Grill over medium/high heat or about 450˚F for 15-20 minutes if frozen or 10 minutes if thawed. They are ready when you see steam escaping as you open the foil pack.
Oven-Baked Crab Legs:
Create the same foil pack used for grilling with 4 clusters of crab legs. Place the foil pack on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack of a preheated oven at 450˚F for 25 minutes if frozen or 15 minutes if thawed. They are ready when you see steam escaping as you open the foil pack.
Pro Tips for Success:
- Avoid boiling crab legs, as it can result in a watery mess and dilute the flavor of the crab meat.
- Cook crab legs until they are steaming and fragrant. If you don’t see hot steam coming off them, they are not cooked long enough.
- Use a crab cracker or nutcracker to crack open the tough and sharp shells, especially at the claw. Alternatively, kitchen shears can be used if you don’t have a crab cracker.
- Crab meat can be served hot or cold, so don’t worry about serving them immediately after cooking.
How to Buy Crab Legs:
Crab legs are typically sold either pre-cooked (frozen or thawed from frozen) or live. Since most crab legs are pre-cooked and frozen, it’s a good idea to stock up when they go on sale, such as around Valentine’s Day. Frozen crab legs can be thawed when needed for maximum freshness. Thawed crab legs should be refrigerated and consumed within 1-2 days.
