Recipe Recap: How To Cook Crab Legs (3 Ways)
Learn three fool-proof methods—boil, steam, or bake—to heat succulent crab legs at home. Ready in under 30 minutes, paired with garlic-butter dip for a restaurant-quality seafood feast.
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 210kcal
Ingredients
Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 garlic cloves minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic paste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Boiling Crab Legs
- Season the water. Fill a large stockpot ¾ full with water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 lemon (halved), and 1 teaspoon Old Bay for extra flavor.
- Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Submerge the legs. Gently bend each cluster at the joints so it fits. The meat should sit fully under water for even heating.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer 5–8 minutes (5 minutes for snow, 6–7 minutes for Dungeness, 7–8 minutes for thick king legs).
- Check for doneness. Shells turn vivid orange and meat feels hot to the touch.
- Drain and rest 1 minute so excess water drips away.
- Boiling best for: quick weeknight dinners, snow crab clusters, seafood boils.
Steaming Crab Legs
- Set up the pot. Pour 1 inch of water into a large pot and place a steamer basket or a metal colander on top.
- Boil the water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add the legs. Arrange crab in a single layer inside the basket. If stacking is necessary, rotate halfway through steaming.
- Steam under a tight lid 8–10 minutes. The gentle steam keeps meat moist and prevents salt dilution.
- Confirm heat. Steam escaping from the joints and opaque, pearly meat signals it’s ready.
- Steaming best for: king crab legs (so they don’t water-log), maintaining natural sweetness, small kitchens with limited stovetop space.
Baking Crab Legs
- Heat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
- Prep the pan. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil or line with foil for easy cleanup.
- Arrange crab legs in one layer. Brush the shells lightly with melted butter or olive oil to keep them glossy.
- Bake 15–25 minutes, depending on size:
- Snow crab clusters: 15–18 minutes
- Dungeness clusters: 18–20 minutes
- Thick king legs: 22–25 minutes
- Look for steam escaping the ends of the shells—this is the easiest visual cue.
Notes
Nutrition Information (per serving)
| Calories | Fat | Sat Fat | Protein | Carbs | Fiber | Sugar | Cholesterol | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 210 kcal | 12 g | 7 g | 22 g | 1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 115 mg | 830 mg |