Our no-fail cooking methods walk you through the four best ways to cook crab legs. Position the broiler pan 7 to 8 inches from the element, then bring it up to temperature. Broiling crab legs in the oven is a great way to infuse some good buttery flavor into the crab legs as they reheat. Brush the crab legs lightly with 1 tablespoon of oil to keep them from sticking to the grill. Baking sheet. Frozen crab legs. I always include a side of lemon wedges, too, to really balance out those rich crab flavors. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a seasoning mix such as Old Bay if you wish. Thanks to the high heat of the broiler, the crab legs will also gain a little bit of caramelization using this method, adding an extra layer of flavor. Clean the grill grates with a stiff-bristled wire brush to minimize the chances that the crab will stick. Crab legs can be heated in the oven in a few minutes. Cook for 14 to 16 minutes. How Long Does it Take to Boil Frozen Crab Legs. You can confirm this yourself at a glance: If they crab legs are red, they're already cooked. Maintain a simmer as you steam the crab legs until they are heated through, 5-7 minutes. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Alternatively, heat one side of your grill and place bare, uncovered clusters of crab legs over the unheated side. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Alternatively, heat one side of your grill and place bare, uncovered clusters of crab legs over the unheated side. When the crab is heated, remove the legs with long-handled tongs and set them aside to cool slightly. A Bonnier Corporation Company. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs with salt and black pepper. A few of your best options include: Steaming. Bake in the preheated oven until opaque and flaky, basting regularly with the butter mixture in the … That's not always the case, but fortunately thawing is optional. Close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes before checking the legs, then again at 2 minute intervals until they're done. Heat your oven or grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and wrap the legs in heavy foil. Crab is a seriously perishable food, so processors almost invariably cook the crab legs as soon as they're landed, and then flash-freeze them to preserve that fresh, sweet, delicate flavor. If you’re pressed for time, run them under cold tap water until no ice remains. After years of working in professional kitchens, Lindsay traded her knives in for the pen. It may take a bit of cracking to get into the meat, but don’t let that intimidate you. Fred Decker is a trained chef, former restaurateur and prolific freelance writer, with a special interest in all things related to food and nutrition. Meanwhile, keep the door shut until … That means you're not cooking a raw seafood product, but simply reheating one that's ready to eat. Let the oven warm up while you prepare the crab legs. Once the shell is split in two, gently separate the two sides of the shell, coaxing the meat out in one long piece. Since the crab is fully cooked, all you need to do is toss it in for the last 5 minutes to heat it through. Cook them directly on the grill grates for 3 to 4 minutes, until they’re heated through. The usual instructions for making frozen crab legs starts with thawing the legs overnight in your fridge, assuming you knew yesterday that you'd be having crab today. Set the oven to the “high” broiler setting. All rights reserved. How Long Does it Take to Cook Frozen Fish? Even so, they're quick enough to be an ideal option for those nights when don't want to settle for the usual meal ideas. The easier way to remove the meat is to split the legs using kitchen shears. Most large stockpots or Dutch ovens can fit about 2 pounds of crab legs without overflowing. You should only need to simmer the crab legs for about 5 minutes until they are heated through. Close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes before checking the legs, then again at 2 minute intervals until they're done. Crab legs are delicious and surprisingly easy to prepare at home. Taste of Home is America's #1 cooking magazine. Workingmother.com is part of the Working Mother Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation. The Food and Drug Administration suggests bringing all seafood to a temperature of 145F when tested with an instant-read thermometer. Boiling. Real crab has a rich, sweet flavor that is impossible to emulate. Place the crabs in the steamer basket and bring the water to a boil. Place the sheet pan 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and bake until the crab legs are heated through, about 3-4 minutes a side. Return the water to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer. Since frozen crab legs have already been cooked, all you need to do is heat them through. Once you’ve found your pot, fill it with cold tap water and add the salt. The only really effective way to find out whether it's ready is to crack a leg and try it. Once you’ve enjoyed a few crab legs dipped in some garlic butter (or added to your low country boil), you may never go back! The only problem: Maybe you don’t know how to make crab legs, and since this seafood isn’t exactly a budget-friendly item, cooking it can cause some anxiety. Once steam is billowing freely from your steamer, open it and carefully—don't burn yourself with the steam—drop in the leg clusters. Some people say that steaming is actually better because it allows all of the crab flavor to stay within the shell instead of leaking out into the cooking water. Broil for 6 to 8 minutes. Give it at least 5 to 10 minutes to reach full temperature. To maximize the grill’s heat, keep the grill covered as you cook. They can be prepared in any number of ways, including boiling or grilling. Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Baking or Grilling. Cook for 14 to 16 minutes. Boiling is one of the best ways to cook crab legs. Broil the crab legs for about 6 to 8 minutes. If you’ve only had the imitation crab that fills your California sushi rolls, you’re missing out. Bend the crabs at the joints and tuck them in so that the hot water fully covers them. Prepare your gas or charcoal grill for medium heat (don’t make these grilling mistakes). While she spends most of her time writing these days, she still exercises her culinary muscles on the regular, taking any opportunity to turn local, seasonal ingredients into beautiful meals for her family. Prepare a 15x10x1-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper or aluminum foil. This step is really much easier than it seems. The water gets in between the cooked meat and the shell, keeping everything moist and juicy. When the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat a simmer and cover the stockpot. Place the steamer basket over 1 inch of water. Keep the oven settings at ‘broil’ and keep the sheet in the oven. How to Make Easy to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs. You can use a seafood cracker, a nutcracker or a small wooden mallet to crack open the shells, but sometimes that gets small shards of shell into the meat. Once the water is boiling, slowly lower the crab legs in using long-handled tongs. You can cook frozen legs in all the same ways as thawed or fresh legs; it just takes a bit longer. Drop in the crab clusters, bring the water back up to a simmer, and give them about 6 minutes. If they're not heated through, keep going in 30 second increments. Host a Carolina Crab Boil with your favorite smoked sausage, sweet corn and fingerling potatoes. The most important part of this step is to locate a stockpot large enough to fit your crab legs. The Cooking Fishmonger: Cooking Snow Crab, U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Fresh and Frozen Seafood -- Selecting and Serving it Safely. Place the crab legs on the prepared baking pan and brush them with 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter. Heat for about 2 minutes on high, then check the legs. Copyright © 2017 Working Mother. Test Kitchen Tip: All you need is salted water, but you can add additional flavoring agents to the water in this step (like lemon wedges, bay leaves or Old Bay seasoning). Microwaving. Step 2: Broil the Crab Legs Place the crab legs on the prepared baking pan and brush them with 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter. Quick tip: Snow crab is typically sold as clusters, with some body meat attached to a few legs and claws. Using your shears, cut a slit down the length of the shell. That's why most cooking methods require just a few minutes, barely long enough to get your side dishes organized. Steaming crab legs is very similar to boiling them. Butter. Once they’re fully heated, remove the legs using your tongs and set them aside to cool slightly before handling.