Processing Emperor crab legs - tips

Content

Resources
Steps
Advice
What you need

King Crab is one of the largest and most delicious crabs in cuisine. Because it has been pre-frozen before freezing, Emperor crab is easy to cook at home. Steaming is the most common method of preserving the softness and flavor of crab meat. If you want to cook crab with lemon and other ingredients, you can cook in the oven. Grilling is a great way to give crab meat a richer flavor on warm days. Finally, if you want to heat up the crab as quickly as possible, you can boil it in water. Enjoy the king crab leg while it is warm with some melted butter, and you will have a delicious meal.

Resources

Steamed crab legs

0.7kg - 1 kg of king crab leg
3 cups (700 ml) of water
3 lemons cut in half
1 garlic bulb

Prepare 2-4 servings

Grilled crab legs

1 kg of king crab leg
1/2 cup (120 ml) boiled water
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
3 tablespoons (15 ml) of olive oil
3/4 cup (170 g) of butter
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon parsley

Prepare 4 servings

Grilled crab legs

1 kg of king crab leg
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (55g) butter
1 lemon cut in quarter

Prepare 4 servings

Boiled crab legs

1 kg of king crab leg
24 cups (6 liters) of water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons seafood seasoning

Prepare 4 servings

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Wash and thaw crab legs

Thaw the crab legs overnight in the refrigerator before preparing them. It will take about 8 hours to thaw the Emperor crab leg. You should only start thawing before preparing to cook. If you want quick defrosting, you can place the crab legs under cold running water. While you can mostly cook crab legs frozen, crabs will ripen faster and more evenly if thawed first.
- Emperor crab legs deteriorate very quickly, so do not defrost them many days in advance.
- Most of the crab legs are frozen to ensure freshness. You will not find a lot of live crabs unless near the ocean. If you buy fresh crabs, make sure you wash them thoroughly.
Use kitchen scissors to cut crab legs if needed. Usually you can place the whole crab legs in a steamer, pot of water or a baking tray. However, the Emperor's legs are quite large and may not fit as you would like. To handle this, use a sharp tool such as kitchen scissors, a chef knife or a pruning knife to cut the crab legs at the joints and separate them into pieces.
- If you can leave the crab leg intact, don't cut it out. So not only will you save effort, but also the crab meat remains soft and sweet.
Use a knife to cut the shell to make the crab legs easier to open. While not required, this step can help you get rid of the hard shell over the crab legs. Turn the back of the leg up (white side) and use a sharp, serrated knife to cut along the center of the leg. Be careful not to cut the crab meat.
- Do not peel off the crabs when they are not done. After the crab is ripe, you can peel the shell at just the cut. You will open it easily this way.
- Do not peel off or cut too deeply. Exposed crab meat is more likely to dry out during processing. Be careful not to cut the shell during the incision.
advertisement

Method 2 of 5: Steamed crab legs

Fill a large saucepan with 3 cups (700 ml) of water. The temperature of the water doesn't matter, but make sure you only fill 1/3 of the pot with water. Prepare a steam bath to fit in a pot of water, but don't put it in the pot yet. A steamer is basically a small metal basket placed in a pot above the water level to cook food. Make sure the water does not reach the steamer or crab legs.
- If you don't have a steamer, you can replace it with a metal basket. You can also use something like a cake cooler or tin foil to fit inside the pan.
- The amount of water poured into the pot does not need to be exact. The most important thing is that the amount of water should be sufficient so that the crabs will not dry out during the steaming process while still ensuring the crabs are not flooded.
Add lemon slices and garlic in the water if you want to add seasoning. Although not required, this step will help increase the flavor of your steamed crab. Cut 3 lemons in half and put in water, then peel 1 garlic bulb, cut in half and drop the cloves of garlic into the pot.
- You can use as little lemon and garlic as you like. You can also buy minced garlic or chopped garlic yourself if you want.
Heat the water over high heat until bubbles are simmered. Boil the water to 100 degrees Celsius, when the water starts to bubble, you can put crabs in. This method does not use a lot of water so you don't have to worry because the water doesn't boil vigorously. However, you need to make sure the water is enough to boil for 5 minutes.
- Check the water one last time. Water should not reach the steamer when you put it in the pot. If the water level is too high, wait for the water to cool and then refill the sink.
Place steamed crabs and steamers in the pot. Place the crab legs in the steamer inside the pot as much as possible by lying down. You can stack the crab legs together, as long as you stay in the pot. Usually you can steam about 0.7 kg-1 kg of crab legs at a time, but it depends on the size of the pot and the steamer.
- If you have a lot of crabs, consider steaming in batches. This will ensure plenty of steam and all crab legs have the same steaming time. Crabs may not cook evenly if you stuff them too much for one-time steaming.
Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Check all crab legs when the time is up. When finished steaming, your entire kitchen will smell of crab. The crab legs will turn into uniform red and evenly hot.
Melt the butter if you want to make a crab dipping sauce. Making a basic sauce is easy, because you just melt a little butter to dab the crab meat. Melt 1/2 cup (120 g butter) in a saucepan on the stove. If you want to add seasoning, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder. You can pour the sauce over crab meat or dab the crab meat in the sauce.
- You can make a sauce or without it, as the crab legs are inherently delicious without seasoning.
advertisement

