A Buying, Cooking, and Serving Guide Fit for King Crab Legs

When it comes to seafood, few dishes are quite as delicious as crab, lobster, and crawfish. The deliciousness just jumps degrees when you get to go to a crab and crawfish cafe that lets you pick your seafood fresh and cook it on the spot. There are so many options out there that you might just not know where to start.

Of course, the one highlight you can’t miss is the king crab. But how does one choose, cook, and even serve such a mighty and delectable specimen of the sea?

How to Pick Your King

The first thing you want to do is pick your king—red king crab is popular for its sweetness, golden is smaller but more common, and blue king crabs pack a punch with their large right claws.

Once you’ve made a choice, check its size, color, and shape. You measure a king crab by how many legs make ten pounds. That said, claws don’t count here. A “four” is the largest you can get, which means it only takes four legs to make ten pounds. The smallest go around the range of twenty to twenty-four. 

Live king crabs have more varied shades, but it’s good to know the difference between cooked ones. Red king crabs are red all over with slimmer legs. Blue king crabs have shades of orange with more oval legs that can be very large on the right. Golden king crabs are more predominantly orange than red and have small, spined legs.  

Cooking the Crab

More often than not, your crab will already be cooked. You just need to thaw them. It’s best to let them thaw overnight in that case.

If you’re buying fresh, then make sure you rinse the crab meat a little bit so you can get the brine off. 

Recipes vary, but the first thing you’ll want to do is get the crab nice and heated up. You can steam, boil, or bake your crab at around 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If thawed properly, this process should only take around four to seven minutes. Try not to overcook the crab as it will affect the flavor and texture.

Best Ways to Serve the King

• Arguably the most mouthwatering way to serve your king crab is drenched in butter. Add another container of melted butter with garlic so that you can also dip the meat in for extra juicy goodness.
• A classic way to serve king crab is by simply putting its natural shell on a platter and bringing out the nutcrackers. This is perfect for just enjoying the flavor of the meat as per the cooked recipe. Then you can complement this with a variety of sauces.
• Crab legs with lemon are a zesty and aromatic way to serve your hungry guests. It also makes it easier to eat since the meat is already accessible.

Final Thoughts

If you have a hankering for restaurants serving crawfish, crabs, and lobsters, make sure you keep this knowledge with you. It will help you pick out the perfect meal to bring out the flavor your taste buds are looking for. Finally, this guide can also help you should you wish to prepare your own king crab feast at home or for a party.

The search is over. If you need the best crab legs in Houston, the Crawfish Cafe is the place to be. Winner of numerous “best crawfish” titles, our menu offers tons of amazing flavors and different seafood dishes cooked to perfection. Check out our menu now and taste it yourself!