How to Steam Alaskan King Crab Legs

Steaming is a popular way to prepare Alaskan king crab legs.

Among all the varieties of crab, Alaskan king crabs are among the most flavorful kinds available. Alaskan king crab legs are large, delicious and easy to prepare. The crabs are caught in the cold waters off Alaska, and then the legs are precooked and frozen before being shipped worldwide. There are many methods of preparation, but steaming is a highly favored way of preparing giant Alaskan king crab legs.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Alaskan king crab legs
• Large pot with lid
• Metal colander
• Water
• Kitchen tongs

Frozen Crab Legs

1. Fill a pot with water. The pot needs to be large enough to place a colander over it. The water level should be one-third full.

2. Bring the water to a boil. If you have a large amount of frozen legs to cook, do a few at a time. Frozen king crab legs are precooked normally, but steaming too many frozen ones at one time results in uneven heating from the frozen state.

3. Set the colander filled with the crab legs over the pot. Cover the pot with the lid. Let the Alaskan king crab legs steam for 10 minutes or slightly longer until all are heated through.

Thawed Crab Legs

1. Thaw frozen crab legs for 24 hours in the refrigerator. When the legs are thawed, fill the pot one-third full of water.

2. Bring the pot of water to a quick simmer or low boil. Place the king crab legs in the metal colander. Place the colander over the pot just as it is done with the frozen crab legs. However, because the meat is precooked and already thawed, it takes less time to steam them.

3. Check the crab legs in 5 to 8 minutes. Regardless of whether the legs were steamed thawed or frozen, they are done when the smell of crab meat is noticeable. Another way to check for finished steaming it to pick of a crab leg with a set of cooking tongs. Touch the leg with a finger carefully. If the leg is hot to the touch, it is ready to serve.

Tips & Warnings

• If the king crab legs are too big for the colander, it is OK to break them into pieces that fit.

• Do not use plastic colanders because some kinds could melt from the boiling water.

• Make sure the colander is just above the water otherwise the legs will be boiled instead of steamed.

References

• Alaskan King Crab: How to Cook Alaskan King Crab Legs
• What's Cooking America: How To Cook King Crab Legs

Resources

• 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood: King Crab and Alaskan King Crab Recipes
• FishEx: King Crab 101--Lessons from a crab fisherman
• 2 Sisters Alaska Seafood: King Crab Information