Classic King Crab - Simply Recipes

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Classic King Crab

How to make this classic at home, served with melted butter and lemon and ready in just 10 minutes.

By Hank Shaw Hank Shaw Hank has authored five cookbooks, the latest in 2021. His website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook won Best Food Blog by the James Beard Foundation in 2013. Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process Updated November 02, 2025 4 Ratings Save Print Close

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Why Make This

• Steaming gently preserves the rich, tender crab meat so it stays moist and flavorful.
• A classic presentation with melted butter and lemon lets the natural crab flavor shine.

One of my early memories as a kid was eating piles of Alaskan king crab legs in restaurants. Dipped in lots of melted butter and served with a lemon wedge I rarely used, it was tons of fun pulling big chunks of rich, luscious crab meat from those enormous legs.

I grew up in New Jersey where the much smaller blue crab reigns supreme. As a kid, the idea of gigantic crabs up to six feet long wandering around on the bottom of the ocean was both exciting and slightly scary. Eating these crabs was like traveling to a different world.

As I later learned, it was a different world back then. Our family was not particularly wealthy, and I never remember king crab even being in the same class as Maine lobster. King crab was what you got when lobster was too expensive.

The History of American Crab Fishing

If you look at the history of the Alaskan king crab fishery, you'll know why. At precisely the same time I was enjoying mountains of king crab, the fishery was reaching the high-water mark of unsustainability. In 1981, fishermen hauled up 130 million pounds of kings. Two years later, the fishery collapsed.

It took years, but crab stocks did recover. Since then, king crab has been fished sustainably throughout Alaska. And while it will never be inexpensive again, it's still one of the world's great luxury foods.

What Does King Crab Taste Like?

Rich, soft, and briny, king crab is reminiscent more of lobster than of crab. The meat is also easy to extract and fills the shells, which gives you a good amount of meat per pound—unlike most other crabs.

The Best Way To Cook King Crabs

Virtually all king crab is pre-cooked. It has to be, to preserve freshness. Alaskan king crab is cooked and blast frozen right in the harbor. If they did not, the giant crabs would die and rot within hours. This means that as a cook, you are really reheating king crab, not actually cooking it. So be gentle. I prefer to steam it for 5 minutes and call it a day. King crab really needs nothing else.

How To Serve King Crab

King crab is best served simply. To do too much to it would be like stuffing caviar into a burrito. Steam it, grill it or even microwave it, and then choose a support player and enjoy. The classic is, was, and always will be melted butter and lemon. It is a classic for a reason.

Best Crab To Buy

Buying red king crabs wild-caught in the U.S. (especially Alaska) is a good choice, because they are sustainably harvested under strict government guidelines. You can buy directly from the fisheries themselves or look for wild-caught or sustainably farmed labels in the store.

More Crab Recipes to Try

• Dungeness Crab Cakes
• Crab Dip
• Crab Bisque
• Air Fryer Crab Rangoon
• Crab Fondue

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes Print Save

Classic King Crab

Prep Time 5 mins Cook Time 5 mins Total Time 10 mins Servings 4 servings Yield 3 to 4 pounds Keep Screen Awake

• 3 to 4 pounds Alaskan king crab legs and claws

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

• Lemon wedges for garnish

1. Melt the butter:

   Melt the butter in a small pan on a stove and keep warm on the lowest setting.

2. Steam the crab legs:

   Set a steamer tray inside a large pot and pour enough water inside to steam the crab. Remember, you are only reheating the crab, so you will only need about an inch of water, tops. Bring this to a boil before laying the crab legs on the steamer. Cover the pot and steam for 5 minutes.

3. Make cuts into the crab shells:

   Remove the crab legs and use kitchen shears to cut the shells. You can either totally remove the meat from the shell or just get each one started for your guests. Serve with the melted butter and lemon wedges on the side.

   Did you love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
692	Calories
31g	Fat
16g	Carbs
90g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label ×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	692
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g	39%
Saturated Fat 15g	76%
Cholesterol 301mg	100%
Sodium 5048mg	219%
Total Carbohydrate 16g	6%
Dietary Fiber 5g	17%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 90g
Vitamin C 124mg	618%
Calcium 318mg	24%
Iron 4mg	25%
Potassium 1427mg	30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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