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Boozy Garlic Butter Snow Crab Legs

It’s officially summer! Time to enjoy a succulent bevy of boozy garlic butter snow crab legs and feel absolutely zero shame while you savagely slurp and suck that tender meat from the shells. Go ahead, we won’t judge you. This recipe is probably one of the easiest things to make on CarnalDish, and requires very little effort to put together. There is no “cute” way to devour this dish, so you’re just gonna have to tie your hair back and go in. It’ll be worth it, I promise.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs Garlic Butter Crab Legs

You can use any kind of crab legs you want, but I know most people are buying up the snow crab legs — they’re just easier to find at any grocery store. They come pre-cooked, so all we’re doing is heating them up in a flavorful bath of fat and booze. Personally, I don’t like a ton of caked up seasoning all over my crab. I like to taste the crab! Some folks go a little too hard with the seafood seasoning to the point where all you taste is salt and grit. If you like it, that’s your business — but I prefer a weee bit less. 

Another thing, fresh garlic is key here. It’s key in every recipe that calls for garlic. It tastes so much better than the jarred stuff. But you can use garlic paste in a tube, that’s an acceptable substitute because it’s just pure garlic — no weird brine. I love to use a combination of dried and fresh herbs for recipes like this, but use what you have on hand. If you want it spicy, kick it up a few more notches by adding cayenne or cajun seasoning, or just more crushed red pepper flakes. The garlic butter is the star here, so I didn’t wanna overpower it too much, just complement it. 

Listen…the boozy garlic butter situation here is already fire — but when you squeeze those cooked down lemons over the crab meat before you bite into it?? Be prepared to receive every blessing your life can accept in that moment. It’s INSANE!

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

So we’ve got a sh*tload of garlic — FRESH garlic! Don’t disrespect yourselves using the garlic in a jar. We’ve also got some Old Bay seasoning, granulated onion, roasted granulated garlic, dried parsley, dried dill, and crushed red pepper flakes. Feel free to use any combination of seasoning you want. I decided to keep it simple.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

I’ve got one brick of Plugra. You can use 2 regular sticks of salted butter, it really doesn’t matter.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Melt the butter along with a healthy drizzle of olive oil, the seasonings over medium heat.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Add all of the garlic. This is probably about 15-18 cloves, I did not count. I just added enough until the ancestors were pleased.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Add some fresh parsley.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

While everything is melting, add some regular black pepper and sea salt. Just enough until it tastes good.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Allow the garlic to cook for about a minute or two in this hot fat.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Add the crabs, one cluster at a time, making sure to drench them in the butter mixture. Reduce the heat to low.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Until they look like this.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Nestle in the chunks of corn, if using. Baste those, too.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Pour in about a cup of beer. I used regular Budweiser — no need to use anything “special” or expensive, unless you want to. If you don’t want to add alcohol, just use either chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Bring the heat back up to medium, just to let the beer simmer a few seconds.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Nestle in some lemon wedges. Listen, when these lemons cook down…and you squeeze them over the finished product?? Girl. Girl…GIRL!!

Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Cover it all up, and pop it in a 375-degree F oven for 30-35 minutes.

Garlic Butter Crab Legs Garlic Butter Crab Legs Garlic Butter Crab Legs Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Y’all…these are soooo good! I’m talking manners-out-of-the-window-damn-near-pornographic-GOOD! Simple, easy, hella flavorful. You will adore this recipe. 

Check out some more crabby recipes: 

 

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Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Garlic Butter Snow Crab Legs


  • Author: Chef Resha
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Description

Snow crab legs baked in a boozy bath of butter, tons of fresh garlic, seasonings and lemon paired with juicy sweet bites of fresh corn. Ughhhh, so good!


Ingredients

Units
  • 2 pounds snow crab legs (or about 6 clusters)
  • 8 ounces good-quality salted butter (or 2 sticks)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1518 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about a half cup)
  • 1 tablespoon1 fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 heaping teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 ears fresh corn, shucked and chopped into 2-inch chunks
  • 8 ounces beer (I used Budweiser)
  • 6 lemon wedges
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Garnish

  • More fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.
  2. Add the butter, olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley, Old Bay, granulated garlic, granulated onion, dried parsley, dried dill, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large skillet or braising dish over medium heat. As the butter melts, stir everything around. Give it a taste, and add sea salt and black pepper as needed. Cook for about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
  3. Add the crab legs, one cluster at a time, and with a large spoon baste the crabs with the butter mixture thoroughly. Get every nook and cranny. Continue until all of the crabs are in the pan. Nestle the chunks of corn in, and baste those with the butter mixture too. You may have to tilt the pan towards you to make this easier.
  4. Pour in the beer, and bring the heat back up to medium. Once the beer starts to simmer just slightly, nestle in the lemon wedges. Cover the pan with a domed lid or use heavy-duty foil.
  5. Place the dish in the oven on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes.
  6. When they’re ready, finish with another hit of fresh parsley and serve. Be sure to squeeze the cooked down lemons over the actual crab meat as you eat!
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Seafood
  • Method: Oven-baked

Keywords: oven baked crab legs, garlic butter crab legs, garlic butter snow crab legs, crab legs

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Recipe rating

  1. Brylei says:

    This was fantastic! I made this for my neighbor and she still raves about it! In fact, I’m bringing her more tonight! The only difference was I used 4lbs of crab meat only & improvised on the Old Bay. 10/10!

  2. April says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation. This is a preview; your comment will be visible after it has been approved.
    Sooooo freaking yummy!!! Best I’ve had & I’ve had alot! Thanks for this recipe!!! ★★★★★
  3. Erica Mcfadgon says:

    Good snow crabs!!!!!

  4. Krystal says:

    This turned out very good. It was a nice change from the popular heavily spiced, butter sauce boils. (Which I also love.) I plan to use this often, especially in the summer…thanks!

  5. Monica says:

    Cooked this as posted but with chicken broth and lemon pepper seasoning added, no beer on hand. Delicious!!! The flavors seeped into the meat of the crab and was perfect! My husband loved it. This is a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing.

  6. Katie says:

    15-18 cloves of garlic…. you’re speaking my language! We just had some crab legs delivered (if anyone else is having trouble sourcing them, this site was helpful: https://qualityseafooddelivery.com/crab/), so I will be trying these over the weekend. Can’t wait to taste!

  7. These crab legs were everything you said they were… PLUS! Dinner tonight was a special treat because I got the chance to finally try this recipe. There was so much flavor! My husband is usually quite skeptical when I am trying a new recipe (he is really picky) but no complaints with this one. It was perfect.