How To Cook Crab Legs

Step 1

Thaw the crab legs. Place 8 frozen king crab legs or 4 frozen clusters Dungeness or snow crab legs on a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate until thawed, at least 8 hours or up to overnight.

Step 2

Option 1: Boiled crab legs. Fill a large stockpot 3/4 of the way full with water, and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the crab legs, bending the king crab legs as needed to submerge as much of the leg as possible in the water. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to cook the legs in 2 batches. Cover, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until completely heated through, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Option 2: Steamed crab legs. Place a steamer basket in the bottom of a large stockpot. Add enough water to go1/2- to 1-inch up the sides. (The water level should be below the bottom of the steamer basket.) Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cooking in 2 batches if needed, add the crab legs cluster-side down for the Dungeness or snow crab legs, or bending the king crab legs as needed. Cover and steam until warmed through, 5 minutes for king crab and 4 to 5 minutes for Dungeness or snow crab.

Step 4

Option 3: Broiled crab legs. Arrange an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the broiler element, and heat the oven to broil. Arrange the crab legs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon salted butter and brush the exposed portions of crab leg joint or clusters with the butter. For king crab, broil for 6 minutes total, flipping halfway through. For Dungeness or snow crab, broil for 2 to 3 minutes total. The crab legs will be browned in spots and you may hear intermittent crackling when they are ready.

Step 5

Serve the crab legs. Remove the legs from the cluster, if needed. Use a kitchen towel to protect your hands from the spines, and twist the legs apart at each joint. Use a seafood cracker or kitchen shears to cut down the length of each crab leg. Bend the shell apart to expose the meat for removal. If you have a claw included in the crab leg cluster, use the seafood cracker to gently open the shell and expose the meat. Do not crack the shell too aggressively or the meat will be crushed. For the clusters, use your hands to crack open the cluster and remove the meat with your fingers or a small fork. Serve with more melted salted butter and lemon wedges.