Learn the best way to cook tender, juicy king crab legs for fun and festive meals any time of year. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, birthday celebrations, and “just because” special dinners.

If you want to make a statement, king crab legs will do it. The massive crustaceans, which are caught in the cold waters of the Pacific and Artic Oceans, will transform any meal into a festive occasion.

For all their fancy appeal, however, they are incredibly easy to prepare. To best preserve that just-caught flavor, king crab legs are generally sold pre-cooked and frozen. So, preparing them is simply a matter of thawing and reheating.

The best way to thaw the crab legs is overnight (or 8-12 hours) in the refrigerator. Keep them covered. If you don’t have time, you can quick-thaw the legs by running them under cold water.

Note that, for the sake of convenience, some grocery stores sell the legs already thawed. Thawed crab legs will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Once thawed, it is best not to refreeze them as the texture will degrade, becoming stringy and dry.

Fun fact: The average Alaskan king crab weighs between six and eight pounds, but red king crabs can grow to be really large – up to 24 pounds with a leg span of five feet!

Crab legs are also what my family calls “fun food,” which basically means that they take time – and a little effort – to eat. The shells are spiny but softer than blue crab shells, so seafood crackers or kitchen shears can be your tool of choice for removing the flavorful meat.

Other types of crab claws are available as well…

Stone crabs: When caught, stone crabs are removed from the traps and one large claw is taken. The live crab is then returned to the ocean, and a new claw will regrow. The season for fresh stone crab claws runs from mid-October to the end of April. Frozen stone crab claws are available year-round.
King crabs may be large, but only about one-fourth of this crustacean is edible, primarily the legs and claws. In Alaska, the season usually runs between October and January, but as with stone crabs, frozen king crab claws are available year-round.
Snow crabs are smaller than king crabs, but larger than stone crabs. They have edible meat in the legs, claws, and between the legs and body.
Rock crabs are plentiful along the Pacific Northwest coastline of the United States and are similar to snow crabs. Most of their edible meat is in the giant crusher claws.
Dungeness crabs are like jumbo blue crabs – there is edible meat in the body and legs, and much like a lobster, one per diner is plenty. They are typically available during the fall and spring.

What is a serving size? How many legs/pounds per person?

Crab legs are pricy, so I typically plan on two large claws per person (or at least one pound total) and serve with a hearty side or two. The guys in my family could easily eat three or four claws, but they don’t feel deprived with two.

Note that the number of legs per pound will vary: You’ll average two legs per pound with large crabs, 1½ legs with jumbo, and 1 leg per pound with colossal crabs.

How much do king crab legs cost?

Note that this price will fluctuate, but I recently priced king crab claws at Wegmans, and they were $36 per pound. (Certain times of year, the crab legs are displayed on ice in the seafood department; 2-pound boxes are available in the seafood freezer all year round.) Costco came in at $33 per pound. Both were nice big claws that were not broken in half. Even if some are broken, they tend to break at the joint (so the meat is still covered) and will still taste great.

What is the best method for cooking crab legs?

Remember, we are actually just heating the crab claws, because they are always sold cooked. There are three excellent options, and you can choose depending on whether you prefer to use your oven, stovetop, or grill. I mention a fourth option for convenience, noting why it’s my least favorite method.

The first way to preserve the flavor and texture of the succulent meat is to steam the legs in a small amount of water for about 5 minutes. Steaming allows for the even transfer of heat. It’s also fuss-free and easy, so long as you have a large stock pot. Note that the precise amount of time will depend on how big the legs are. Boiling can make the crab legs waterlogged, which dampens the flavor.
The second preferred method is to bake the crab legs. This is my favorite method, as I appreciate the easy cleanup. The crab legs are wrapped in foil, placed on a baking sheet, and the sealed packet is baked for 15 to 18 minutes. The natural moisture from the crab legs (there’s a good bit and some will pool in the foil) creates steam and heats the legs quickly and evenly.
The third method is grilling. The crab legs are lightly brushed with olive oil to prevent sticking, grilled for 4-5 minutes with the lid closed, and then flipped and cooked for another 4-5 minutes or until hot all the way through. Crab legs prepared with this method don’t have the advantage of steam, so they run the risk of drying out. You could wrap them in foil as with the oven method, but the pointy crab claws tend to poke through and tear the foil when handled and flipped.
The fourth method is microwaving. Though it’s easy and I do include the method in the recipe, below, it can lead to hot spots and unevenly heated legs.
Again, with whichever technique you choose, remember that the crab legs are already cooked, so you need only to heat them. When the shells are hot to the touch, they are ready.

