Items You Will Need
Here's a few items you may want to have handy.
Crab Steamer
Salt or Sea Salt-We prefer Morton's Sea Salt-coarse.
Crab Boil (Optional)- We use Zatarain's Shrimp and Crab Boil. Use it sparingly, though, as it can over-take the crab flavor if you're just steaming a few crab legs.
A Pair of Tongs
Your preferred crab legs (Snow Crab Legs, King Crab Legs, Dungeness Crab Legs, or even Red Rock Crab)
Got everything? Great! Now just follow these 3 simple steps...
Step One, take your crab steamer and fill with water just barely over and into the area with the holes. This allows some of the water to steam away and still have plenty left over to cook crab legs if they are frozen, and yet, not enough water to boil the crab legs.
Step Two, add, approximately, 1/4 cup of the Sea Salt to every gallon of water you are using and the crab boil according to their directions as well, (remember not to go over board with the crab boil). You can add your favorite herbs and spices in the water, too. Cover with a lid and wait for the water to boil.
Step Three, once the water is boiling, you place the crab legs into the steamer. Cook crab through, steaming them for 15-20 minutes, till they are good and hot, if frozen, or 10-12 minutes if the crab legs are already thawed or are fresh.
While eating a portion (half) of legs, it's okay to keep the other portions of crab steaming on the stove on simmer. This will keep them hot until you are ready for them. You can't over cook crab legs in a steamer.