Steaming Crab Legs: Oven-Baked Perfection In Minutes

Crab legs are a delicious treat, but how do you steam cook them in the oven to perfection? Well, it turns out that it's a super simple way to cook crab legs without the need for a big pot of boiling water. The natural moisture in the crab legs means they essentially steam themselves in the oven, making this a convenient and tasty way to prepare them.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Preheating your oven to 350°F is the first step in baking crab legs. This temperature ensures that the crab legs are heated through evenly without drying out. By creating a steamy environment in the oven, you can retain the natural moisture in the crab legs, resulting in tender and juicy meat.

When baking crab legs, it is essential to use a suitable baking dish. A deep glass baking dish or an oven-safe dish is recommended. Avoid using a baking sheet alone, as the juices from the crab legs may drip and cause smoke. Instead, line your baking sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper to catch any drippings.

While the oven is preheating, you can prepare the crab legs. If they are frozen, it is best to thaw them first. Place the crab legs in the refrigerator overnight to defrost slowly and gently. Alternatively, if you are short on time, you can run them under cold water and then pat them dry.

Once your crab legs are thawed, give them a quick rinse in the sink to remove any dirt or residue. Blot them dry with a paper towel to prevent excess moisture from affecting the baking process.

After preparing the crab legs, it's time to arrange them in the baking dish. Place the crab legs in a single layer, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Overlapping the crab legs may increase the baking time, so it is best to avoid this.

Now, add some flavourings to the dish. Pour a small amount of hot water into the bottom of the pan—about 1/8 inch, or enough to partially submerge the crab legs. You can also add other ingredients such as lemon slices, garlic cloves, or thyme to enhance the flavour.

Finally, cover the entire dish tightly with aluminium foil. This step is crucial, as it helps trap the steam and create a moist environment that will prevent the crab legs from drying out.

Prepare crab legs

The first step in preparing crab legs is to thaw them. Place the crab legs in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours or overnight to thaw them. Once thawed, the crab legs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. If you're short on time, you can also run the crab legs under cold water to thaw them, but make sure to pat them dry before cooking.

After thawing, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with aluminium foil or parchment paper. If using foil, crumple it first to create a loosely sealed packet, which will help trap the steam and cook the crab legs evenly.

Place the crab legs on the prepared baking sheet or pan. If desired, brush the crab legs with olive oil or melted butter, and add seasonings such as garlic, lemon slices, herbs, or Old Bay seasoning. For a more flavourful dish, you can pour about 1/8 inch of hot water into the bottom of the pan before covering it with foil.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil, making sure to poke a few holes in the top to allow steam to escape. This step will create steam and prevent the crab legs from drying out.

Cooking the crab legs

Place the pan in the middle rack of the preheated oven and steam the crab legs for 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the type of crab and whether they are fully thawed or not. Snow crab legs will take less time to cook than king crab legs, as king crab is thicker.

The crab legs are done when their colour has changed to a bright orange and they are hot all the way through. If you're unsure, you can crack open one leg to test. If it isn't hot enough, simply place it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

Once the crab legs are cooked, remove them from the oven and serve immediately. Crab legs go well with melted butter, ghee, or garlic butter for dipping, and sides such as roasted potatoes, garlic bread, or a fresh green salad.

Bake crab legs

Baked crab legs are a simple and mess-free way to cook crab without needing a large pot of boiling water. The crab legs essentially steam themselves in the oven, retaining their natural moisture and flavour.

How to Bake Crab Legs:

Firstly, if your crab legs are frozen, it is recommended to thaw them before baking. The best way to do this is to place them in the refrigerator overnight. If you are short on time, you can run them under cold water and then pat them dry.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).

Place your crab legs on a baking sheet. It is best to use a rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Try not to overlap the crab legs as this may increase the baking time.

For added flavour, brush the crab legs with olive oil or melted butter, and add some lemon halves to the baking sheet. You can also add other seasonings like garlic cloves or thyme.

Place the crab legs in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the type of crab and whether they are fully thawed. Snow crab will take less time than king crab, and frozen crab will take longer than thawed crab.

Once the crab legs are bright orange and hot all the way through, they are ready to serve. If you are unsure, crack open one leg to test. If it is not hot, return the crab legs to the oven and cook in 5-minute increments until they are warmed through.

Serving Suggestions:

Baked crab legs can be served with melted butter or garlic butter for dipping. You can also squeeze some lemon over the crab for added flavour. Don't forget to have some crackers and picks on hand to help crack open the shells and enjoy the delicious crab meat!

Make garlic butter

To make garlic butter to serve with crab legs, you will need butter, garlic, and a few other simple ingredients. You can melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. Once melted, add in the garlic and any other desired ingredients, such as lemon juice, olive oil, or parsley, and let the flavours meld together. You can then toss the crab legs in the garlic butter or serve the butter as a dipping sauce on the side.

Ingredients:

• Butter
• Garlic
• Lemon juice (optional)
• Olive oil (optional)
• Dried or fresh parsley (optional)

Method:

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. You can also use a microwave or the oven to melt the butter.
• Add the garlic to the melted butter. You can mince, press, or crush the garlic cloves before adding them to the butter.
• (Optional) Add in some lemon juice. You can also use lime juice or a combination of both.
• (Optional) Drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil for a richer flavour.
• (Optional) Toss in some dried or fresh parsley for extra aroma and flavour.
• Let the mixture simmer on low heat for a few minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
• Remove from heat and serve.

Serving suggestions:

You can serve the garlic butter as a dipping sauce on the side, or toss the cooked crab legs in the garlic butter before serving. If you want to get fancy, you can even use an injector to inject the garlic butter into the crab legs for an extra burst of flavour.

Crack, dip, and enjoy

Now that your crab legs are cooked, it's time to crack, dip, and enjoy!

Crack

To start, you'll need to separate the legs from the cluster. Twist and pull the legs away from the body—they should come away fairly easily. If you're eating King crab, you may need to use a crab cracker or a mallet to help separate the legs.

Next, break each leg into parts at the joint. With two hands, bend each section back and forth until they separate. The meat should slide out without too much trouble.

For the claw, use a cracker to break the shell, or a sturdy fork to get to the meat. There's also plenty of meat in the body, so you can fold it open to access the meat in each pocket. A small fork or lobster pick can help with this.

Dip

A popular choice for a dipping sauce is melted butter with a dash of lemon. You could also try garlic butter, or a melted butter and lemon sauce.

Enjoy

Arrange your crab meat on a plate with lemon wedges and your chosen dipping sauce. Check that there are no pieces of shell or cartilage left over in the meat.

Many people like the meat in the claw best as it is the sweetest. Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions