If you are a seafood-lover like we are at our house, be sure to also check out our Pan Seared Scallops, Easy Grilled Shrimp Skewers, and Maine Lobster Rolls!
How to Cook Alaskan King Crab Legs
When I was planning the recipes I wanted to share for Alaska Week in my American Eats series, I knew I wanted to make Alaskan king crab legs. Mostly because even though I always see them at the store, I had truthfully never actually purchased them before! Those things are pricey! And I felt all intimidated! Did I need special crab-cracking equipment to eat them? I didn’t know how to cook frozen crab legs! Would my family even like the taste of crab legs? What would I serve with them? (Even food bloggers have insecurities when it comes to cooking new foods!) It turns out my fears were all unnecessary because king crab legs are insanely easy to prepare! And I didn’t need any special tools or equipment. And yes, my family liked them! If your family enjoys shrimp, fish, and seafood in general, chances are these are going to go over well with your clan. And something as simple as some good crusty bread and a nice salad were the perfect sides to serve with crab legs. Now, while Alaskan king crab legs are on the more expensive side when it comes to a dinner option, it’s a great option for special occasions and celebrations or as a splurge every now and then. Just like really amazing steak or other premium cuts of meat. I did quite a bit of research before deciding to purchase some king crab legs and make it at home. Ultimately I found that there are 4 main ways of preparing king crab legs: If you want to know how to boil, steam or bake Alaskan king crab legs, this is a great resource. But since it is summer, and since Father’s Day is coming up, and since grilling is my favorite, I thought it appropriate to share how I made these Alaskan king crab legs on the grill.
How to Cook Crab Legs on the Grill
It’s actually SO easy to cook crab legs on the grill that I almost feel a little weird posting this. Except that if you are anything like me, you may have seen crab at the store (there are often gorgeous displays of them at booths at Costco) and wondered how in the heck to prepare them or who buys it! Here’s the thing: did you know it takes less than 10 minutes to cook king crab legs on the grill?! I know! I was shocked! See, basically ALL king crab that we see in the lower 48 has already been cooked up in Alaska and then flash frozen. Crab meat is very delicate and it just doesn’t ship without being cooked and frozen first. So you aren’t actually cooking so much as reheating! Here is how you do it: It’s totally okay to buy king crab legs frozen and let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Although many stores like Costco, or the seafood counters at large grocery stores, will already have defrosted them for you, which makes things that much easier. But don’t buy defrosted crab legs and then refreeze them – they won’t taste fresh when you finally get around to defrosting them (again) and eating them. Because all the king crab we get is frozen, we pretty much have access to it year round, although it is only harvested from the Bering Sea during the winter months and during short periods in July and September. King crab has spiny, hard shells and long legs that are loaded with silky, wonderful crab meat that comes out easily in large chunks that are absolutely delicious dunked in melted butter. All you need to get to that yummy crab meat is a good pair of kitchen shears. Or just steal your kids strong craft scissors if that’s how you roll. Although if you have crab & seafood shears, by all means use those. What I’m basically saying is that it’s not hard at all to cut open those crab legs and get at the meat inside. Crab legs yield about 50% meat, so purchasing 16-24 ounces of crab legs for 2 people yields about 8-12 ounces of crab meat, which is about 4-6 ounces per person. That’s plenty, I think, because it’s such a rich, succulent protein, especially when it gets bathed in a super simple lemon garlic butter before popping those large chunks of crab meat into your mouth.
What to Serve with Crab Legs
Sweet Molasses Brown BreadHomemade Caesar SaladAlaskan Mixed Berry CobblerOven Roasted AsparagusCreamy Potluck PotatoesSalt Crusted Baked Potatoes with Roasted Garlic & Rosemary ButterOven Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Parmesan and LemonOlive Garden Salad
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
