There are few things more impressive to serve during the holidays than giant king crab legs. Your guests will surely be happy to indulge in high quality crab legs. However, serving king crab takes some preparation and know-how. Before you place an order for king crab legs, review these cooking and serving tips to ensure you are equipped for a successful holiday meal.
| Company | Price/lb | Reviews | Rating | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Seafoods | $52.50 | 1,129 | 4.6 | |
| Crab Place | $48.59 | 569 | 4.5 | |
| Fulton Fish Market | $51.11 | 604 | 4.4 | |
| Seabear Smokehouse | $44.50 | 102 | 4.6 | |
| Cameron’s Seafood | $76.66 | 105 | 5.0 |
Cooking and Serving Utensils for Crab Legs
To cook giant king crab legs, you need to have the right cooking and serving tools. You can either bake or steam crab legs. If you choose to steam, you will need a pot large enough to hold the crab legs with enough water to generate steam. You may also want a removable steamer basket to make transferring the legs easier. To bake the crab legs, you can wrap the legs in foil and place them on a baking sheet.
Serving the crab legs requires some special equipment, including the following items.
- Bibs – Crab legs can be messy, so providing bibs for your guests is a nice touch. They may seem unnecessary at first, but you will be glad to have bought them once you dig in.
- Shell Crackers – King crab legs have a strong shell, which requires a solid shell cracker to get to the meat.
- Mallet – For stubborn crab legs, a mallet is useful for breaking the shells gently without damaging the leg meat inside.
- Butter Dishes – Individual butter dishes, like these ones, keep the butter melted while enjoying the crab.
How to Cook Giant King Crab Legs
For either preparation, you should thaw the crab legs in the refrigerator if they are frozen. Taking this step helps the crab legs reheat evenly. When heating the crab, be sure you do not overheat the legs as the meat will become rubbery and dry.
- To Steam: Fill a large steamer pot with 2 inches of water, and bring water to a boil. Place crab legs in a steamer basket in the large pot, and cover the pot. Steam the crab for 5 minutes.
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 425°. Place crab legs on a rimmed baking sheet. Season the crab legs with desired flavors like lemon or Old Bay and butter. Bake the crab legs for 10 to 12 minutes, or until heated through.
Size Guide for Giant King Crab Legs
King crab sellers offer legs by the count, which is typically how many crab legs of that size make up 10 pounds. The different sizes, like large, jumbo, and colossal, each refer to how large the crab legs are, and the counts describe the quantity of crab legs you would get in a count. You should plan to have enough crab so that each person gets 1 to 1½ pounds of crab, so the number of crab legs is not as important as the poundage of the crab. No matter what size legs you get, the king crab will still taste delicious.
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