Steaming Succulent Crab Legs: The Frozen-To-Table Guide

Steaming is the best way to cook crab legs, and it's far easier than you might think. It's the ideal way to reheat frozen crab legs to serve with a dip or prepare the meat for dishes like crab risotto or crab cakes. It's quick to do and is the easiest way to preserve the moist, tender texture of the meat. The gentle, moist heat helps preserve the pure, sweet taste, and the meat is less likely to overcook and turn rubbery or lose its juices, as it often does when boiled.

Steaming frozen crab legs: rinse off ice glaze

Steaming is the best way to cook crab legs, and it's far easier than you might think. It's the ideal way to reheat wild-caught Alaskan snow crab to serve with a dip or prepare the meat for dishes like crab risotto or crab cakes. It's quick to do and is the easiest way to preserve the moist, tender texture of crab meat. Unlike boiled snow crab, steamed snow crab retains more of its own juices and flavours.

Most frozen crab products come pre-cooked. Cooking the crab before freezing it is the best way to preserve the quality of the meat. It's up to you whether you thaw frozen crab legs before steaming them. Because of their size, snow crab legs can be steamed from frozen efficiently while retaining the quality of the meat.

If you're steaming frozen crab legs, it's important to rinse off any thicker areas of ice glaze under cold, running water. This will help ensure even heating.

Here's a step-by-step guide to steaming frozen crab legs with rinsed ice glaze:

• Choose a pot large enough to hold the crab legs and a steamer basket. It should have a tight-fitting lid.
• Fill the pot with an inch or two of water. You can also add lemon slices or other seasonings to the water, although this is optional.
• Rinse the ice glaze from the frozen crab legs under cold, running water.
• Place the crab legs in the steamer basket and cover with the lid.
• Bring the water to a boil.
• Once the water is boiling, let the legs steam until heated through. This should take about 10 minutes for frozen crab legs, or 5 minutes for thawed crab legs.
• Cool the legs slightly before serving. You can serve them with lemon wedges, melted butter, or your favourite dipping sauces.

How long to steam frozen crab legs

Steaming is considered the best way to cook crab legs, as it helps to preserve the crab's natural sweet and rich flavour. It is also the ideal way to reheat crab legs without overcooking them and causing them to become rubbery.

If you are steaming frozen crab legs, it is recommended that you first rinse off any thicker areas of ice glaze under cold, running water. This will ensure even heating.

The time it takes to steam frozen crab legs depends on the type of crab and the method of steaming. For example, steaming snow crab legs from frozen takes about 10 minutes, whereas steaming thawed snow crab legs takes about five minutes. If you are using a pasta pot with a strainer insert, it is recommended that you steam the crab legs for six to 14 minutes, or until heated through.

If you are using a steamer basket, fill a pot with an inch of water, then add a few lemon slices. Cover with a lid, then bring the water to a simmer over medium heat until steaming. Once the pot is steaming, add the crab legs and cover with a lid again. Continue to steam over medium heat for five minutes if using defrosted crab legs, or 10 minutes if using frozen crab legs.

If you are not using a steamer basket, simply cover the bottom of a wide pot or pan with about 1/4 inch of water and add a few lemon slices. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer over medium heat until steaming. Then, add the crab legs and cover with the lid again. Continue to steam over medium heat for five minutes if using defrosted crab legs, or 10 minutes if using frozen crab legs.

What equipment you need to steam crab legs

Steaming crab legs is a simple and effective way to cook this delicious dish. The good news is that you don't need a lot of specialist equipment to steam crab legs, and you may well have most of the items you need already in your kitchen.

The first thing you will need is a large pot. The pot should be big enough to fit the crab legs and a steamer basket, with a little room to spare. You will also need a tight-fitting lid for the pot. The lid is important as it helps to trap the steam inside the pot, ensuring the crab legs cook evenly.

The next item you will need is a steamer basket. This fits inside the pot, and the crab legs go inside the steamer basket. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can try using a colander, providing it fits inside your pot and still allows the lid to fit securely. If the lid doesn't fit perfectly, you can use a sheet of aluminium foil to create a tight seal. Just be careful when removing the foil, as the steam will be very hot.

You will also need to add a small amount of water to the pot. This should be enough to steam the crab legs without touching them. Around an inch or two of water in the pot is usually sufficient.

Finally, you may want to add some lemon slices or wedges to the water. This is optional, but it can add a little extra flavour to your crab legs.

So, to steam crab legs, you will need:

• A large pot with a tight-fitting lid
• A steamer basket or colander
• Water
• Lemon (optional)

How to tell when crab legs are cooked

There are a few ways to tell when crab legs are cooked. Firstly, the meat should be hot all the way through. The colour of the meat is also an indicator; it should be reddish-pink and juicy. You'll also know the crab legs are cooked when you can smell them – they will emit a cooked seafood aroma. Crab legs will also turn a bright red when they are cooked.

What to serve with crab legs

Now that you know how to steam your crab legs, it's time to think about what to serve alongside them.

The most obvious and iconic pairing is crab with clarified butter. This is a simple yet effective combination, as the butter enhances the crab meat's flavour. You can elevate this butter by adding fresh lemon juice and garlic, or even rosemary, parsley, or Worcestershire sauce. It's important to note that clarified butter should not be served with cold crab legs, as it will solidify.

Other sauces that can accompany crab legs include mustard with dill, mayonnaise, lemon and salt and pepper, a spicy diablo dipping sauce, or hollandaise. The most common and popular sauce is cocktail sauce, which can be made at home by mixing together horseradish, Worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon, and ketchup.

When it comes to side dishes, you can keep it simple with a light salad, such as a mandarin orange salad, or a mild pasta. You can also serve roasted vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, and onions. If you're looking for something more substantial, mashed potatoes or French fries are always a hit, especially when loaded with garlic.

If you're serving a larger portion of crab, you may want to opt for lighter sides, such as a crunchy green salad or roasted vegetables.

For a more unique pairing, consider steamed artichoke petals dipped in butter. Corn on the cob is also a classic side dish to serve with crab legs, although the reason for this pairing remains a mystery!

And, of course, don't forget the wine! White wine, such as Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and dry Riesling, pairs incredibly well with crab.

Frequently asked questions