How long to boil crab legs

As a seafood lover, I adore a tender, juicy crab boil. That sweet, delicate crab meat is so worth the effort of cracking open the shell. However, the trick to achieving crab perfection lies in boiling it just right.

Undercook your crab and the meat stays gummy; overdo it and you’ll have rubbery bits throughout. So how long should you boil crab to get ideal results? In this guide, I’ll cover all the key factors in determining perfect crab boil times.

An Overview of Popular Crab Varieties

There are many different species of crabs out there, and boil times can vary quite a bit between them Here’s a quick introduction to some of the most common types you’ll encounter

• Blue crab – These have a beautiful blueish shell and sweet, delicate meat.

  Cooking crabs for the first time

  They are smaller, averaging 4-6 inches across.

• Dungeness crab – Named after a fishery area in Oregon, these are a Pacific Northwest specialty. They have sweeter meat than blue crabs.

• King crab – The largest crabs, with legs spanning 5 feet!

  Favorite for their big chunks of firm, tasty meat.

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