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smoked crab legs

Smoked Crab Legs with Garlic Herb Butter

Colossal king crab legs smoked with mild wood and basted with garlic herb butter for tender, flavorful seafood.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 lbs colossal king crab legs
Garlic Herb Butter:
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup
  • 1 whole head of garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lime

Method
 

  1. Butterfly the crab legs by cutting a 1-inch strip of shell from the thickest part using kitchen shears. This exposes the meat while keeping the legs intact. Do not season the crab.
  2. Preheat your smoker to 225°F using apple, cherry, or alder wood. Let it stabilize at temperature with thin blue smoke before adding crab.
  3. Place butterflied crab legs on smoker grates with exposed meat facing up. Close the lid and smoke while preparing the butter.
  4. Make the garlic herb butter by melting 2 sticks butter over low heat. Add minced garlic, parsley, chives, chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and lime juice. Keep warm but not simmering.
  5. After 10 minutes of smoking, baste the crab legs generously with garlic herb butter. Close the lid and continue smoking.
  6. Baste every 10 minutes until the crab reaches 145°F internal temperature in the thickest part. This typically takes 30-40 minutes total.
  7. Remove from smoker and give a final generous basting. Let rest 2-3 minutes, then serve immediately with extra butter for dipping.

Notes

King crab is naturally salty and needs no additional seasoning before smoking. The garlic herb butter provides all necessary flavoring. Use heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut through the thick shells. Work carefully to avoid cutting into the meat. Basting every 10 minutes is critical for building flavor layers and preventing the meat from drying out. The crab is technically already cooked when purchased but needs to reach 145°F for food safety and optimal flavor development.

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