Real crab has a rich, sweet flavor that is impossible to emulate.
Our no-fail cooking methods walk you through the four best ways to cook crab legs.
If youre pressed for time, run them under cold tap water until no ice remains.
The water gets in between the cooked meat and the shell, keeping everything moist and juicy.
Since frozen crab legs have already been cooked, all you better do is heat them through.
The most important part of this step is to locate a stockpot large enough to fit your crab legs.
Most large stockpots or Dutch ovens can fit about 2 pounds of crab legs without overflowing.
Once youve found your pot, fill it with cold tap water and add the salt.
Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, slowly lower the crab legs in using long-handled tongs.
Bend the crabs at the joints and tuck them in so that the hot water fully covers them.
Return the water to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer.
You should only need to simmer the crab legs for about 5 minutes until they are heated through.
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Method 2: Steaming Crab Legs
Steaming crab legs is very similar to boiling them.
As with boiling crab legs, confirm you have a stockpot large enough to fit your crab legs.
Place the steamer basket over 1 inch of water.
Place the crabs in the steamer basket and bring the water to a boil.
When the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat a simmer and cover the stockpot.
Maintain a simmer as you steam the crab legs until they are heated through, 5-7 minutes.
When the crab is heated, remove the legs with long-handled tongs and set them aside to cool slightly.
Most sheet pans can only hold about 1 pound of crab legs at a time.
Set the oven to the high broiler setting.
Prepare a 15x10x1-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Prepare your gas or charcoal grill for medium heat.
Clean the grill grates with a stiff-bristled wire brush to minimize the chances that the crab will stick.
Brush the crab legs lightly with 1 tablespoon of oil to keep them from sticking to the grill.
Cook them directly on the grill grates for 3 to 4 minutes, until theyre heated through.
To maximize the grills heat, keep the grill covered as you cook.
This step is really much easier than it seems.
The easier way to remove the meat is to split the legs using kitchen shears.
Using your shears, cut a slit down the length of the shell.
I always include a side of lemon wedges, too, to really balance out those rich crab flavors.
Now that youre an expert in making crab legs, its time to take it to the next level!
Host aCarolina Crab Boilwith your favorite smoked sausage, sweet corn and fingerling potatoes.
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