If you’re a seafood lover looking to elevate your smoking skills and variety, look no further than smoked crab legs. This unique and delicious twist on a classic dish will have your taste buds dancing with delight. Forget everything you thought you knew about preparing crab legs, this quick and easy smoking method will leave you wondering why you haven’t tried it sooner. Get ready to experience a whole new level of flavor that will have you coming back for more.
Smoked Crab Legs Step by Step
Step 1: Prep The Snow Crabs
Start off with you crab legs. I bought 2 pounds of snow crab legs, at the local grocery store. They were already cooked but frozen. Great part of doing the crab legs this way, you are not sweating any internal temperature. It is basically a reheat process with a ton of flavor.
Let them defrost in the regfrigator over night. The next day as you are preparing, give them a quick rinse under cold water and give them a quick pat dry.
Step 2: The Baste
This baste recipe is going to be quick. We just need the following ingredients, butter, Old Bay Seasoning, hot sauce, Zatarain’s Seafood Boil and a little water.
Combine out the ingredients into a small pot and let simmer until the butter is melted. Stir on occasion so that the other ingredients get mixed into the butter. When done brush onto the crab lets. My suggestion would be to place the crab legs into a foil pan and then brush the baste on. Reserve about 3/4 of a cup for basting while the crab legs are on the smoker.
Step 3: Smoker Set Up
Set the smoker for 250° with some cherry wood. This is a short smoke so if you are using a charcoal smoker, you will not need a lot of charcoal. The cherry is a lighter wood that will give the crabs that kiss of sweet smokey flavor.
Step 4: Smoking The Crabs
If you have the ability to add a tray below the crabs you will want to do that, otherwise smoke the crabs in a foil pan. Because we are going to baste, you will want to catch that liquid somewhere.
Place the crabs on the smoker and close up the lid. About half way through, right around 15 minutes, baste again with the 3/4 of cup we set aside. Close the smoker up again and let the legs smoke for about another 10 minutes.
There is no IT to worry about here but if you want to check that ambient temperature, here is a great tool ThermoPro TP20.
After a total of about 25 minutes they are ready to go. As I mentioned above, we are not looking to cook theses legs. The majority of crab legs bought in grocery stores are already cooked. We are simply reheating and seasoning. Once done, remove and serve them up.
Enjoying Smoked Crab Legs
A couple of ideas on how to serve the crab legs:
- Lemon Wedges: Serve lemon wedges on the side of your smoked crab legs to add a citrusy kick that complements the sweet and smoky flavors of the crab meat.
- Butter Sauce: Drizzle melted butter mixed with garlic, lemon juice, and herbs over your smoked crab legs for a rich and indulgent finishing touch. Or increase the baste serving and use that as a dipping sauce.
- Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle chopped parsley, cilantro, or chives over the top of your smoked crab legs for a fresh burst of flavor and vibrant green color.
Smoked crab legs over cherry wood provide a unique and flavorful twist on a classic seafood dish. The smokiness from the cherry wood infuses the delicate crab meat with a rich and complex flavor that is sure to impress even the most discerning seafood aficionados. Whether enjoyed as a standalone dish or incorporated into other recipes, smoked crab legs are a delicious option for anyone looking to elevate their smoking experience. So fire up the grill, gather your ingredients, and get ready to savor every delectable bite of these mouthwatering smoked crab legs.
Thanks for being here and checking out this Smoked Crab Leg recipe. I hope you enjoy it! We always appreciate comments, 5 star recipe rating and social media shares. As always, keep that smoke rolling!
Looking for some other delicious seafood recipes? Here are some ideas for both the smoker and grill!
- Amazing Candied Salmon Bites, Wrapped In Bacon
- Hot Smoked Salmon
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Grilled Honey BBQ Salmon
- Clams On The Grill
- Easy Steak and Shrimp Kabobs
- Smoked Shrimp and Peach Kabobs
- Smoked Shrimp and Grits
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Smoked Crab Legs
Discover a new way to enjoy crab legs with our step by step guide to smoking them to perfection.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. crab legs
Baste
- 3 sticks of butter
- 1/4 Zatarian Shrimp Boil Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons of Old Bay or Cajun seasoning
- 1/4 cup of water
Instructions
- Assuming the crab legs are already cooked and frozen, leave them in the regfrigator over night to defrost.
- The next day, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Place in a pan, while preparing the baste.
- To prepare the baste, combine all the baste ingredients in a small pot and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until the butter is melted.
- Once the baste is ready, reserve about 3/4 of a cup for later. Take the remaining baste and with the crab legs in a pan, brush or pour on the baste.
- Start the smoker for 250° using some cherry wood. This is a short smoke so you will not need a lot charcoal, if you are using a charcoal smoker. Ensure you have a tray below the legs or place them in a pan to catch the baster later on.
- Place the legs on the smoker when its ready.
- Let smoke for about 10-15 minutes.
- After 10-15 minutes, baste with the 3/4 cup we reserved. You can brush or simply pour it over.
- After basting close the lid up again and let smoke until they have been on for about 25 minutes. Remember we are simply warming up and not cooking to an IT.
- When done remove and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1665Total Fat: 145gSaturated Fat: 88gTrans Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 44gCholesterol: 606mgSodium: 8397mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 90g