You have probably seen bags of frozen crab legs in the seafood section of the store. You might have considered buying them, but the fear of cooking such an expensive delicacy improperly has held you back. You might have heard that crab is only good when it is cooked live. Rest assured that your worries are unfounded. You can cook frozen crab, and it will be delicious. Once you broil the crab legs and serve them with lemon and clarified butter, no one will suspect that they were once frozen.
Step 1
Thaw the crab legs in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 2
Preheat the broiler.
Step 3
Melt 3 tbsp. of butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Step 4
Trim any jagged pieces of shell at the top of the crab legs with a knife. Discard the trimmed pieces of shell. Cut open the pale undersides of the crab legs with kitchen shears. If you get to a point where the shell it too hard for the kitchen shears, split open the crab legs with a knife the rest of the way. Splitting the crab legs helps the meat broil more effectively and makes the crab legs easier to eat.
Step 5
Lay the crab legs on the broiler pan with the split side up. Brush the melted butter over the exposed crab meat with a basting brush.
Step 6
Place the crab legs in the broiler and broil them for three to four minutes. When they are finished, the crab meat should be slightly browned and the crab shell will be a bright red or reddish brown, depending on the variety of crab you are cooking. Remove the crab legs from the broiler.
Step 7
Melt 1/4 cup butter over low heat. Do not stir it. Scoop out the clear, top portion of the melted butter with a ladle. Discard the cloudy butter at the bottom. Serve the clarified butter and lemon wedges with the crab legs.
Things You'll Need
- 5 lbs. frozen crab legs
- Butter
- Lemon, cut into wedges
- Knife
- Kitchen shears
- Broiler pan
- Basting brush
- Tongs
- Saucepan
- Ladle
Member Comments