Tulo

Steamed Snow Crab Legs with Garlic Butter

A pile of split snow crab leg clusters on a platter with a small bowl of melted garlic butter and lemon wedges alongside.
Photo by Nadin Sh on Pexels

Snow crab legs are almost always sold already cooked and frozen, so the goal is just gentle reheating, not cooking from raw. A short steam over seasoned water warms the meat through without toughening it, and a garlic-lemon butter cuts the sweetness of the crab without masking it.

Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 3 lb snow crab leg clusters, thawed if frozen
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 whole lemon, juiced and cut into wedges
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Nutrition per serving

Calories
1154
Protein
16g
Carbs
3g
Fat
123g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1If the crab legs are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, or run them under cold water for 10-15 minutes until pliable.
  2. 2Fit a large pot with a steamer basket or colander that sits above the waterline. Pour in the water and stir in the Old Bay seasoning.
  3. 3Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then add the crab leg clusters to the steamer basket, stacking them if needed. Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes if thawed, or 10-12 minutes if still partially frozen, until the shells are hot to the touch and the meat is opaque and warmed through.
  4. 4While the crab steams, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned.
  5. 5Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
  6. 6Transfer the crab legs to a platter. Use kitchen shears to split each shell lengthwise along the inner curve so the meat is easy to pull out.
  7. 7Drizzle with the garlic butter, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and extra butter for dipping.

Tips & variations

  • Snow crab clusters are thinner and easier to crack than king crab legs; a firm squeeze with your hands is often enough, but kitchen shears give cleaner results.
  • Swap Old Bay for a few bay leaves and a splash of white wine in the steaming water for a more delicate, less peppery flavor.
  • Stir a pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne into the garlic butter for a little heat.
  • Boiling works too if you don't have a steamer basket: drop the legs into a pot of well-salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes, then drain immediately.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover crab meat in the shell or picked, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Reheat by steaming for 3-4 minutes just until warmed through, or microwave shelled meat in 20-second bursts covered with a damp paper towel. Avoid reheating in the microwave still in the shell, since it heats unevenly and can dry out the thinner leg sections.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Weigh the crab legs before buying if possible; a lot of the total weight is shell, so plan on roughly 1 to 1.25 pounds per person for a main course.
  • Save the butter and lemon drippings left on the platter and toss cooked pasta or rice in them rather than washing them down the drain.

FAQ

Are snow crab legs already cooked when you buy them?

Almost always, yes. Nearly all snow crab sold in stores, fresh or frozen, has already been cooked and then frozen or chilled, so the steaming step is really just reheating, not cooking raw crab.

How do you know when snow crab legs are done steaming?

The shells will feel hot all the way through when pressed, and the meat inside will look opaque white with reddish edges rather than translucent or gray. Since the crab is precooked, overcooking rather than undercooking is the real risk.

Can you steam snow crab legs from frozen without thawing?

Yes, though thawing first gives more even heating. Steam frozen clusters for about 10-12 minutes instead of the 5-6 minutes needed for thawed legs.

What's the best way to crack snow crab legs?

Snow crab shells are thinner than king crab, so kitchen shears cut along the inner curve of the shell work better than a mallet, which can crush the delicate meat inside.