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Baked King Crab - King crab is everyone's favorite crustacean and this king crab recipe is baked with Sriracha lemon butter. The crab legs are so juicy, sweet, and perfect for the holidays and special occasions!
Table of Contents
King Crab
I love Alaska king crab, especially the meaty, sweet and juicy king crab legs.
With the holiday season coming up, it’s perfect time to head to your nearest Costco and load up pounds of red king crab for Thanksgiving recipes or Christmas holiday parties.
I have the best king crab recipe for you, baked with Sriracha lemon butter. It’s so crazy delicious and mouthwatering you want it every day!
Other Recipes You Might Like
- Garlic Lemon Butter Crab Legs
- Dungeness Crab
- Crab Dip
How to Cook King Crab?
It’s super easy to make crab legs at home. Most of them are sold as crab legs; they are all pre-cooked and frozen.
All you need is a simple recipe that enhances the natural flavors of the crab. Most people will boil or steam them, and served with melted butter.
To me, boiling or steaming is not the best way to cook king crab because it dilutes the natural, sweet and briny flavors of the crab.
Baking in the oven at high heat brings out mouthwatering aroma of the crab. It also roast the crab meat, remove the extra water content in the frozen crab.
A simple Sriracha lemon butter brings out the natural briny and sweet flavors of the crab meat, while enhancing the flavors.
Cooking Tips for Alaskan King Crab
- Frozen crabs are always salty so avoid using salt while cooking, boiling, steaming or baking the crab legs.
- Cut or chop the king crab legs into shorter pieces. This makes them easier to eat. The shorter segments are also great for dinner parties.
- For the best oven baked flavors, use a pair of scissors to cut open the top part of the shell as pictured above. This will expose the crab meat for oven roasting. It also allows the butter to sip inside the crab legs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Snow Crab Vs. King Crab
Both crabs are popular crustacean with sweet and delightful leg meat but there are distinct differences between the two species.
Snow crab is much smaller compared to king crab. Snow crab legs have a smooth and softer shell while the latter has a thicker and spiky shell.
You don’t really need a cracking tool to crack open the shells of snow crab as you can snap them open using your hands. Snow crab is also cheaper and less expensive.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 388 calories per serving.
What to Serve with This Recipe?
Serve this dish with steak for a homemade surf and turf. For a healthy meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Filet Mignon
Garlic Butter Lobster Tails
Garlic Chive Butter Grilled Steak
Garlic Butter Sauteed Spinach
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Baked King Crab Recipe
Baked King Crab - King crab is everyone's favorite crustacean and this king crab recipe is baked with Sriracha lemon butter. The crab legs are so delicious!
4.49 from 382 votes
By Bee Yinn Low
Yield 4 people
Prep 10 minutes mins
Cook 20 minutes mins
Total 30 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (1kg) king crab legs
- 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature and softened)
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 3 dashes smoked paprika and more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and/or chives
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F (207°C).
Cut the king crab legs into shorter segments using a pair of scissors. Cut the crab leg segments lengthwise to expose the crab meat. Alternatively, you can also cut the top part of the shell to expose the crab meat.
Arrange the king crab legs in a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil to avoid drying out the crab.
In the meantime, make the Sriracha Lemon Butter by whipping the softened butter with a whisk. Add the Sriracha, lemon juice and sugar, whisk to combine well. Set aside.
As soon as the crab is out of the oven, spoon the butter over the crab meat. Dust with more smoked paprika and garnish with chopped parsley and/or chives. Serve immediately.
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: American
Keywords: King Crab
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Baked King Crab Recipe
Amount Per Serving (4 people)
Calories 388Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Cholesterol 156mg52%
Sodium 1927mg84%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 42g84%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
