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5.0 from 27 votes

Oven Baked King Crab Legs

Indulge in the deliciousness of easy baked king crab legs in the oven steamed in wine and dipped in creamy garlic butter. A date night masterpiece!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 2 main course servings
Calories: 704 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds king crab legs and claws thawed
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 large lemon sliced thinly
Garlic Butter Seafood Sauce
  • 9 tablespoon unsalted butter cold and cut into nine equal pieces
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • ½ shallot grated
  • 2-3 garlic cloves grated
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Place the crab legs, white wine, and lemons into your baking dish or a rimmed baking sheet. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place into your preheated oven on the middle rack.
  3. Bake the crab legs for 15 minutes, or until the king crab shells are hot to the touch.
  4. Remove from the oven and serve hot with the creamy butter sauce.
  5. Make the Garlic Butter Sauce
  6. In a medium sized saucepan, melt one tablespoon of butter over medium heat with the wine, grated shallots, grated garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon zest. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, it should be very fragrant.
  7. Whisk in the chicken broth and lemon juice, let the mixture reduce down until there's about 3 tablespoons of liquid remaining.
  8. Add the cream and turn the heat up to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
  9. Whisking constantly, add the rest of the cold butter ONE tablespoon at a time, whisking until each one is incorporated completely before adding the next one.
  10. Continue adding in all the butter, by the time the last tablespoon is done the sauce should be creamy and coat the back of a spoon.
  11. Let sit at low heat, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve with the crab legs.

Notes

  • Grill crab legs - place the crab legs in a hot grill, pour the wine and lemons into a grill-safe pan to keep the steam going.
  • Swap wine for other flavorings - use chicken broth, citrus juices, beer, whatever you want to infuse flavor into the crab legs. You can also just use some water so the crab's natural flavor isn't changed.
  • Don't overcook the crab - dried out crab is not good, and overcooking makes the meat tough. We are simply rewarming the crab since they're already cooked.
  • Crackers and Shears - this is not the time to use your hands or teeth to open the shells. The shells on a king crab are much, much thicker than the others with sharp spikes. Have plenty of tools for everyone to use.
  • Break the legs apart to cook - if you need to. They're huge, they need a lot of room, so break them at the joints.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 704kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 132g (264%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Cholesterol 361mg (120%) Sodium 7297mg (304%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2main course servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 704

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 704kcal 35%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 132g 264%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Cholesterol 361mg 120%
Sodium 7297mg 304%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.