How to Grill Crab Legs

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 3, 2020 References

Steaming crab legs is a classic way to prepare them, but grilling the legs gives them a great smoky flavor. Instead of preparing a large steam pot, toss crab legs on a hot grill. Since they're already cooked, you simply need to cook the legs until they're hot throughout. If you'd like to add a garlic butter flavor, baste the legs with a simple sauce and heat them in a smoker. Serve the grilled or smoked legs with lemon and plenty of butter.

Ingredients

Grilled Crab Legs

2 pounds (0.91 kg) of thawed crab legs
Lemon wedges, for serving
Clarified butter, for serving

Makes 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of crab legs

Cocktail Dipping Sauce^{[1]
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1 cup (225 g) of ketchup
1/8 cup (30 g) of prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) hot sauce
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons (7.4 ml) of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of freshly ground pepper

Makes 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce

Clarified Butter Garlic Sauce^{[2]
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1 cup (226 g) of salted butter
2 garlic cloves

Makes 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce

Avocado Wasabi Dipping Sauce^{[3]
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½ of an avocado
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) of wasabi
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (30 g) of mayonnaise

Makes ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of sauce

Ponzu Dipping Sauce^{[4]
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¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of soy sauce
1⁄4 cup (3 g) of bonito flakes
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of mirin
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of rice vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fresh lime juice
2 in (5 cm) piece of kombu

Makes ²⁄₃ cup (160 ml) of sauce

Smoked Crab Legs with Garlic Butter

3 pounds (1.4 kg) of thawed crab legs
1 cup (226 g) of melted butter
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice
1 tablespoon (8 g) of cajun or Old Bay seasoning
2 cloves of minced garlic

Makes 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of crab legs

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Making Grilled Crab Legs

1
Thaw the crab for 2 hours or overnight. If you know you'll be grilling the next day, transfer 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of frozen crab legs to the refrigerator to thaw. For a faster thawing method, put the crab legs in a sealed bag in the sink and cover the bag with cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the crab legs have thawed.^{[5]
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- It may take 1 to 2 hours before the crab legs defrost in the cold water.
- Avoid thawing the crab legs in hot water, as this could cause bacteria to grow.
2
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat. Turn the burner to high if you're using a gas grill. If you're using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney full of briquettes and light them. Once the briquettes are hot and ashy, dump them in the center of the grill grate.^{[6]
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- To determine if the grill is hot enough, hold the palm of your hand over the grate. The grill is ready if you can't hold your hand over the coals for more than 3 seconds.
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3
Arrange the crab legs on the hot grill. Place the thawed crab legs directly over the hot coals. If you're using a gas grill, simply place them on the preheated grill. Ensure that the crab legs are in a single layer. It's fine if the legs are touching or slightly overlapping.^{[7]
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- If you want to grill more than 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of crab legs, you may need to grill them in batches.
4
Grill the crab legs for 4 to 8 minutes. Put the lid on the grill and leave the crab to cook. Use long-handled tongs to turn the legs every 2 minutes so they heat evenly. Individual legs will finish cooking after about 4 minutes. If you're cooking legs that are still attached to the bodies, they'll need closer to 8 minutes.^{[8]
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- The shells should become charred once they've finished grilling.
- Keep in mind that the crab legs have already been cooked so you're just warming them up. Avoid overcooking them or they'll dry out.
5
Remove the crab and serve it immediately. Because the crab will keep cooking even once you take it off of the grill, avoid cooking it for more than 8 minutes. Place the grilled crab legs on a serving platter and set it out with lemon wedges and clarified butter.^{[9]
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- To store leftover grilled crab, wrap the legs in foil or put them in an airtight container. Refrigerate them for up to 3 to 5 days.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Creating Dipping Sauces

1
Stir together ingredients for a classic cocktail sauce. Put the ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce, lemon juice, and ground pepper into a bowl. Stir the sauce until the mixture is combined. Then cover and refrigerate the cocktail sauce for 1 hour before you serve it with the crab.
- Consider using sriracha, tobasco, or cholula hot sauce.
2
Heat a garlic butter dipping sauce. Place the butter and garlic cloves in a small saucepan. Turn the burner to medium-low and heat the butter for 3 to 5 minutes so the butter solids sink to the bottom of the pan. Strain the garlic out of the sauce and serve the clarified butter immediately.
- Keep an eye on the butter as it heats so the solids don't begin to burn.
3
Blend an avocado wasabi dipping sauce. Scoop half of a ripe avocado into a blender and add the wasabi, a pinch of salt, and the mayonnaise. Put the lid on the blender and pulse the ingredients until they're creamy and smooth. Serve the sauce with the crab.
- If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor.
4
Mix a quick Ponzu sauce. For an Asian inspired dipping sauce, put the soy sauce, bonito flakes, lemon juice, lime juice, mirin, rice vinegar, and piece of kombu into a saucepan. Turn the burner to high so the ingredients come to a boil. Turn off the burner and leave the sauce for 30 minutes. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and finish cooling the sauce before you serve it with the crab.
- Discard the kombu from the strainer.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Making Smoked Crab Legs with Garlic Butter

1
Heat the smoker to 350 °F (177 °C). If you're using a gas or electric smoker, turn it on and place a handful of wood chips to the smoker box in the smoker. If you're using a charcoal grill, scatter hot briquettes and wood chips along the sides of the grill. Then place a disposable aluminum pan full of water in the center.^{[10]
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- The water will create steam as the grill heats.
2
Arrange the crab legs in a roasting pan. Get out a disposable aluminum pan and place the thawed crab legs in it. If the crab legs are longer than the pan, use a heavy knife to cut the legs at the joints.^{[11]
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- To thaw crab legs that are frozen, put them in the refrigerator the night before you plan to grill or put them in a bag and cover them with cold water for a few hours.
- You can also try twisting the joints to make the legs shorter.
3
Pour butter, lemon, seasoning, and garlic over the legs. Mix 1 cup (226 g) of melted butter, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (8 g) of cajun or Old Bay seasoning, and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the legs in the roasting pan.^{[12]
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- Turn the legs over once so both sides are covered with the mixture.
4
Put the crab legs in the smoker and heat them for 20 to 30 minutes. Place the pan of crab legs directly into the hot smoker. Close the smoker and leave the crab legs to heat up. Open the smoker 1 to 2 times as the crab legs smoke and baste the legs with the butter mixture.^{[13]
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- To test the crab, remove 1 leg and crack it open. The meat should be completely hot throughout.
5
Serve the smoked crab legs. Carefully lift the roasting pan full of crab legs out of the smoker. Let your guests help themselves to the crab legs or lift the legs out of the roasting pan and transfer them to a serving platter. Spoon the sauce into a serving bowl and set it alongside the crab legs.^{[14]
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- Refrigerate leftover crab legs in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days. Keep in mind that the garlic butter flavor will intensify as the crab legs are stored.
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