How to Prepare King Crab Legs

Tips, video and photography provided by Heinen’s partner, Chef Billy Parisi.

No matter the time of year, king crab legs are always available at Heinen’s. Sometimes they’re fresh, but you can always find options in the freezer, too! Their options range from 8 oz. to 1 pound per leg, which is huge.

There are a few ways to cook a king crab legs. I prefer not to boil crab legs because they can easily become waterlogged, which reduces the flavor. My favorite methods are steaming and baking and both are so easy to do!

How to Steam King Crab Legs

1. Add a basket to a large pot along with a few cups of water.
2. Add the crab legs to the basket. Feel free to bend them at the joint to make them fit.
3. Place the lid of the pot on. If the lid does not fit because of the basket, place foil over top of the pot and crimp the edges to seal and steam.
4. Steam for about 5-7 minutes.

*Note: Crab legs always come precooked on the crabbing boat or the fishing pier upon being caught, so the goal of steaming is to rehear rather than cook through.

How to Bake King Crab Legs

1. Lay the crab legs on a large sheet of foil. Bring up the sides of the foil and crimp them together to form a sealed package.
2. Transfer the foil-wrapped crab legs to a sheet tray and place in the oven at 400˚F for 15 – 18 minutes.
3. Remove from the foil package from the oven and discard the foil.

How to Serve King Crab Legs

1. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the crab leg at the joint and along the leg to expose the meat.
2. Add the cut crab legs (with the shells on) to a plate with a side of melted butter, lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley.

Who would have thought that preparing this fancy dish could be so simple? There’s no reason to be intimidated, so give this a try in your own kitchen today!

Interested in making king crab legs at home? Order the ingredients online for Curbside Grocery Pickup or Delivery.