Description
Craving a delicious snow crab recipe that impresses? Discover 7 tips to cook it perfectly every time. Unlock your culinary potential today!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds snow crab legs (thawed if frozen)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon—juice one half and cut the other half into wedges for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup water or seafood stock
Instructions
Rinse your thawed snow crab legs under cold water. If they’re particularly large, you can use kitchen shears to cut them into more manageable pieces along the joints. This isn’t just for easier cooking—it also makes them much easier to handle at the table!
Olivia’s Tip: If your crab legs are frozen solid, don’t rush the thawing process by using hot water. Instead, place them in the refrigerator overnight or in a sealed bag in cold water for about an hour.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine water or seafood stock with half the minced garlic, a pinch of salt, and the Old Bay seasoning. Heat over medium until it reaches a gentle simmer.
Olivia’s Tip: If you want to add extra flavor, a splash of white wine in your cooking liquid works wonders!
Place your snow crab legs in the simmering liquid and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam for 5-7 minutes for thawed crab legs. Remember, most snow crab legs are pre-cooked before freezing, so you’re essentially just reheating them and infusing flavor.
Olivia’s Tip: Overcooking is the enemy of tender crab meat! Set a timer and resist the urge to keep checking them.
While the crab legs are steaming, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining minced garlic and sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and cayenne pepper if using. Take it off the heat and stir in the freshly chopped parsley.
Olivia’s Tip: For a richer flavor, try browning your butter slightly before adding the garlic. Just watch it carefully—brown butter can quickly become burnt butter!
Using tongs, transfer the snow crab legs to a serving platter. Pour some of the garlic butter sauce over the crab legs and serve the remainder in small dipping bowls. Garnish with lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley if desired.
Olivia’s Tip: Provide small forks or seafood picks for digging out those hard-to-reach morsels
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: steamin
- Cuisine: Seafood
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 pound
- Calories: 243
Keywords: snow crab recipe, how to cook snow crab legs, garlic butter snow crab, steamed snow crab recipe, seafood dinner recipe, easy crab leg recipe, snow crab cooking tips, best snow crab recipe, how to prepare snow crab, quick snow crab dinner, crab legs with garlic butter,