Boil Crab Legs

There are several different ways of preparing crab legs, including baking, steaming, and even grilling. But one of the quickest, and surely tastiest, ways to prepare crab legs is to boil them. Learn how to boil crab legs to help the crab meat retain its flavor, and you'll be ready to enjoy them in less than 10 minutes.

Steps

  1. Purchase frozen crab legs from the supermarket, as this ensures the best taste. Frozen crab legs — doesn't that compromise their flavor? Actually, frozen crab legs usually taste better than thawed crab legs, as the thawed legs do not retain the familiar taste and freshness found in frozen ones. Why is this?
    • Most crab legs available at the supermarket were cooked on the fishing boat immediately after they were caught, and then flash frozen. Because crabbing vessels are often at sea for a long time, and because cooking helps ward off unwanted bacteria and germs, this flash freezing helps lock in the flavor.
    • Want to tell for sure whether your crab legs have been pre-cooked before being frozen? Look at their color and the package. Crab legs, usually a pale color uncooked, turn bright orange or red when cooked. If you're not sure either way, look at the package. It should state pretty clearly whether the crab was previously cooked or not.
  2. Buy enough crab legs per person. How much crab should you buy? The general idea is that if you're planning on serving the legs with a side or two, 2 to 4 legs per person is ideal as a main course.[1] Because crab can get pretty expensive, it's also possible to serve crab legs as an appetizer. One crab leg per person is more than sufficient as an appetizer.
  3. Keep the crab legs frozen until you plan on boiling them. You don't need to defrost them before cooking, and you certainly shouldn't microwave them. Because they are already pre-cooked, they keep quite well.
    • If you do wish to cut down on your cooking time a bit, of course you can defrost your crab legs. To safely defrost frozen crab legs, put them in the refrigerator for approximately 8 hours. Thawed crab legs can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days without spoiling.
  4. Rinse off the crab legs, set aside, and fill a large saucepan or pot halfway with cold water. Add salt or seasoning, if desired. Turn the stove on high, and allow the water to come to a boil. If you want to get fancy with your boiling medium or added ingredients, try out these suggestions:
    • Add a bit of lemon juice (or vinegar) to the water. This helps give the crab legs an extra fresh flavor and helps neutralize some of the most pungent seafood odors. Squeeze the juice of one whole lemon to the pot right after it comes to a boil, or add one tablespoon of vinegar.
    • Boil with beer and Old Bay seasoning. Try adding two cans of flavorful beer and four cans of water as your boiling medium. Add one heaping tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning for a little bit of kick.
  5. Drop in the crab legs and wait for the boiling liquid to return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and let the crab legs boil for 4 to 5 minutes[2] for smaller varieties of crab, 7 to 8 for larger varieties, and up to 15 minutes for colossal. Remove from heat immediately. Remember, you're most likely not cooking them so much as reheating them.
    • If the crab legs are already thawed, cook them for 2 to 5 minutes, depending on their size.
  6. Remove the crab legs from the boiling water, let drain, and serve with clarified butter. Serve immediately. In order to make clarified butter, do the following:
    • Chop good-quality butter into cubes. Over low heat, melt butter until completely melted and foam starts rising to the surface. Let simmer for a little while.
    • With a small slotted spoon or similar implement, begin skimming off the foam from the top of the butter. You don't have to get every last piece of foam, but try to get most of it. What you're doing is removing the mild solids and moisture from the fats.[3]
    • Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth or muslin and strain the remaining liquid through it. Discard any solids caught in the cheesecloth. You've just made clarified butter!

Tips

  • Most of the time, what you are doing is reheating what has already been cooked on the fishing boat. Overboiling ruins the taste and texture of the meat.
  • Crab legs can go straight from the freezer to the pot, but extend the time to about 10 minutes.
  • For cleaner, fresher flavor, steam the legs. Boiling makes them soggy.
  • There are many varieties of crab legs available, and the type you choose depends upon your own preference. Among the most popular are Alaskan king crab legs, snow crab legs, and spider crab legs. King crab and snow crab legs are more readily available in North America while spider crab legs are abundant in Europe.
  • Nutcrackers, hammers, pliers, knives, and forks are useful tools to use when attempting to crack open crab leg shells. Using your teeth to crack open crab legs is not recommended.
  • Purchase .5 to 1 pound (225 to 450 g) of crab legs per person.

Warnings

  • Although thawed crab legs can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, it is best to boil them as soon as possible. Crab legs can go bad quickly, and you will want to enjoy them at their freshest.
  • Most crab legs purchased from the supermarket have already been precooked, and you are basically thawing and reheating them. However, if you have purchased crab legs that have not been cooked, boil them for 10 to 15 minutes instead of the suggested 2 to 5 minutes for precooked crab legs.

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2011/07/09/how-to-cook-king-crab/
  2. ↑ http://www.bhg.com/recipes/fish/basics/how-to-boil-crab-legs/
  3. ↑ http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/03/how-to-clarify-butter-recipe/

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