Crab legs are a filling and versatile dish. They can be prepared in a number of ways and served during both lunch and dinner meals. The flavor combinations are nearly limitless, as the sweet crab meat compliments most flavors. Many of the methods used to prepare crab legs require minimal ingredients and skill, meaning that even the most inexperienced cook could produce a delicious batch of crabs legs in no time. While the type of crab used is entirely up to the chef’s discretion, most find that King Crab is preferable. King Crabs can be found in the North Atlantic, the seas off of Northern Europe, or Alaska. King crabs are available year round, and have hearty, sweet flavored, meat, making them suitable for a variety of recipes.http://www.livestrong.com/article/87468-king-crab-legs-nutrition-information/ Read on to learn how to prepare crab legs.

• When is comes to cooking crab, your choices are limitless. The recipe should reflect the theme of event you are preparing the crab for. So, if for instance, you were preparing crab for a barbecue, you might consider preparing grilled crab legs.

• Arguably the most popular method, steaming only requires a large pot, some water and a few basic ingredients.

1. Most king crab is pre-cooked and frozen, so you'll simply need to steam it briefly before it's ready to eat.http://www.ehow.com/how_3486_heat-frozen-crab.html
2. You will need to thaw the legs before cooking. Some suggest placing legs on a rack over a pan] covered in plastic wrap.http://www.ehow.com/how_3486_heat-frozen-crab.html Otherwise, legs can thaw in the refrigerator for up to a day or twohttp://www.ehow.com/how_3486_heat-frozen-crab.html
3. Once thawed, split the crab legs using kitchen shears, cutting lengthwise through the underside of the legs.http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R027806
   • The underside is the side that's lighter in color.
4. You can steam your crab legs in water or try something with more flavor, like beer.http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34735,00.htm.
5. Whether you choose water or another liquid, place a steamer insert into a large stockpot, so the crab will truly steam and not be waterlogged.
6. Steam the crab for approximately five minutes and serve.http://www.ehow.com/how_3486_heat-frozen-crab.html
7. Note that if you are steaming whole crabs, it will take around 30-40 minutes to cook, but the preparation is the same.http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=09d73ab862b0f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=crab%20legs&rsc=header_9
8. You can either serve it as-is, with melted butter and some lemon, or dress it up (see Recipes to Try).
9. If you do not have proper steaming materials, you can get much the same effect by broiling the crab for 3-4 minutes in your oven.http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R027806

A terrific method for summer, grilling crab legs is simple and the cleanup is easy, too. For this simple recipe using a Provencal butter, you'll want to grill the crab legs shell side down over a medium hot grill for four minutes, while you brush them with butter sauce.[http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1745,154188-244195,00.html It is recommended that the crab be allowed to grill for 5 minutes, until it is just heated through.http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/101749

Crab legs can also be prepared in the microwave by covering the crab with damp paper towels and microwave for 2-3 minutes.http://www.ehow.com/how_2304674_microwave-snow-crab-legs.html

Foodies from the San Francisco Chronicle have stated that they see no difference between steaming and microwaving,with one just being a simpler and quicker method. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/02/04/FDGQQ4LSV01.DTL

If you have leftover crab meat, try making:

• Crab Cakes
• Gumb
• Crab or Seasfood Salad
• Crab Louie Salad
• Crab Po' Boy Sandwiches
• Crab Nachoshttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/103545
• Crab Dip