A few more tips for preparing crab legs:

For an extra hint of flavor when steaming on the stovetop, add beer to the water. Some may also enjoy a sprinkle of Old Bay.
There is no need, however, to add salt; most frozen crab legs were boiled on the boat, and salt is typically added at that point.
Avoid overheating, as overcooked crab legs will be tough.

How to eat king crab legs:

I place a small cutting board at every place setting, which will protect your table from errant whacks of the hammers and muffle the whacks a bit too.
You can also line the table with newspaper. Newspaper makes a rustic tablecloth (the comic section is extra fun!) and cleanup is as simple as rolling up the paper.
I like to place bowls on the table for the discarded shells.
Serve with a side of melted butter or garlic butter sauce and lemon wedges and/or mustard dipping sauce. (The sauce recipes are linked in the recipe card.)
The shells, though spiny, are softer than blue crab shells. So, if you don’t have seafood crackers, you can get the job done with kitchen shears. Simply cut the crab at the joint and along the leg to expose the meat. After the first cut or crack, you can often tear the shell to help free the succulent meat.
See the following list of suggested side dishes.

What to serve with king crab legs?

Very little is needed to round out the impressive crab legs, but because king crab is pricey, bolstering the meal with a few other offerings can be helpful. Depending on the season, following are recipes that I’ve served alongside:

Perfectly Baked Potatoes or Roasted Potato Salad
Jeweled Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Southern (With a Twist) Cornbread or Corn on the Cob
Vine-ripened tomatoes drizzled with a good balsamic or caprese salad…
or Tomato Pie
Cumin Lime Coleslaw
BLT Ranch Pasta Salad
Parmesan Garlic Bread
Speedy Roasted Broccoli or Favorite Broccoli Salad
Asiago Asparagus
Mock Potato Salad
Deviled Eggs

I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛

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How to Prepare King Crab Legs

Tender, juicy king crab legs are simple to prepare and offer a fun and festive way to celebrate New Year’s Eve, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and other special occasions throughout the year. The two linked sauce options provide added appeal.

With any of these methods, keep in mind that the crab is already cooked, so it needs only to be heated through. For the most succulent meat, the goal is to warm but not further cook the crab legs.

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Prep Time 2

Cook Time 10

Total Time 12

Yield servings (easy to scale up)

Ingredients

4 frozen king crab legs (about 8 ounces each)

For serving:

Mustard Sauce, Garlic Butter Sauce or plain melted butter, and/or lemon wedges

Instructions

Thaw the crab legs: If you purchased frozen legs, thaw them in the refrigerator, covered, overnight or for 8-12 hours. If you don’t have time, you may expedite the thawing the legs by running the legs under cold water.
Oven Method: (My favorite method for ease, effectiveness, and minimal cleanup.) Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Lay the thawed crab legs in an even layer on a large sheet of foil. (Tip: Heavy duty foil is helpful if you have it. Otherwise, you may wish to use a double layer of regular foil.) Bring the sides of the foil up and around the crab legs, and then crimp or fold the edges of the foil together to form a sealed package. Place the packet on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the crab shells are hot to the touch.
Stovetop method: To steam the legs on the stovetop, add a couple inches of water to a large pot and place a steamer basket on the bottom. Bring the water to a boil before adding the crab legs. When the water boils, add the crab legs (meaty joint side down), cover the pot, and steam the legs for about 5 minutes, until just heated through. Remove to a platter with tongs.
Grill method: Preheat the grill to 300℉–325℉. Meanwhile, lightly brush the crab legs with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place the crab legs on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes with the lid closed. Then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until hot all the way through.
Microwave Method: (My least favorite method due to tendency for uneven cooking.) If you prefer using the microwave, you can place wet paper towels around the legs and microwave, in a single layer, on high for about 3 minutes. Stop halfway through and flip the legs. Note that this method can result in hot spots and lead to uneven and/or overcooked crab legs.
Serve with Mustard Sauce, Garlic Butter Sauce or melted butter, and/or lemon wedges…and crackers or kitchen shears. (King crab claw shells are soft enough cut with scissors!)