If you’re able to seethe piddle , you’re able to make any nighttime of the workweek a special social occasion with this wanton - to - follow guidebook on how to ready crab legs .
bask the succulent gist from crab legs take aim anyfancy dinnerto the next level . We jazz there can be sticker shock when buy crab legs , and you may reserve this excessive entrée for particular night or special Guest , but with our simple method acting for the best way of life to cook crab wooden leg , there ’s no need to wait for a big effect .
habituate our tips to ascertain how long to moil crab peg so they ’re make to perfection and sure to impress . Because they ’re almost always precook , boil crab legs is a cinch for your next fancy dinner . All you need is to dish up them withmelted butter(always butter ! ) .
Credit: Blaine Moats
How to Boil Crab Legs
Thawing crab legs is the first footstep when there are n’t fresh crab legs available ( yay for you if you’re able to get them fresh ! ) . The good way to thaw frigid crab legs is to put them in the icebox overnight ( at least 8 hours ) . If space or time is an event , the best manner to thaw crab leg tight is to put the frozen leg in a cullender in a sink and run coolheaded water over them to thawing quickly .
Steaming , broil , and heating in the microwave are methods for cooking Cancer legs , but boiling is one of the best ways to cook Cancer the Crab legs and the method highly recommended by the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen . The water nonplus into the shells , keep back the centre moist , and helps the meat heat through quickly .
Step 1: Boil Water
fill up a large pot half to two - third gear full with dusty tap piddle . Add 1 tablespoonful salt ; get the water supply to boiling .
Step 2: Add Crab Legs
Add four 4- to 8 - ounce crabmeat legs to the boiling water , deflect and tucking the legs so as much as possible is cover in water supply . Return the weewee to boiling .
Step 3: Cook Crab Legs
Cook the ramification , expose , for 4 to 5 minutes or until heat through , occasionally adjusting withlong tongsto ensure they heat evenly .
Step 4: Remove Crab Legs
Remove the legs from the urine using the foresighted tongs . If desired , rinse legs ; drain well .
That ’s all there is to it ! You now experience how to churn crab louse legs . make the heart out is the material labor .
Removing the Crabmeat
Now that the center is ready , you just have to get the crabmeat out of the shell . Here ’s how to do it without wasting any meat :
Step 1: Twist at the Joint and/or Cut the Shell
chill the cooked crab branch until easy to handle . You may want to use aclean kitchen clothwhen handling since the legs have tubercle that can be sharp . wrick the leg at the juncture . Often , you may tear the meat from the shield as you twist .
Or usekitchen shearsto trim back through the shell to access thecrab meat . If you tried twisting and perpetrate out the gist but still see some odd , grab the shears so you do n’t leave any crab kernel behind .
Step 2: Harvesting the Meat
For split legs , draw out apart the shell with your fingers . Use a small seafood crotch to remove the essence from the legs and claws .
Step 3: Serving Crab Legs
When serving , keep affair wide-eyed and let the crab legs shine . you could go to all the drive of whirl , carving , and separating crabmeat legs for your guests or do ‘em up powerful out of the pot and let everyone at the board earn their fancy meal .
If the crab legs are not pre - split , have kitchen shear useable for splitting , and give each person a small seafood fork for getting the crab nub out of the shells . Our favorite escort for crab leg are lemon wedges andsmall bowls of melted butterfor dip . Figure about 1 tablespoon of butter per 4 ounces of crab centre . Get fancy with your butter by adding clean herb as we did in ourSteamed Crab Legs recipe(there are directions for another way to moil crab ramification in this recipe , so now you ’ll know two way to cook them ) .
Clarified Butter
elucidate butter is normally served with lobster , but since crab is another mollusc made even more delightful attend with butter , you may want to try on ourClarified Butter recipewith crab legs , too . Clarifying butter is a simple technique that removes the cloudy milk solidness from melted butter , leave in a unmortgaged , gold - hue butter that is pretty and delicious for plunge bites of crab heart and soul .
Buying Crab Legs
Because the crab time of year is scant and quota are strictly enforced , they are a morsel of a splurge . buy top - tone crab legs from a confide source and treat them with care . Most crab legs are cooked and frozen on the fishing sauceboat as before long as the crabmeat is caught , so frigid Phthirius pubis leg are the most common fashion to buy them .
Now that you cognize the best way to cook crab legs , do n’t forget to make some delicious sides to go with your dinner . you may make it round-eyed with someboiled potatoesorroasted veggiesto keep the crab legs the mavin of the show . Try ourquick and easy seafood recipesfor any night of the week to continue your seafood kick .
Credit: Scott Little
