How to Open King Crab Legs

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: September 13, 2024

Opening king crab legs is a cinch. Just a few simple steps and you’ll be digging out delicious crab meat in no time. While it’s easy to be intimidated by these hard-shelled crustaceans, there are a few easy ways to get to the good stuff without breaking a sweat. Read on to learn everything you need to know about opening king crab legs with ease.

1

Pick the leg up.

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King crab legs are the biggest, so you really may need both.

2

Find a joint and apply pressure.

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You can apply pressure by hand or with a crab tool. You can even use a chopstick, fork, or the flat side of a knife if you prefer. Crab legs have four sections with three joints to break.^{[1]
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- A lot of people prefer to just use normal scissors. They can normally cut through a crab shell with no problem.^{[2]
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3

Crack the leg open.

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Use one sweeping motion to open the leg. If you don’t have a zipper, use a fork or the sharp edge of a knife.^{[3]
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4

Extract the meat.

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You can dip the crab in butter or cocktail sauce if you’d like.

5

Repeat this process with the other legs.

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Use a crab zipper or crab cracker (nutcracker) for the smaller sections if needed.^{[4]
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Question

If boiling the crab legs, what else should I add to the water?

Community Answer

You do not need to add anything. I do add 1 tsp of salt for every quart of water if the shells on the legs have not been cut (look at the claws). If the legs have been cut, just steam them in as little water as possible. Adding anything will change the pure flavor. All crab legs have been cooked, so all you need to do is reheat them. Boiling or steaming them too long will make the shells soggy and difficult to crack.

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