How To Cook Frozen King Crab Legs (The Easiest & Best Way!) (2024)

Is there another easy way to cook frozen king crab legs?

The other two methods that I like for cooking king crab legs are grilling and steaming. If you have an outdoor grill, heat the grill to about 425℉ and use heavy-duty aluminum foil to create a foil packet for your crab clusters. Grill in the packet for 10-15 minutes. The second optional cooking style is the steaming method. This process involves a large stock pot and steam basket. Add about a cup of water or stock to the bottom of the pot, fill the steam basket with crab legs and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and cook your thawed crab legs for 6-7 minutes. Serve with lemon butter sauce!

What is the best way to get the meat out of king crab legs?

For king crab legs, I'm all about the kitchen shears. You can serve them at the table with the crab legs, or cut open each leg before service.

How many crab legs should I buy per person?

Generally, ¾-1 pound for each person, if the crab legs are your main entree. For an appetizer, ⅓-1/2 pound should suffice.

I forgot to thaw the crab legs - can I bake them when they are still frozen?

You can cook your crab legs from a frozen state, just plan to leave them in the oven for 25 minutes instead of 15 minutes. As always, check for doneness and add more time, as needed. Be aware that with frozen crab legs, more water will collect in the bottom of the pan as your seafood thaws and cooks, so instead of a baking sheet, it may be best to use a shallow baking pan.

What are some good sides to serve with king crab legs?

I love serving corn on the cob and boiled potatoes and using the combination of butter, garlic and lemon as a dipping sauce for all of it. Tossed Mediterranean Salad or Cucumber Gazpacho Salad would both add freshness and crunch to your seafood dinner. Napa Coleslaw is a lovely savory slaw option.

Can I season my butter sauce with more spices?

You sure can. I try to be careful that my butter sauce complements the delicate flavor of the crab meat and doesn't compete with it. But that's a personal preference. If you love garlic, add a couple of minced garlic cloves to the butter sauce and don't remove them when serving. Looking for an Asian flair, add a tablespoon of ginger scallion sauce to the butter sauce, or make this miso butter as your dipping sauce. If you're hoping for that crab boil flair, add a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning to the butter sauce. Taste and adjust before serving.

What else can I make with king crab meat?

Crab cakes and crab salad are two classics if you have leftovers. My favorite method for using up any leftover crab meat (especially from the knuckle part of the crab cluster) is to make king crab temaki rolls with miso butter. Each roll only needs about a tablespoon or two of crab meat, so it will stretch your leftovers and give you a completely different and sophisticated flavor profile. Another great option is Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Salmon - the perfect fancy fish option for your leftovers.

How to store crab legs?

To store leftover crab legs, remove the crab meat from the crab leg clusters (including the crab meat in the joints) and store the crab meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. To reheat, steep crabmeat gently in butter sauce until just heated through.

Do you need to thaw crab legs before cooking?

First, it's important to note that almost all crab legs in the US are sold already cooked and frozen. These legs are steamed or boiled and frozen shortly after they are caught to preserve freshness. So chances are, if you're cooking crab legs at home, they are frozen.
You do not have to thaw the crab legs before cooking. If you have time to thaw the crab legs, the cooking process will be shorter. But it's definitely not necessary