Method 3 of 5: Roasted crab leg

Preheat oven to 177 degrees Celsius. Prepare the crab legs while heating the oven. Wait at least 5-10 minutes for the oven to reach the desired temperature. Make sure to close the oven door until you're ready to pop the crabs.
- You should pay attention to the different heat levels. The temperature will affect the crab baking time. High temperatures can also dry out crab meat.
Spread crab legs in a layer on a shallow baking tray. Choose a large baking tray with plenty of room for crab stacking. Don't use a high-walled baking tray, as this can cause unevenly cooked crabs. Lay the crab legs on the tray. Usually you can stack up to 1 kg of crab legs in a tray.
- If you cannot fully stack the crab legs, you should split them into batches or stack them in multiple trays. Do not try to stack them, as this will not ripen evenly.
Boil ½ cup (120 ml) of water and pour into a baking dish. You can heat the water in the microwave or the kettle. Be careful when pouring water lest it burn. Pour water directly into the tray so the water level at the bottom of the tray is about 0.3 cm high. You may need to use less or more water depending on the size of the baking tray.
- Wear rubber kitchen gloves to avoid contact with hot water.
- You also don't have to pour water into the baking sheet, but the water will help keep the crab moist while baking. Without water, crab meat can be dry and chewy.
Mix lemon juice, garlic and other spices to season in crab. The advantage of the baking method is that you can season crabs with all kinds of other ingredients. With this simple recipe, you can try pouring ¼ (60 ml) lemon juice into a separate bowl, adding 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil, ¾ cup (170 g) butter, 3 garlic cloves and 1. teaspoon of parsley.
- You can mix the spices as you like. For example, you can add other spices like salt, cajun seasoning, or other herbs like cumin. If you love eating raw crab, you don't need to give anything.
Use a brush to spread or sprinkle seasoning on the crab legs if you want to add seasoning. Use a kitchen brush to cover all the crab legs with a layer of seasoning. If you don't have a brush, you can sprinkle the mixture on a baking tray, trying to spread it evenly over all the crabs.
- Consider setting aside half of the avocado sauce to eat with the crabs after baking. You don't have to, but this will make your grilled crab richer.
Wrap a layer of foil on the crab tray. Use foil to keep the moisture and flavor of the crab in the tray. Cover the baking tray completely, remember to wrap the edge of the foil over the sides of the tray. When you place the baking tray in the oven, be careful not to let the water in the tray spill out.
Bake crab in oven for about 15 minutes. Set a timer and wait. When the time is up, open the foil to check it. Crab feet when ripe will be bright red. You can touch and see if the crab legs are evenly hot. The crab scent will also fill your kitchen.
- Note that the baking time will vary depending on the oven type and the temperature setting.
advertisement

