King Crab Legs With Garlic Butter is a delicious mouth-watering seafood recipe made with simple ingredients. This recipe of baked garlic butter crab legs is easy and quick to prepare. The crab legs with garlic butter can be steamed, baked, or grilled. A perfect satisfying seafood appetizer or main course dish can be prepared within minutes. Check how to prepare baked crab legs in garlic butter in oven at home.
My family's favorite dish we mostly prepare during crabs season. These baked crab legs in butter sauce provide very tender and juicy meat.
These delicious crab legs are very much in demand at restaurants. You can quickly prepare butter garlic crab legs at home.
If seafood is your favorite, try this crabs legs recipe at home. These crab legs with garlic butter are prepared with a few simple ingredients. And also very easy to cook. DON'T MISS THIS RECIPE, TRY IT OUT!
Also, check our classic roast beef with gravy recipe, roast beef with vegetables in oven, one pan coconut lime chicken, oven-roasted asparagus with parmesan, tiktok chicken cobbler, and creamy lemon butter chicken thighs.
Snow Crab Vs King Crab
- Snow crab can easily be available in the market, compared to king crab. If king crab is not available snow crab can be used.
- King crab consumes more time in cooking than snow crab
- Snow crab legs have smooth and softer shells while king crab has thicker and spiky shells.
- King crab has thicker crab legs compared to snow crab legs. King crabs have a larger size. These crab legs have to be shortened in length.
- King crab legs have more meat and are sweet, tender, juicy, and rich.
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Tips For Making Best Baked Crab Legs
- It is better to thaw the frozen crab legs in the fridge overnight or at least 7 – 8 hours. At the last minute, place them in a bowl and keep them under running water for a few minutes. It is better to thaw, to avoid water from getting mixed in garlic butter sauce.
- Especially for king crab legs, it is better to cut them short pieces. It is also better to eat.
- Do not burn the garlic, it will become brown.
- Baking duration depends on the crab legs' thickness. Once you get a good aroma, it is done.
- Cut open the crab leg shell, and pour garlic butter sauce inside the meat. It will get tastier than pouring on the shell.
- To keep it tender and retain the sweet flavor do not overcook it.
If you love air-frying check this delicious air fryer frozen broccoli, it is an easy and quick recipe.
Ingredients For Garlic Butter Baked Crab Legs
For these delicious sweet and juicy baked king crab legs in garlic butter sauce, the simple ingredients are used:
- crab legs (king crab, snow crab or Dungeness crab)
- butter
- garlic cloves slightly crushed (minced)
- lemon (squeezed)
- parsley (minced)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of salt
- pepper (according to taste) (optional)
How To Make Garlic Butter Sauce For Crab Legs
- To make garlic butter sauce for crab legs, first heat the saucepan on medium-low heat.
- Add the butter and melt it. Add the garlic and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. (be careful, do not brown the garlic)
- Squeeze the lemon juice. Turn the heat to low. Stir for 15 – 20 seconds, till a nice aroma comes.
- Season with salt and parsley. Then whisk in the extra virgin olive oil, and nicely stir. Remove from heat and keep it aside.
How to Cook Crab Legs With Garlic Butter
- To make garlic butter crab legs, first, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius.
- Take the thawed crab legs, and cut them into halves (shorten the length). Take a pair of kitchen shears, and cut a lengthwise slit into each shell. (keeping the meat intact)
- Place them on the baking sheet. Brush the garlic butter sauce (method shown above) inside the crab legs and all over. Pour the remaining over the top
- Keep the baking sheet with crab legs in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake your crab legs for about 12 -15 minutes (time depends on leg thickness). While baking, keep brushing the garlic butter sauce from the bottom of the pan onto the legs every 5-7 minutes. Bake until the aroma of the crab fills the kitchen or crab legs are heated through.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down then place on a serving plate. Sprinkle the baked king crab legs with garlic butter sauce with parsley before serving.
These king crab legs in garlic lemon butter sauce can be baked, steamed, and grilled. King crab, snow crab, dungeness crab, blue crab, and stone crab either one can be used.
What to Serve With Garlic Butter Crab Legs
Baked Crab legs with garlic butter can be served with the remaining garlic butter sauce on the pan. Also serve with mashed potatoes. Serve also with green salads, roasted broccoli, and green beans. Also, serve with Garlic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus, garlic butter roasted mushrooms, or crispy roasted chickpeas.
