Crab Legs

    Snow, Alaskan, King, whatever your preference ….. Big tasty crab legs …  We love them!

    We watch for sales and stock up when the price is right! We like the pre-cracked legs for easier (faster) consumption!

    Here is the simple way we do them ….

    So we usually get Private Selection when we can. I think this is a Kroger only brand.They are very good and slightly sweet rather than a fishy, salty taste. Yummy! Keep frozen until ready to go in the pot.

    We use a multi-pot with the deep strainer/colander in place for easy removal. We boil the legs so the strainer/colander is not really needed.  You can just put the legs in a pot of boiling water and use tongs or dump the crabs out into another strainer in a sink.

    So I fill the pot up with enough water to cover the legs, but do not put the legs in just yet. Then I get a head of garlic and bust open the cloves. I just lay a clove on the cutting board and place a large wide knife over it and smash it with my hand. This opens it right up as well as break it up a bit. I don’t try to be neat or remove the peels. The main thing is to expose the garlic. Just be careful if you are using a sharp knife not to cut yourself. Try tilting the cutting edge slightly downward so if your hand lands on this area it will slide down and off of the knife. If you are uncomfortable use something else. Heck use a meat tenderizing hammer if you like! Once I have a good amount, I usually use about a half head for 2 pounds of crab legs. I throw that in the pot of water and bring it to a boil. We put in a bit of extra water and let it boil a while to really get the garlic flavor in the water. If I want a bit of spice I toss in a tablespoon or two or Old Bay.

    The pre-cracked legs are good to go, but if the legs are not  pre-cracked you will want to poke a small hole or two in each section of leg to allow the garlic and spice to get into the leg. I have found that corn on the cob holders work great for this.

    Once I am satisfied with the boil I put the frozen legs in and cover the pot with a lid and boil 7 minutes.

Drained and ready to serve!

I remove and place the strainer in a sink and let them drain a bit, then serve and enjoy!

    Good served with hush puppies, corn on the cob, and coleslaw. If you are really hungry, boil up some baby red potatoes or serve up some french fries.

    I make sure to provide a large bowl or two for my guest to have a place to put the empty shells!

    We also like vinegar (malt or cider) and clarified butter for dipping. For an even spicier leg, put a bunch of Old Bay in a paper bag and place in the legs and shake to give them a good coating.

    For a beverage, beer and white wine work well. Lemonade or peach tea are good for a non alcohol choice.

    Here is an awesome guide to some crab info I found online … LINK