Method 4 of 5: Use a grill

Preheat grill to about 163 degrees Celsius. Use medium low heat if you have a grill. Wait 15 minutes for the grill to reach the right temperature. You can prepare crab legs while waiting for the hot grill.
- If your oven has a temperature limit, you can use medium heat. Remember to watch the crab carefully to avoid overheating.
Spread the crabs with oil if you plan on placing them directly on the grill. Pour about ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil into a bowl. Use a kitchen brush to apply oil to the crab's legs. The oil will help keep the crab from sticking to the grill.
- If you don't have a kitchen brush, you can either rub the oil on the crab's legs with your hand or roll the crab's feet in the oil.
- You can also wrap crab legs in foil. This is a safe way to grill on a grill and is non-stick. If you're going to marinate the seasoning before you roast the crabs, use aluminum foil instead of oiling it.
Wrap crab legs in foil if you're planning on marinating. Spread 4 foil sheets on the kitchen table and spread the crab legs evenly on the foil. Usually you can pack about 1.5 kg of crab legs, so you need to add foil if you need to pack more. Get 4 more foil to wrap crab legs.
- You don't need a foil package if you're going to bake your crab without seasoning. You just need to apply oil to keep the crab's legs from sticking to the grill.
Spread the crabs with butter and spices for added flavor. For example, you can use 1/4 cup (55 g) of butter and rub the butter over the crab's legs with your hand, then cut the lemon in quarters and squeeze the lemon juice on top.
- To add flavor to crabs, you can chop 5 garlic cloves and sprinkle them on crabs. Add 1/2 cup of parsley, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
- You can also melt the butter and pour it over the crab when it's done.
Bake crab legs on the grill for about 5 minutes. Place crab feet near the edge of the grill, avoid placing hot coals or direct heat to avoid overheating. You should keep the crab legs about 13 cm away from the heat, cover the grill and leave it as it is.
- If baking crab legs in foil, be sure to wrap them tightly to keep the seasoning inside. Butter and other spices will be useless if they spill out!
Turn the crab over and bake for up to 5 minutes. Use tongs to turn the crab legs and keep in position. Put the lid back on after turning over. When ripe, crab feet will be bright red and fragrant. The entire crab legs will also be evenly hot.
- Note that baking times can vary significantly, depending on the grill and the temperature setting. Each oven has a different baking speed. You need to keep an eye on the crab's legs while baking to prevent it from getting burned.
advertisement

Method 5 of 5: Boiled crab leg

Fill the large pot half full with cold water. The amount of water you need will depend on the pot you are using. The average steamer can hold around 6 liters of water, but you can adjust it if needed. This amount of water is enough to boil 1.8 kg of crab legs.
- Make sure the crab legs are completely submerged in the water; otherwise, crabs may be unevenly ripened. If the pot is too small, you will have to boil it in batches or use multiple pots.
Add salt or seasoning to the water if you want the crab to be richer. For example, start with 1 tablespoon of salt dissolved in a pot of water, then add 2 tablespoons of seafood seasoning. You can mix in herbs like parsley or cumin, drop garlic and lemon in a saucepan, or whatever you like.
- Salt is a useful spice to boil crab legs and helps crabs ripen evenly. Even if you're not planning on using other spices, season with salt.
Turn on high heat until the water starts to boil. Turn on high heat and wait for the water to boil. Pay attention when the water bubbles continuously. It will take a little while, so don't turn to low heat yet.
- The water should be boiling when you put the crabs in the pot. If the water does not boil, it will be difficult to determine when the crab is ripe.
Immerse crabs in water. Drop the crab legs into the water, be careful to keep the hot water from splashing. Use tongs to press the crab legs into the water as much as possible. Try to arrange the crab legs completely submerged in the water before boiling.
- Parts that are not submerged will not ripen. If you want the crab to ripen evenly, you need to keep the crabs completely submerged.
- If you cannot put all of the crab's legs in the pot, leave them to boil later.
Reduce heat to medium and wait for the water to boil again. When the crab legs are placed in the pot, the water will lower the temperature so there won't be any bubbles. Wait a few minutes until the water starts to simmer quickly again. When this temperature is reached, the water will boil the crab legs quickly and evenly.
- Prepare to simmer the crab legs until cooked. Wait for the water to continuously bubble and evaporate. Set a timer when the water reaches this level.
Boil crab for 5-7 minutes until cooked. Open the lid while boiling and pay close attention to the discoloration of the crab legs. The crab legs will turn red evenly and the smell of crab will smell throughout the kitchen. When the crab appears to be ripe, use the crab forceps to place them on a plate and eat them warm.
- Try serving a hot crab leg with melted butter and lemon juice. You can also enjoy raw crab if you like.
advertisement

Advice

King crab legs are usually pre-cooked, so you can most likely just reheat at home. Check the crabs when the timer is up to avoid overheating!
You don't need to add seasoning to the crab meat when it's done, but the crab will taste great when the butter is melted.
Crab legs can be boiled with other seafood, such as shrimp, to make seafood boil.