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FAQs
What Type Of Crab Legs Are Best
Many types of crabs are available in the market according to your region and the season. Any common crab and your favorite can be taken. The crabs available are king crab, snow crab, dungeness crab, blue crab, and stone crab.
Even snow crab is better, but it all depends on availability in the market, your choice, and your convenience. In this crab recipe, I have selected king crab. King crabs are meaty, sweet, and juicy.
The season for king crab legs is October to January, but in other seasons other crabs like snow crab and Dungeness crab can be taken.
How Do You Know When Crab Legs Are Done
Crab legs get cooked until the crab meat is pearly or white, and opaque. The crab shell will get a reddish-orange color. The frozen crabs are mostly pre-cooked, they already have a reddish-orange color. They only have to be reheated.
Only be careful not to overcook them, or they will become rubbery.
Also check our delicious soup recipes Cabbage Ground Beef Soup Recipe, Cabbage Smoked Sausage Soup, Creamy Chicken Sausage Gnocchi Soup, Homemade Tomato Soup With Fresh Tomatoes, Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe, Crispy Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs, and Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup Recipe.
How Long To Bake Crab Legs
To bake crab legs takes about 20 – 25 minutes. Depending on the crab leg size and the type of crabs used. It also varies according to oven temperature
Thawed Crab legs to bake takes about 15 – 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius for king crab legs. And about 10 – 15 minutes for snow crab legs. It's better to check after 10 minutes for their doneness.
If crab pieces are whole pieces, then 3 – 4 minutes can be added according to the size of the crab.
How To Thaw Crab Legs
It is better to thaw the crab legs and keep them in the fridge overnight (at least 8 hours). Another option at the last minute, place them in the bowl and keep them under running water for a few minutes to thaw quickly.
These thawed crab legs can be kept in the fridge for 1 – 2 days.
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Equipment Needed Garlic Butter Crab Legs
- Oven – to bake crab legs with garlic butter sauce
- Baking Sheet – place the crab legs on it for baking
- Sauce Pan – to prepare the garlic butter sauce
- Kitchen Shears – to cut the crab legs and shorten their length.
Baked King Crab Legs In Garlic Butter Recipe, Garlic Butter Crab Legs.
Ingredients
- 2 lb / 1kg crab legs king crab, snow crab or dungeness crab
For Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter
- 5 cloves garlic slightly crushed minced
- 1 lemon squeezed
- 1 tablespoon parsley minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of salt
- pepper according to taste (optional)
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Instructions
- For garlic butter baked crab legs, first, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius.
For Garlic Butter Sauce
- Make garlic butter Sauce, first heat the saucepan on medium low heat and melt the butter.
- Add garlic and saute for nearly 30 seconds - 1 minute. (do not brown the garlic)
- Squeeze the lemon juice and turn the heat to low. Stir fry till a nice aroma comes and the oven becomes hot.
- Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil, and nicely stir. Remove from heat and keep it aside.
Prepare Crab Legs
- Take the thawed crab legs, and cut them into halves (to shorten the length). Take a pair of kitchen shears, and cut a lengthwise slit into each shell. (keeping the meat intact)
- Place them on the baking sheet. Brush the garlic lemon butter sauce inside the crab legs and all over. Pour the remaining over the top.
Bake Crab Legs
- Keep the baking sheet with crab legs in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake your crab legs for about 12 -15 minutes. (time depends on leg thickness)
- While baking, keep brushing the garlic lemon butter sauce from the bottom of the pan onto the crab legs every 5-7 minutes. Bake till crab aroma fills the kitchen or crab legs are heated through.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool down, then place them on a serving plate. Sprinkle parsley on garlic butter baked king crab legs before serving.
Notes
- if you like garlic, extra garlic cloves (minced) can be used.
- do not overcook, it will make the crab meat tough
Swania
my favorite excellent one, I tried it was really yummy
Pierre
From market purchased these crab legs, and cooked them with garlic butter sauce. It was made according to this recipe. All my friends with me enjoyed this.TOO GOOD!
nerimsa
made this baked crab legs with little butter, it yet it turned out too good!!!!!
Branda
It was perfect and my family loved it!
Sophy
I prepared these crab legs at our family occasion yesterday with king crab legs. And garlic butter sauce was mouthwatering our whole family enjoyed these crab legs dish. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Tabia
Amazing recipe
Michelle
I have snow crab meat with no shell. Will this be just as good?