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Steamed snow crab legs are an easy and impressive meal that you can make at home! Skip the restaurant, this recipe shows you how to cook snow crab legs to perfection! I used Ninja Foodi possible cooker pro in this recipe but you feel free to use any steamer system you have!
You may also like my steamed trout, air fryer crab sticks, crab potato salad recipe and crab guacamole. All delicious!
Steaming crab legs instead of boiling them is a great way to retain the natural flavors and juices of the crab legs. They turn out moist with a tender texture and taste very delicious when served with lemon wedges and melted butter.
You can make these steamed snow crab legs with Old Bay for your next party or gathering. They also make a quick dinner served with a couple of sides or you can use the meat to make crab cakes or seafood pasta salad.
Seafood dinners are some of the best and easiest meals to make. They are ready in under 20 minutes from start to finish and everyone is a fan!
Steaming crab legs at home seems like a hard thing to do but it's actually quite easy and simple to prepare in just a few minutes. Definitely an ideal recipe to make for busy weeknight meals or fancy special occasion dinners.
I used my Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker PRO to make these steamed crab legs. You can put a steamer rack on the bottom of the pot then place the crabs on top. They fit comfortably inside and there's no need to heat up the stove or dirty up any extra dishes.
Recipe ingredients
Snow crab legs. I used frozen pre-cooked crab legs. 1 ½ lbs of crab legs is usually about 3 - 4 clusters or 9 - 12 crab legs.
Lemons. Used to soften the hard shell and add flavor to the meat. Reserve some lemon juice for serving too!
Old bay seasoning. This seasoning is excellent on seafood. Use as much as you like!
Water. Used to steam the crab legs. You only need 2 cups.
Melted butter. Used for dipping.
How to steam snow crab legs
Begin by placing a steamer rack into the Possible cooker pot, feel free to use any steamer you have. If you don't have a specific steamer rack, any other rack that fits snugly inside the pot without obstruction will work.
Pour enough water into the bottom of the pot to ensure effective steaming, but make sure the water level is below the rack so the crab legs do not submerge. I used 2 cups of water.
Lay out the snow crab legs on the rack inside the pot. Make sure they're spaced out evenly to allow for consistent steaming.
Generously sprinkle Old Bay seasoning over the crab legs. Cut the lemon in half. Squeeze the juice of one-half over the seasoned crab legs and place the squeezed lemon half in the pot for added flavor during steaming.
Close the lid of your steamer and adjust the time to 13 minutes. Once the time is up carefully open the lid.
Carefully remove the crab legs from the cooker and place them on a serving dish. Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the lemon over the cooked crab legs. Serve hot, accompanied by a bowl of melted butter for dipping.
Substitutions
Snow crab legs. Substitute with a couple of king crab legs.
Lemon juice. The lemon juice used inside of the steaming water can be replaced with regular white distilled vinegar or a little bit of apple cider vinegar.
Old Bay seasoning. Try using seasoning salt, blackened seasoning, or Cajun seasoning. It has a similar flavor to Old Bay but with a nice kick of heat.
Variations
If you are using fresh, raw snow crab legs, add a few more minutes to the cooking time just to make sure they are fully cooked. Crab legs are done when the shell turns a pinkish-red color and the meat is opaque white.
If you decide not to use Old Bay seasoning or some other seasoning mix, make sure to add a little bit of salt to the cooking liquid for seasoning.
Serve with fresh chopped parsley, lemon wedges, or a garlic lemon butter sauce.
Pro tips
When placing the crab legs in the steamer or pot, make sure they have enough room. Overcrowding can result in uneven cooking.
Make sure there's enough water for steam, but not so much that the crab legs are submerged. Boiling can make them soggy.
The crab legs should be hot to the touch when they're done. If in doubt, you can crack one open at the thickest part to ensure the meat is hot.
Storage and leftovers
Refrigerate leftover steamed snow crab legs in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for up to 3-4 days.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to steam or boil snow crab legs?
Steaming has always been my preferred method of cooking crab legs. Boiling can cause the crab legs to become waterlogged and steaming is a great way to gently cook them while maintaining their delicate flavor.
Do you need to thaw frozen crab legs before steaming?
You don't have to. Snow crab legs are on the smaller side and should fit and cook evenly inside your steamer. They will also retain their briny flavors so don't have to worry about them tasting watery.
Why do you steam crabs with vinegar?
Vinegar or lemon juice is added to the steaming water to soften the hard crab shell. It also adds a nice light, citrusy flavor to the meat.
Which is better king crab legs or snow crab legs?
Both are delicious, but which one you decide on will depend on your preference and budget. A few notable differences are that king crab legs are larger and sold by the leg. This variety is meaty and tastes pretty similar to lobster. Snow crab legs, on the other hand, are smaller and sold by the cluster, meaning you will have several legs per cluster. They are slightly sweet with a mild briny flavor.
Additional recipes
If you like this Ninja Foodi Possible cooker crab legs you will definitely like these recipes:
- Tuna collar recipe
- Parmesan crusted walleye
- Grouper ceviche
- Broiled salmon with skin
- Parmesan crusted walleye
- Conch salad
- Salmon head soup
You may also like to try my other Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Recipes like Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro chicken, Ninja foodi possible cooker pro pot roast and Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Mississippi pot roast.
Hope you will like this steamed snow crab legs as much as we do. Please rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Recipe
Steamed Snow Crab Legs
Steamed snow crab legs are an easy and impressive meal that you can make at home! Skip the restaurant, this recipe shows you how to cook snow crab legs to perfection! I used Ninja Foodi possible cooker pro in this recipe but you feel free to use any steamer system you have!
4.80 from 5 votes
Author :Tatiana
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 13 minutes mins
Total Time 18 minutes mins
Course Seafood recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 298 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb pre cooked frozen snow crab legs
- 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoon old bay seasoning or to your liking
- 2 cups water
- Melted butter for dipping optional
Instructions
Place a steamer rack (or any other rack that fits) in to the pot. Pour water on the bottom of the pot.
Place snow crab legs in the pot. Generously sprinkle legs with old bay seasoning. Add half of the lemon. Close the lid.
Set 13 minutes on your steamer. Once cooked, squeeze more lemon juice on top. Serve with melted butter.
Video
Notes
When placing the crab legs in the steamer or pot, make sure they have enough room. Overcrowding can result in uneven cooking.
Make sure there's enough water for steam, but not so much that the crab legs are submerged. Boiling can make them soggy.
The crab legs should be hot to the touch when they're done. If in doubt, you can crack one open at the thickest part to ensure the meat is hot.
Leftovers. Refrigerate leftover steamed snow crab legs in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 55gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 4341mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2g
Keyword how long to steam snow crab legs, steamed snow crab legs
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