cold running water for several minutes.
- The recommended defrosting method takes much longer. Put the crab legs in a refrigerator and let them thaw for 8 hours.
- It is not recommended to defrost seafood in the microwave, even if such device will be used in this method.
Step 2. Transfer the paws to a microwave-safe container
Place the crabs in a container, arranging them in a single layer if possible.
- If you can't organize all your crab legs in a single layer, you may want to cook them in separate containers. You could arrange them in multiple, flat layers – however, when you do this, you will need to stir them with a fork once or twice during the process to ensure deep cooking.
- A glass casserole with a lid is a standard choice, but any microwave-safe container will do.
Step 3. Add water
Fill the container with 15 ml of hot water for every 200 g of crab legs.
- For this recipe, which uses 1.5 kg of crab legs, you will need to add 200 ml of water.
- It is better to use hot water instead of cold water.
Step 4. Activate the microwave at full power
Cook the legs for 3-4 minutes for every 200 g of crab legs.
- For 1.5 kg of crab legs, turn the microwave on full power for 18-24 minutes.
- You may need to stir or turn your paws midway through the process to promote thorough cooking.
Step 5. Serve hot
Enjoy the warm crab legs right away, serving them with melted butter or lemon wedges.