Because my GF is sort of feeling in the pits lately (see this thread) so I told her I would get her anything she wants for dinner to night and cook it for her. She wants crab legs, which I’ve never done before.
Is there a trick to cooking these, or do I just drop them into boiling water? What goes good as a side dish with crab legs? Any suggestions?
As for how to cook them, I’m not sure.
Side dishes for blue crabs are generally things like cole slaw, potato salad, corn on the cob, things like that.
Are you looking for more elegant than that?
Actually, I steam them. They seem to retain more o’ that crabby flavor, yum!
Garlicky, buttery things go well with crab, im my opinion. Snow crab with garlic butter, and fettucini alfredo with a touch of broccoli! Wooooo!
Tell 'er that this evening you have crabs legs, calves liver, pigs feet, and lambs kidneys.
Then SHE sez to you, she sez…
Drat. I forget the punchline.
Mr. Cynical - I like your suggestion, and I actually can make fettucini alfredo. I’ll just pick up some brocoli while I’m out buying the crab legs.
(I almost said, " . . . while I’m out getting the crabs," but that’s an entirely different thread.)
I’ve never steamed anything before though, so how exactly do you do that?
OK.
Depending on the amount of crab legs you have, place a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. You can add (found in any grocery store) a couple of tablespoons of Crab Boil to the water, which seasons it a tad or even 2 or 4 cloves of mashed – but not diced – garlic cloves.
Deposit the thawed but cold crab legs into the water, making sure they are covered. Break into sections if needed. Boil until the shell turns red or roughly 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Serve with nut crackers (to crack the shell) or clean pliers.
Side dishes: Coleslaw, corn on the cob, green salad, hush puppies, thick French fries, melted butter, lemon wedges, pickles (dill), iced tea, hot, garlic buttered French bread, 3 bean salad, potato salad. (Any combination of the previous items.) Beer.
For a treat – add a can of beer to the water, bring it to another boil, then add the crab legs.
This thread is making me hungry–and I’m so poor that I can’t even afford imitation crabmeat, much less the real deal.
sniff
Any of you people feel like having me over for dinner?
Drainy! You live only about 40 miles from me, right? C’mon over!
You have to steam them; it is far better than boiling them. They will retain flavor and have a better texture.
Ok, thanks everyone for the side dish ideas and I’m sorry for making you hungry Drain Bead. If you can make it to St Louis, I’m having crab legs tonight.
So I have 2 suggestions for steaming over boiling . . . I’ve never steamed anything before and would not know how to go about that. How do you steam crab legs?
Well, I happen to have a Black and Decker Flav-r-Steamer. I use it for crab legs, broccoli, rice, corn, you name it. I just fold them little legs up, pour in a cup of water, and presto, 15 minutes later I’m munching.
I suppose you could do it in a pasta pot, though. Put water in the main pot, and put the crab in the pasta strainer. when you put the pasta pot in the main pot, make sure that the water doesn’t touch the crab. When you boil it, the steam should heat the crab nicely. Sometimes, I drop some butter into the water. I don’t think it does anything, but the effect is nice.
Thanks again, Mr Cynical. Just in time for me to head home too. I’ll let you know how things go tonight.
The best crab legs I ever had were in Freeport, Bahamas. There was a joint there that sold a bucket of crab just like when you purchase KFC. The crab was boiled in water seasoned with a generous amount of garlic then buttered. It only cost $9.95 for a ton of crab legs. Scrumptious!
I would serve a really nice salad on the side with simple oil and vinegar dressing and make a rice pilaf. The crab should be the center of the meal and I would avoid sides that would detract from it. Add a dry white wine and you would have a lovely meal.
Oooh, I suddenly have a sweet vinaigrette in my head. maybe a sundried tomato vinaigrette, with crostini, too.
Well, since I’m going to be visiting Drain Bead, my lovely fiancee, this very weekend, how about we both drop by for you to buy us a dinner of crab legs, eh? 
Yer pal,
Satan
[sub]TIME ELAPSED SINCE I QUIT SMOKING:
Four months, six days, 1 hour, 25 minutes and 35 seconds.
5122 cigarettes not smoked, saving $640.30.
Life saved: 2 weeks, 3 days, 18 hours, 50 minutes.[/sub]
"Satan is not an unattractive person."-Drain Bead
[sub]Thanks for the ringing endorsement, honey!*[/sub]
So, what time should I come for dinner? And don’t forget to send me directions, I don’t want to get lost.
What do you say, hmmmmmmmmmmmmm?
I’ll bring dessert, I make a mean chocolate mousse pie, or if you like I can whip up a cheesecake.
Drooling Scotti
I was wondering what was sloshing around in there, MrC.
BTW, I’m for the steaming, too. You obviously don’t have a steamer so here’s a way to set one up that should be ok: Take a colander and set over a stock pot of boiling water–water should not be touching the colander. Place crab legs in colander and cover with a few layers of foil. Let steam until those crab legs have turned red. Serve with melted garlic butter and lemon wedges. Yum.
Alaskan king crab legs are the BEST! Save me some, man! (Of course, by the time they’d get to this part of the country, eating them would be a bad idea…but still…mmmmmm!)
Be sure to have nut or shellfish cracking thingys, and the miniforks for fishing out the meat. It can be really messy eating otherwise. (Well, it is anyway, but even messier)
There’s a place at The Block at Orange called Market Broiler. They make “crab alfredo”. This is fettucini alfredo with a generous helping of show crab meat mixed in the sauce. They used to put a whole claw in it too, but I don’t think they do that any more. It comes with a pice of garlic bread, but I prefer the fresh-baked loaves and butter they serve with everything.
It’s really good, but a bit heavy; especially in this hot weather.
Oh. A question. Is there anything to eat in the crab’s body? Or are only the legs eaten?