How to Steam Crab Legs for Restaurant-Level Results Every Time

Crab legs may look like an indulgence only chefs can pull off, but they're surprisingly easy to prepare at home. Whether you're serving them for a special occasion or just treating yourself, you don't need any special equipment. In fact, the best way to cook crab legs is to steam them—a gentle method that keeps the meat tender, juicy, and full of sweet flavor. All you need is a large pot, a steamer basket or colander, and a few simple tips to achieve restaurant-worthy results in your own kitchen.

Choose the Type of Crab for Steaming

There are loads of delicious crab varieties to choose from, depending on where you live and what's available in season (yes, crabs have seasons when they are most plentiful and best for eating). But the varieties most sought after for their legs are king crab and snow crab. (Dungeness, blue, and stone crabs are all tasty, with their own distinctive flavor profiles, but they are most often sold whole rather than in parts like legs.)

King crabs: As you might guess from the name, king crabs are much larger than snow crabs, with big, thick, meaty legs. You'll often hear them referred to as Alaskan king crabs, since the crustaceans are plentiful all along the state's coastline. (Wild Alaskan crab is considered the tastiest but is also the most expensive.)

Snow crabs: Found in the frigid waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, snow crabs are smaller than king crabs, with longer, skinnier, less meaty legs.

Both varieties are available frozen year-round from big box stores, specialty markets, and online sources, including many suppliers who sell directly to consumers.

Steaming vs. Boiling

There's no competition—hands down, steaming is the superior way to cook this epicurean delight.

Why Steaming Rules

Crab legs are generally sold pre-cooked and flash-frozen. Steaming is the preferred cooking method to reheat them to serve at home because the gentle, moist heat helps preserve the pure, sweet taste and tender texture of the meat. They're also less likely to overcook and turn rubbery or lose their flavorful juices, as they often do when they are boiled. Boiling can also cause them to take on more water in the cavities between the shell and the meat, which makes them harder to eat.

Take Time to Thaw Your Crab Legs

Thawing the legs before cooking is optional, but if you have the time, it's worth it. The legs will steam faster and more evenly if thawed. Ideally, thaw them in a bowl overnight in the refrigerator, but if you're tight on time, know that you can place them in a colander under cool running water until no ice remains.

How to Steam Crab Legs

By now, we've likely made our point: One of the easiest (and best) ways to cook crab legs at home is to steam them. Here's how:

1. First, choose a pot large enough to hold the crab legs and a steamer basket. It should have a tight-fitting lid.
2. Fill the pot with an inch or two of water, then arrange the basket on top.
3. Season or salt the water (see note below).
4. Bring the water to a boil, then place the crab legs in the steamer basket.
5. Cover the pot, and let the legs steam until heated through. This should take four or five minutes for thawed crab legs, and a few minutes more if the legs were frozen when you placed them in the steamer.
6. Cool the legs slightly before serving—we recommend serving with lemon wedges and melted butter or alongside our miso aioli.

How to Know When the Crab Legs Are Done

Breathe deep: You'll know the crab legs are cooked through when you can smell them! The meat should also be hot all the way throughout, and the flesh should appear reddish-pink and juicy.

Choosing the Best Seasoning

At the very least, you'll want to add salt to the pot—some chefs enhance the water with bay leaves, lemon wedges, Old Bay seasoning, or a splash of white wine, but that's up to you. Doing so can amp up the flavor of the crab, but the meat is so delicious on its own that it really doesn't need embellishment.