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5 from 1 vote

How to Cook Crab Legs (3 Ways)

Crab legs are surprisingly easy to cook and can be made (fresh or frozen) in just a few minutes. This tutorial will show you how to make crab legs using three different cooking methods and achieve delicate, flavorful crab meat!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • Stock Pot OR
  • Instant Pot (click for my favorite) OR
  • Air Fryer (click for my favorite)

Ingredients

  • 2 clusters Snow Crab legs (about 8 legs) - thawed if frozen
  • 1 lemon halved
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (¼ stick)
  • 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning such as Old Bay

For Serving

  • Melted butter
  • Lemon wedges
  • Seafood seasoning

Instructions

On the Stovetop

  • Fill a large stock pot with 2 inches of water and place it over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil.
  • When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add the lemon halves, butter, and seafood seasoning. Stir to combine.
    1 lemon, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning
  • Add the snow crab clusters and place a tight fitting lid on top of the pot. Cook the crab legs for 8 minutes, or until they are bright red in color and seaming hot. Serve immediately.
    2 clusters Snow Crab legs
    crab legs in a dutch oven.

In the Instant Pot

  • Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your instant pot along with the melted butter and seafood seasoning. Mix to combine.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning
  • Place the trivet insert into the Instant Pot and then place the crab legs and lemon halves on top of the trivet.
    2 clusters Snow Crab legs, 1 lemon
  • Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook- Manual for 3 minutes.
  • When the time is up, release the pressure manually by switching the valve to the “venting” position. Serve immediately.
    crab legs in an instant pot.

In the Air Fryer

  • Juice the lemon into a small bowl and then add the melted butter and seafood seasoning. Stir to combine.
    1 lemon, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning
  • Brush the crab legs with the butter mixture and then place them in the air fryer.
    2 clusters Snow Crab legs
  • Cook at 350°F for 7 minutes, or until they are bright red and very hot. Serve immediately.
    crab legs in an air fryer basket.

Notes

Storage: Store crab legs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1441mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2mg