How to BBQ Crab Legs

Crab legs can be a delicious addition to your next backyard barbecue. While crab legs are traditionally boiled or steamed, they can also be grilled with good results. When purchasing crab legs for a barbecue, look for king crab legs. Smaller crab legs dry out too easily and should be prepared by steaming or boiling. The vast majority of king crab legs sold in the United States are pre-cooked, so they don't take long on the grill.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Grill
• Grill brush
• Vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup butter
• Heat-safe bowl
• Microwave
• Seasonings, if applicable
• Paper towels
• Cooking brush
• Tongs
• Lemon slice

1. Thaw your crab legs if they are frozen, by placing them in the refrigerator overnight. If you are in a hurry, you can thaw crab legs by running them under cool water for several minutes, but the overnight method is preferred.

2. Heat your grill, according to the directions for your individual grill. Both charcoal or propane grills work fine for this purpose.

3. Brush the grill rack lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

4. Adjust the heat on the grill to a medium setting.

5. Put a 1/2-cup butter in a heat-safe bowl and melt in the microwave. Add seasonings to the butter if you prefer, such as a dash of Old Bay Seasoning, garlic powder, thyme or salt and pepper.

6. Rinse your crab legs well and pat dry with paper towels.

7. Place the crab legs on the grill with the hardest part of the shell facing down.

8. Brush the crab legs continuously with the melted butter and grill for approximately 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are hot. Do not overcook.

9. Remove the crab legs from the grill with a pair of tongs and squeeze a slice of lemon over the legs. Serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Several kinds of dipping sauces go well with grilled crab legs, including cocktail sauce or melted butter with roasted garlic. Be sure to have seafood crackers and pickers available so you can get every last bit of succulent crab meat out of the shell.

Resources

• AlaskanKingCrab.com: About King Crab

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[edwarde]

on 6/18/2009 I've never tried this with crab legs, but I'm going to give it a shot. Thanks!