King Crab Legs, Belgian-Style

Moules-Frites (mussels and fries) is a traditional dish popularly served in Belgium and Northern France. We love this combination of beer-brothy and herb-seasoned seafood served with crispy fries that we wanted to see how well it would work with King Crab Legs. The verdict? Absolutely delicious! 

What’s so special about King Crab Legs? 

King crabs are the most commercially important shellfish species in Alaska, being not only a way of life for many watermen and crabbers but a valuable revenue stream for the state. King crabs are divided by region and species, being 3 different types of crabs- red, blue and brown, and whether their caught in the Bering Sea or other Atlantic Alaskan waters. They’re called ‘king’ for a good reason, they weigh between 6-8lbs. (some getting as large as 20lbs.), their bodies are, on average, 11 inches with a leg span of almost 5ft.!! King crab meat is mild in flavor with a nice sweetness and their legs are things made of legend.

This recipe pulls inspiration from that iconic recipe, Moules-Frites, using similar ingredients and cooking style, just with a main ingredient swap, Colossal King Crab Legs for mussels. Bacon is browned in a combination of olive oil and butter, creating an aromatic and savory base. Garlic, shallots, and fresh rosemary and thyme, enhance those aromatics by simmering in Belgian-beer and broth. The crab legs are added to the simmering broth, absorbing all those fab flavors. Pick your favorite French fries to accompany this recipe. We love the classic shoestring fries but any fry is a good fry to use in this recipe. 

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King Crab Legs, Belgian-Style

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup bacon diced
• 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
• 1 shallot peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 12 oz Belgian-style beer
• 1 cup chicken vegetable or seafood broth
• 3 lbs. Alaskan King Crab Broken Pieces, thawed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• 2-4 lemon wedges
• French Fries cooked according to the instructions on the packaging

Instructions

1. Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot, and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Return the pot to medium heat, add garlic and shallot, and sauté for 2 minutes or until the shallots are semi-tender. Add the thyme, rosemary, and beer to the pot, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the beer has reduced by half. Add the broth, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer.
4. Once simmering, add the crab leg pieces, cover, and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the crab leg has reheated, season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Either serve the crab legs straight from the bowl or divided between larger serving bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and bacon and serve with lemon wedges on the side for a little squeeze of citrus.
6. Serve with crispy French fries on the side.

Feeling Crabby? 

Hankering for crab legs? We’ve got you covered! We offer, both, Colossal Alaskan King Crab Legs and Alaskan King Crab (Broken Pieces) available for sale online. Our jumbo crab legs are delivered right to your door, fast, so you can spend less time shopping and more time with your loved ones. King crab delivery doesn’t get much more convenient than that!

Order today by visiting our website! While you’re there, discover our entire Crab Leg category. We have three options for you from our Alaskan Crab Leg catalog; Alaskan Snow Crab Legs, Colossal Alaskan King Crab Legs, Colossal Dungeness Crab Legs.

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