It has been a long time since I last tested any seafood. I know I should really start cooking more seafood recipes as I just love the taste of it.
And what’s not to love about fried crab legs? Crispy crust, moist meat, perfection!
So, I thought to cook this recipe for fried crab legs. Wait for a second! Do you know how to fry crab legs?
If the answer is no, don’t fret. Let me share this recipe, with your help, of course.
Today, you and I are going to fry some crab legs. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, this recipe is not that easy.
But don’t worry; you will get the hang of it pretty soon.
How do you fry crab?
I don’t often eat crabs, as I find them a little too fishy for my liking, but I am sure you will love this recipe if you are a seafood lover like me. So, how do you fry crab legs?
Well, it is pretty simple, actually. All you need to do is first soak the crab legs in ice water for at least 30 minutes so that they will be easier to fry.
Then, coat them with oil and place them on a hot frying pan or griddle until golden brown and crispy.
But there is a variety of ways to fry crab legs. You can either deep-fry them or shallow-fry them.
Deep-frying is the best way to cook crab legs as it not only yields a crispy crust but also ensures that the meat inside remains moist.
On the other hand, Shallow-frying is perfect for those who want their crab legs fried without going too deep into the oil.
Do crabs have to be cooked alive?
One most common questions I get from cooks is whether crabs have to be cooked alive before frying them. It is true that crabs should be alive when you cook them.
The reason is that if you cook them dead, it is possible to turn the meat toxic or rotten.
But, if you are still hesitant about cooking crabs alive, you can use frozen seafood.
Frozen seafood is already cooked, so there is no need to worry about turning it into toxic or rotten meat.
Similar recipe recommendation: Juicy crab sauce recipe.
recipe for fried crab legs
Credit: amandascookin
- Prep Time20 min
- Cook Time11 min
- Total Time31 min
- YieldFried Crab
- Serving Size2
- Energy461 cal
Ingredients of recipe for fried crab legs
- 5 fresh crab legs (Claws)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp bay seasoning
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions for recipe for fried crab legs
Preheat your oil in a large frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat.
In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, eggs, hot sauce and bay seasoning.
Give the mixture a good whisk to combine well and set aside.
Remove the crab legs from the water, and dredge them in the flour mixture until coated evenly.
Shake off any excess batter before placing them into the hot oil.
Cook for 3 minutes per side and until golden brown and crispy.
Now, Serve hot.
- Serving Size2
- Amount per serving
- Calories461
- % Daily Value*Standard DV
- Total Fat8 g78 g10.26%
- Saturated Fat2 g20 g10%
- Trans Fat0.02 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat3 g
- Cholesterol187 mg300 mg62.33%
- Sodium3755 mg2300 mg163.26%
- Total Carbohydrate78 g275 g28.36%
- Dietary Fiber6 g28 g21.43%
- Total Sugars1 g
- Added Sugars- g50 g0%
- Sugar Alcohal- g
- Protein17 g50 g34%
- Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)- IU800 IU0%
- Calcium64 mg1300 mg4.92%
- Iron6 mg18 mg33.33%
- Potassium293 mg4700 mg6.23%
- Vitamin A- mcg900 mcg0%
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)5 mg90 mg5.56%
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)- IU33 IU0%
Pro Tips to make the recipe for fried crab legs tastier:
1) For extra crispiness, you can deep fry the crab legs instead of cooking them in oil. To do this, heat your oil to 375 degrees F before adding the crab legs and frying for 3 minutes per side.
2) Add some chopped green onions or garlic to the batter before dipping them into the oil. This will give the crab legs a slight onion or garlic flavouring.
3) You can also try different hot sauces to jazz up your fried crab legs recipe. For example, try using the extra hot sauce for a little kick or bbq sauce for extra flavor and smokiness.
Another seafood recipe: Shrimp and grits recipe.
Health benefits of the crab legs
Suppose you are at a restaurant and you see fried crab legs on the menu.
There’s no hiding the fact that frying crab legs is an artery-clogging scandal, especially if they are breaded and deep fried instead of grilled or breaded and shallow fried, as most seafood ought to be.
Deep frying has many health risks associated with it, such as raising bad cholesterol levels, increasing your risk for heart disease, clogging your arteries and inducing weight gain.
However, if you can reduce the oil used in frying, you can reduce some of these risks.
The good news is we are using vegetable oil instead of frying oil, so all you need is some flour and seasoning to create a crispy batter that doesn’t contain any unhealthy fats.
Plus, fried crab legs are still seafood, which means they are high in protein and essential micronutrients like selenium.
I don’t think this recipe will harm your health if you take moderate amounts of seafood.
Nevertheless, if you are severely allergic to seafood or have any other health condition that warrants avoidance of seafood, then it would be best not to eat crab legs.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: Is it okay to eat raw crab?
Ans: Most seafood contains some level of risk for foodborne illness, but raw crab is relatively low in contamination.
It’s safe to eat raw crab, but it’s always best to cook seafood thoroughly before eating it to reduce the chances of infection.
Q: What crab can you not eat? (reef crab)
Ans: Do you know some crab species are highly contaminated with toxins that can negatively impact your health? Some crab species that are high in toxins include devil crab, reef crab and etc.
Q: How do I know if my fried crab legs are done cooking?
Ans: To be honest, it’s sometimes hard to understand whether the crab legs are fried properly or not. Some fried crab legs will be brown and crispy on the outside while the meat inside is still slightly pink.
Other fried crab legs may not be cooked all the way through, resulting in a rubbery texture and an overcooked crab flavor.
Q: Can I use coconut oil or olive oil instead of vegetable when frying seafood?
Ans: Though I recommend using vegetable oil when frying seafood, you can also use coconut oil or olive oil if desired.
However, these types of oils tend to be high in unhealthy fats, so it’s important to monitor your calorie intake when using them.
Final Thoughts
Another amazing dish, right? The recipe for fried crab legs is a treat for every seafood lover.
But they also have an important role to play in your healthy lifestyle, helping you lose weight.
Does the thought of cooking crab legs make you happy? If it does, I will be happy.
We have used only fresh ingredients to make this recipe perfect for starters on any party menu. Try them out and share your thoughts with us.
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