Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce
The BEST crab legs with garlic butter sauce with Cajun spices, Old Bay, and lemon. It's easy to make and packed with flavor!
Equipment
- Skillet or Large Saucepan
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Snow Crab Legs
- 2 cups Salted Butter
- 1 large Yellow Onion, (diced)
- 10 cloves Fresh Garlic, (diced)
- 1/4 cup Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1/2 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 cup Chicken Stock
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 3 tbsp Fresh Parsley, (chopped)
- 4 Lemons, (sliced)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Prepare the garlic butter sauce. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add onions and cook for 5-7 minutes. Then add garlic and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add cajun seasoning, old bay, onion powder, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken broth. Stir the butter mixture and bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, to thicken slightly. Remove from the heat and add in lemon juice and parsley.
- Now prep the crab legs. Crack the crabs slightly (make a lengthwise slit with a pair of kitchen shears or crab crackers). Baste each crab cluster with the sauce, one by one. Make sure to really coat each cluster with the sauce.
- Add crab legs and lemon slices to the baking dish. Pour remaining butter sauce on top. Cover with aluminum foil. Ensure that the foil covers all of the crab legs and seal the foil at both ends nice and tight to create steam in the oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes if thawed, 30-40 minutes if frozen. At 20 minutes check them–they should be hot/warmed though, a little steamy. They are finished cooking when they are the shells turn a bright orange-red and hot throughout. The flesh should also be reddish-pink with an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Use a pair of kitchen shears or crab crackers to open the shells and remove the meat.
Video
Notes
Crack before cooking! Use kitchen shears or crab crackers to gently crack the shells so that the garlicky butter sauce can seep into the shells and add flavor to the meat. It also makes it easier (and less messy) for your guests to crack open and enjoy!
Start with thawed crab legs. If frozen, let them thaw in the fridge overnight or run under cold water for quicker thawing.
Use a seafood pick or small fork to reach into the smaller sections and joints, there’s sweet, tender meat hiding in there too!
Don’t overcrowd the baking pan. Use two pans if you need to. Give the crab legs space so they heat evenly. Crowding leads to uneven cooking and overcooked edges.
After cooking, let them rest for a minute or two. Just like steak, this gives the juices time to redistribute and keeps the crab leg texture nice and tender.
Nutrition
Calories: 695kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 63g, Saturated Fat: 39g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 196mg, Sodium: 1199mg, Potassium: 553mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 4545IU, Vitamin C: 53mg, Calcium: 127mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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