There’s no doubt about it: crab legs are a premium thing to eat. Sweet, juicy, delicious meat that it’s no wonder it’s guarded by shells and claws! Crab legs are so astoundingly delicious one would assume it has to be a difficult thing to make, right?
WRONG!
The Instant Pot excels at steaming crustaceans and these crab legs aren’t only going to be some of the most SUBLIME you’ve ever had, but also one of the QUICKEST and EASIEST things you’ll ever make in your life!
Here’s How I Made It!:
I GOT CRABS! And since they’ll likely be frozen, I suggest letting them thaw in the sink for 30 minutes.
Then go to that Instant Pot and pour in some chicken broth…
…along with some Zatarain’s.
Add the trivet…
…and rest the crab legs on top of it. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure.
Make the amazing green garlic BUTTA sauce! Take some butter…
…and melt it in a microwave-safe ramekin/bowl.
Then, add in some Garlic Better Than Bouillon (or minced garlic)…
…dried parsley…
…Old Bay seasoning…
…and some grated Parmesan cheese.
Mix it all together…
…until it forms a lovely green garlic goddess of a butter!
After the legs are done, let them sit in the pot for 5 minutes and then remove them with some tongs…
…and transfer to a plate.
(Don’t forget the butter!)
And now, it’s time to dig in and act like a barbarian! Rip off one of them legs like a true New Englander…
…and marvel at all that beautiful meat!
You’ll see how easy it’ll be to crack each leg by hand.
If you wish, dip it in that magic butter…
…and savor it as it creates the most wonderful flavor, sweet-meat experience in your mouth.
It’s so good you’ll call for a loved one to share some o’ these legs with you.
Show them how easily this succulent crab meat slides right out of the shell and perhaps offer them some of the butter for dipping…
…watch as they try it out…
…and the look says it all! This is a HUGE crowdpleaser, folks. Done in no time with no effort at all!
Enjoy!
At the time this post was created, Pressure Luck was in sponsorship with and exclusively used Southeastern Mills products for broth and base ingredients
Instant Pot Crab Legs
As soon as you see how easy and fast it is to make the most succulent and sweet crab legs in your Instant Pot, you'll never feel crabby again.
Ingredients
- 2-4 lbs (2-4 sections/clusters) of snow crab legs, preferably thawed for 30 minutes in the sink if frozen
- 1 cup of chicken broth (I used 1 tsp of Chicken Better Than Bouillon + 1 cup of water)
- 1 tbsp of Zatarain’s Shrimp & Crab Boil Concentrate (this is going to make the broth quite spicy but it’s simply to infuse the crab legs with flavor as it cooks and we will discard once done cooking. So you can either reduce the amount to as low as 1 tsp or leave it out completely if you wish)
- Garlic Butter Sauce, for dipping (enough for 4 lbs of crab legs)
- 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) of salted or unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp of Garlic Better Than Bouillon (OR 1 tsp of minced garlic)
- 1/2 tsp of dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tsp of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pour the broth into the Instant Pot followed by the Zatarain’s and stir until combined
- Add in the trivet and rest crab legs on it, maneuvering them so the lid can shut
- Secure the lid and hit “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” High Pressure for 2 minutes if thawed (go for 4 minutes if frozen). Quick release when done
- While the pot’s releasing the steam, add the butter to a microwave safe bowl and set the time for about 30 seconds until it’s totally melted. Stir in the garlic, parsley, Old Bay and parmesan when done
- Allow the crab legs to sit in the pot for 5 minutes after the lid comes off and then transfer them to a plate and get crackin’ and dippin’! Squeeze some fresh lemon on it too if you’d like.
- Enjoy with my amazing garlic bread!
Jeffrey's Tips
Make my garlic bread to go with it! You can’t go wrong there ?
Since nearly all crab legs come frozen, I do suggest thawing them for 30 minutes in the sink rather than cooking them frozen. It won’t be much of any difference at all (except a few minutes more of cook time), but that’s just my preference is all.
Also, if you have your legs thawed, they’ll be more flexible, allowing you to add and pack in as many clusters of crab legs as you can! Same 2 minute cooking time regardless!
Prefer them cold? That’s fine! Serve them chilled by putting them on ice or in the fridge after cooking (just don’t reheat them due to health reasons!)
Squeezing some fresh lemon on the crab meat is always a nice touch too!
kory
is this in your recipe book?
Jeffrey
It’s in my second one coming out on 4/13/21 😉
Lisa Gay
Wow this looks good! I can’t wait to make it! And I bet that leftover broth/juice will make great seafood chowder.
Lori Felber
What about steaming Lobster Claws in the instant pot?
Lynette
Where do you buy your crab legs? Do you know if the ones at Costco are any good? I bought some at Kroger the last time I made them but they weren’t very good.
Mark
Doesn’t this overcook them? They’re already cooked aren’t they?
How is this method better than just steaming them? Thanks
Jeffrey
Not at all! Makes them super succulent!
Abigail Francis
Made these for Labor Day plus your mushroom risotto!! Amazing! When I told my son that these were your recipes, his reply was “Oh yeah that Instapot God.”
Thanks so much Jeffery! I have made probably 100 of your recipes now!
Jeffrey
Thank you!