Proper Ways to Cook Crab Legs

About two summers ago, my friends and I drove down to the Washington DC Fish Market and bought some crab legs. We all gathered in my tiny apartment, got three pots of water boiling on the stove, and we cooked up them crab legs. Some of us ate the crab meat with melted, salted butter and others dipped it into a mixture of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. All of us washed it down with cold beer. DELISH! My place did not smell so great for a few days but the memory of that night with my friends makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Here are some suggestions on how to cook crab legs:

To steam crab legs:

1. Pour 2 cups of water in a steamer or a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to the boil.
2. Add the crab legs, placing them onto a rack in the bottom of the pan or into the steaming basket.
3. As the water starts to boil again, begin timing.
4. Steam the crab legs for between 5 - 7 minutes, until you can begin to smell their aroma and until they are warm. Take care not to overcook the legs as they have already been cooked once.
5. Remove from the heat and serve hot with melted butter and lemon wedges.

To boil crab legs:

1. Half fill a large saucepan with cold water and add a tablespoon of sea salt and seasoning
   
   if you wish.
2. Bring the water to the boil and then drop the crab legs in.
3. Reduce the heat slightly and allow the crab legs to simmer and heat up for 5 - 7 minutes.
4. Remove from the water and rinse the crab legs. Serve hot.

To bake crab legs:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Crack the whole crab legs and place them on a baking tray.
3. Brush the crab legs with butter or oil, seasoning and lemon juice and bake in the oven for 8 - 9 minutes.

To microwave crab legs:

1. Wrap the crab legs in a damp paper towel and cook on high for 2 - 3 minutes.
2. Serve hot with butter, cocktail sauce or lemon wedges.