Description
Simple and delicious oven-baked crab legs infused with garlic butter, perfect for an easy yet elegant seafood dinner. This recipe combines aromatic garlic, zesty lemon, and rich butter to enhance the natural sweetness of the crab meat, making it an ideal dish for special occasions or a luxurious weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Seafood
- 2 lbs crab legs
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature for baking the crab legs evenly.
- Prepare Crab Legs: Place the crab legs in a single layer inside a baking dish, allowing space for even heat distribution.
- Make Garlic Butter Mixture: In a bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to blend the flavors thoroughly.
- Coat Crab Legs: Pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the crab legs, ensuring that all pieces are well coated for maximum flavor.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to retain moisture, then bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crab legs are heated through and fragrant.
- Serve: Carefully remove the foil, transfer the crab legs to serving plates, garnish with lemon wedges, and offer extra melted butter on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Use kitchen shears to cut the shells of the crab legs for easier eating and to prevent shell shards from interfering with the meal.
- Do not overbake the crab legs to avoid drying out the tender meat; watch the time closely.
- Serve the crab legs immediately after baking for the best flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Seafood
