Many years ago my sister was at the grocery store and she came across these beautiful Dungeness crab legs, but she didn’t know how to prepare them. Kaye, the seafood clerk, shared with her the most amazing family recipe and since then, it has been our family’s recipe as well. It’s been years since Kaye has retired, but her openness and kindness to share food and recipes with others remains. We would not dare call this recipe by any other name. Thank you Kaye!
Jump to RecipeINGREDIENTS
2 lbs crab legs – King, Dungeness or Snow
1/2 cup of butter, unsalted & room temperature
5-6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher or sea salt to taste
fresh parsley, finely chopped
HOW TO MAKE THEM
Pre heat your oven to 375 degrees and arrange your crab legs in an oven safe baking dish like Pyrex. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium to low heat. Add the minced garlic and allow the garlic to infuse the butter for a minute or so. Add the lemon juice, salt and parsley, stir and reduce the heat to low allowing the flavors to marry while the oven comes to temperature. Once the oven is ready, turn the stove heat off, add the olive oil to the sauce. You’re ready to season the crab legs!
Brush the crab legs with the sauce to evenly coat each crab leg. Pour the remaining sauce over the crab legs. Bake for 20-25 minutes and baste the crab legs about every 5-7 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the crab legs. As the legs bake, the marinade becomes the most wonderful sauce.
Note: Kaye uses an injector to inject the sauce into each crab leg. I don’t have one, but basting works just as well.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with extra parsley and garnish with extra lemon wedges. Serve with lots of good bread to sop up all that buttery liquid gold.
If you love crab legs, you must make this at home! This is a long time family favorite and a special treat. I hope you enjoy!
This was originally posted May 3, 2019.
Kaye’s Crab Legs
The most amazing yet simple way to bake crab legs – King, Dungeness or Snow Crab Legs. Make sure to serve plenty of bread to soak up the sauce – it's liquid gold!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs crab legs – King, Dungeness or Snow
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted and room temperature
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt to taste
- fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°.
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While the oven is preheating, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low to medium heat. Add the minced garlic and lightly saute the garlic. Add the lemon juice and reduce the temperature to low and let those flavors blend until the oven is nice and hot. Add salt and parsley to taste. Whisk in the olive oil and turn the burner off.
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Arrange the legs in a 9X13 baking dish, brushing each leg with the sauce and pour the remaining sauce over the legs in the baking dish.
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Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the crab legs. About every 5-7 minutes, baste the sauce onto the legs until they are done.
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Remove from the oven and garnish with extra lemon wedges and fresh chopped parsley. Serve with lots of good bread to sop up the buttery sauce.
Recipe Notes
Kaye’s Tip: Instead of basting, use an injector to inject each crab leg with the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over crab legs.
