Although they are considered a delicacy, Crab legs are surprisingly simple and easy to cook. Atlantic Canada, being world renowned for it’s seafood, provides the simplest version. The most important factor in preparing crab legs, or any seafood, is freshness. To achieve the best taste and texture insure the crab is alive when purchased.
Prepare you crab for cooking by first removing the legs from the body. Firmly grasp a set of legs in each hand. The top side of the Crab facing up. With a quick snap bring your hands together. This motion should remove, crack the legs from the body. Be sure to clean up any remaining bits of body parts from the detached legs.
Loosely pack the crab legs in the bottom of a large stock pot. Cover with cold water, Crabs should be submerged at least an inch. Your pot should now appear to be about half full. Add 3/4 of a cup of salt to the water. Cover the pot and bring to a rolling boil. When boiling begins, reduce the heat and continue to boil for 20 minutes. Overcooking crabs can make the meat tough. At the end of 20 minutes, remove from heat and drain water. Crabs should be a bright red color and the meat tender and juicy. Allow to cool before serving.
Crab legs are most often served, in sets, and still inside the shell. A potato and egg salad, and cole slaw make a nice complimentary side dish. Warmed melted butter for dipping and a lemon wedge finish off this wonderful indulgence.
Once your crab legs are cooked, you can also choose to clean them (remove the meat from the shell) and prepare any number of dishes with the crab meat. Crab cakes are an Atlantic favorite, along with crab burgers and sandwiches. Crab meat adds a little something extra to pasta salad and is used in many different dips. Be sure to inform guests that your dishes contain shellfish due to severe allergic reactions. Crab meat also freezes well and retains most of it’s flavor.
On it’s own or added to other dishes crab Legs are a very versatile shellfish. From ocean to kitchen to dining table, a simple process but so very rewarding. Relax, enjoy, tonight you are serving crab legs.