King Crab...A Meal Fit For A King
King crab may quite possibly be the easiest and best-tasting meal you can make. Even though the cost per pound can be expensive, your overall yield is quite good. And when you serve king crab, it is always better to make a little extra. Leftovers are easy to utilize, and you never really know how much your guests will eat. Some people go nuts when they eat king crab!

Cooking King Crab

King crabs come already cooked. So your first step is to thaw them out overnight in the refrigerator. The cooking process is basically reheating them. Just try not to overcook them when you reheat. There are a variety of ways to reheat king crab, the most common being to grill, bake, steam or boil. Personally, I like using the wet methods compared to the dry. Remember that you are only reheating the meat, and it only takes about five minutes to steam or simmer your king crab. If you are reheating in liquid, use Old Bay, black peppercorns, beer, lemons, rock salt and water. Omit what you want or add something different if you prefer. The crab legs will not absorb that much flavor from the liquid, due to the fact that they are not in the liquid that long. Try going a little heavy on the Old Bay to get a little extra flavor in the meat.

Serving King Crab

Traditionally, king crab is served with melted butter. After the crab is pulled from the shell, it tastes great dipped in warm butter and eaten right away. You can split the shells in advance or serve with nutcrackers. Try spicing up your butter by adding a touch of garlic, dry mustard or a drop of Tabasco.

King Crab Alfredo

• 8 ounces Crabmeat
• 8 ounces Fettucine (or favorite straight pasta)
• 5 Tablespoons Butter
• 6 ounces Mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 Garlic (cloves minced)
• 4 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 cups Half & Half
• 2 ounces Cream Cheese (softened)
• 6 ounces Parmesan (freshly grated)
• Pinch Cayenne Pepper
• Salt to taste
• Black Pepper to taste

Method: Cook your pasta to al dente, cool immediately to stop the cooking and hold for service. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until lightly brown, add garlic, sauté for another minute then reduce the heat to low. Stir in the flour, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper and let cook for a few moments. Next stir in the Half & Half in three stages. Wait until liquid thickens before adding the next amount. Be sure to constantly stir the mixture with a wooden spoon to make sure it doesn’t stick. Add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese to the sauce and stir until smooth. Lightly fold in the crabmeat and pasta until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

King Crab and Artichoke Dip with Pita

• 1 pound Cream Cheese
• 2-1/2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 3 ounces Mayonnaise
• 1/2 Tablespoons Seasoned Salt (your favorite brand)
• 12 ounces Artichoke Hearts
• 5 ounces Crabmeat
• 6 ounces Pita Chips (Cut in eighths and fried)
• 3 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)

Method: Beat cream cheese on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes until smooth. Add mustard, mayonnaise and salt. Beat until well blended. Add artichokes and blend until it is the consistency you want. Lightly beat if you want the artichokes chunky. Remove from mixer and fold the crabmeat in by hand. Hold in refrigerator until ready for service. Take fresh piece of pita bread and cut it in half, then cut each half into quarters. Fry the wedges in oil until light brown. Remove from heat and let set on towels to absorb the excess oil.

For service: Place the fried pita chips (about 30-35 pieces) on a heat safe plate. Place 5-6 ounces of you crab and artichoke mixture in the middle of the chips. Sprinkle the chips and crab and artichoke mixture with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Place platter under your oven broiler until the shredded cheese melts then serve immediately.

King Crab Cakes

• 1 pound King Crabmeat (flaked)
(substitute crabmeat if desired)
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (fresh)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/4 cup Onion (very finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic (fresh and minced)
• 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1 Egg (large and beaten)
• 8 Saltine Crackers (crushed)
• Favorite Hot Sauce (dash)
• 1 teaspoon Parmesan Cheese (fresh grated)
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• Worcstershire Sauce (dash)
• Salt (pinch)
• White Pepper (pinch)

Method:
Sauté the onions in your olive oil and butter until translucent. Add garlic then sauté for another minute. Remove from burner and put ingredients in a bowl. Cover bowl and place in refrigerate to cool. In a separate bow, mix the crabmeat, lemon juice, Old Bay, dry mustard, Worcstershire sauce and your favorite hot sauce. Mix well and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, add all of the above ingredients together in one bowl. Test your seasoning: to taste, form a very small (tiny) crab cake and sauté it in a pan. Flip and cook on both sides. Once cooked, let cool and taste for seasoning. If you feel you need more of an ingredient above, you can add it and test again if you desire. Once you are satisfied with the results, form into cakes. Sauté in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Lightly brown on each side. Serve with your favorite sauce. Cocktail, tartar, or your favorite remoulade sauce will work!