Preparing Alaska King crab may seem intimidating, but it is actually quite simple. Alaska King crab legs are pre-cooked and flash-frozen to preserve their wild-caught taste. To prepare at home, you only need to thaw and gently reheat
Thawing King Crab
To ensure the best possible flavor, we recommend thawing King crab legs in the refrigerator.
- Place legs on a rimmed tray. Cover with plastic wrap, thawing 8-12 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator. Remove any remaining ice glaze and rinse under cold tap water.
- If you don’t have time to thaw in the refrigerator, it is also possible to quick-thaw the legs by running under cold water.
We recommend using King crab legs as soon as they have been defrosted but they can be also be kept for a day or two in the refrigerator.
Heating King Crab
Once the King crab is thawed, it simply needs to be gently warmed before serving. Grilling, steaming, and roasting are all good options. Since the crab is already cooked, it is especially important to heat gently to avoid overcooking the crab meat.
- Grilling: Heat grill to medium-high heat. Brush legs with olive oil and place on grill. Cook three minutes, flip, and heat an additional three minutes until crab meat is warmed.
- Steaming: Add two cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. The pot should be about 1/3 full. Place legs in a steamer basket over the boiling water and cover with a lid. Heat for six to ten minutes. Crab is properly heated when it omits a “cooked crab” aroma.
- Roasting: Preheat oven to 350°F. Add crab legs and 1/8 inch of water to a shallow baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for seven to ten minutes until just heated through.
Serving King Crab
Use kitchen shears to cut open the underside of the crab legs (the white smooth part), cracking open the shell with your fingers. Pull out the crab meat, dip into melted butter and enjoy!
How to Cook King Crab_101019
