Types of Leg

• Hailing from the northern Pacific, King crabs, which have 10 legs, are the biggest species and are nearly always sold frozen. Each leg yields a single serving of delicate flesh, which can nevertheless be transformed into insipid, rubbery meat by overcooking. Although their numbers are dwindling, Dungeness crabs are available fresh from saltwater tanks. Smaller than the King crab, with shorter legs and broad shells, Dungeness pack their flavor into the legs and claws. Choose only those crabs that have no aroma, and cook them within a few hours. When cooked, the crab legs will be bright orange and should be placed immediately in an ice water bath to stop the meat cooking further. The legs and claws will come off easily when twisted.

Aromatic Steaming

• Place the thawed crab legs on a steamer rack or colander in a large pot filled roughly a third full with boiling water. Cover the pot, reduce the water to a simmer, and steam until the legs emit their intense crab aroma, approximately 10 minutes. If cooking from frozen, allow up to 15 minutes. Adding lemon halves to the water will add a citrusy flavor. Once ready the legs can be cut down their length with kitchen scissors and dressed with lemon juice, kosher salt and melted butter. Boiling crab legs directly draws out a lot of the flavor and can waterlog the flesh. If you must poach them, prepare a Cioppino-style sauce loaded with onion, garlic, white wine, plenty of chopped tomatoes and clam juice, and simmer the legs for 15 minutes in the sauce, covering the pan.

Smoky Grilling

• Grilling lends a pleasant smokiness to the crab flesh’s dominant sweetness. Brush the legs with olive oil to stop them sticking to the rack and grill over hot coals for five minutes at around 300 degrees Fahrenheit, turning them until they have changed color all over. To force additional flavor into the legs, steam them first to make the flesh more absorbent, crack the shell lightly between nutcrackers, and marinate the legs for a few hours in the refrigerator, covered, in lemon juice, olive oil and potent herbs such as fennel, oregano and garlic. The USDA does not mandate a safe internal cooking temperature for crab, but the flesh should be opaque rather than translucent and the color of the shell visibly transformed by grilling.

Steady Roasting

• Crab legs can be baked in a shallow tray with a little water in the bottom for moisture, typically at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes. Covering the tray with aluminum foil is an essential precaution against drying out, as is drizzling the legs with olive oil. For some extra bite, the legs can be sprinkled with Cajun seasoning or spices. Roughly 2 pounds of King crab legs are enough for 4 people.

  The microwave is well suited for heating crab legs. In this case, the main challenge is often fitting the gangly limbs into a microwave-safe container and its lid. Bend the knees or cut the legs into sections with kitchen scissors. Add a few tablespoons of water to the dish and microwave the legs on full power for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve the steaming legs with a ketchup/mayo dip dusted with Cayenne pepper.