Golden king crab is an attention getter on any table, whether it’s part of a celebratory spread at your favorite seafood restaurant or atop a bunch of newspapers for a summer cookout. The long, spindly legs and spiky claws can seem challenging to navigate, but this guide to preparing and eating golden king crab will sway you to its many charms.
For one thing, this crab delivers slightly sweet and savory flavors that linger on the palate. Besides requiring a set of sharp kitchen shears, it’s also remarkably easy to prepare and serve, and can be surprisingly versatile, as explained below in our step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Thaw the crab
Golden king crab is precooked — which turns the meat bright orange-red from its original golden hue — and sold frozen. To thaw the crab, lay out the legs and claws on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towels, and place in a refrigerator for eight hours or more until thawed.
Step 2: Rinse under cold water
Before preparing the crab, run cold tap water over the legs and claws to remove any residue. Now, you are ready to prepare and serve.
Step 3a: Prepare to serve cold
If you’re serving golden king crab legs and claws as part of a seafood tower or cold seafood platter, it’s ready to go! First, crack the leg at the joint (use a towel to help with leverage if needed), twisting it slowly until it separates into smaller pieces. To remove the meat from the shell, use sharp kitchen or poultry shears. It’s best to snip along the soft, white underside rather than the spiny side. Use your fingers to pull back the shell and remove the meat.
For claws, use the thick, non-sharp part of the blade of a chef’s knife or other sturdy knife to crack the shell.
Step 3b: Prepare to serve warm
Whether serving the crab as an ingredient in a dish or simply warmed up to serve with a dipping sauce, you can use different methods for heating. The most important thing to know about warming up golden king crab — which, again, is pre-cooked — is that you must avoid overheating it. This is high-quality meat, and it only needs a gentle warming to make it delicious.
Option 1: Steaming
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place crab parts in a steamer basket and place the pot over the boiling water, covered. After 2 to 3 minutes, you should smell a pleasant aroma; remove the basket and prepare the crab for serving.
Option 2: Roasting
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a tray or shallow baking pan, add the crab and ⅛ inch of water. Cover with foil and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, and remove from the oven.
Option 3: Grilling
Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush the crab with olive oil and place on the grill, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Step 4: Serve
One of the best things about golden king crab is that it can be served cold with a simple cocktail sauce or with melted butter (add minced garlic and chopped parsley if desired). Place the pre-cut and cracked crab parts over ice with slices of lemon and the sauce(s) on the side.
If serving warm, serve the crab parts on a platter with the dipping sauce.
Golden king crab can also be used as an ingredient in pasta as part of an Italian menu. For this preparation, slice the crab meat into bite-sized chunks and mix with the cooked noodles and sauce.We told you about dipping sauces, but what about “the sauce”? Golden king crab is easily paired with wine. Choose white wine if serving the crab simply, or opt for a red wine with spicy or red sauces such as puttanesca or marinara.
AUTHOR
Richard Martin is a writer, editor, and strategist who specializes in food, drink, and travel. He is the co-founder and editor of Appetito, the new online publication about Italian food and drink, and the co-author of the cookbook series Preserved, from publisher Hardie Grant NA.