Crab Claws are a seafood delight that’s succulent and delicious! While pricey to order, and sometimes messy to eat at restaurants, this homemade version is much tastier and fuss free! Today’s Jonah Crab Claws are cooked in 20 minutes with just a handful of ingredients-so you NEED to try them! Also check the step by step and video below 🙂
We LOVE our Seafood Recipes here, and we’re happy you guys have been making them and enjoying them with us! Each time we’re in doubt of what to make for dinner, or when we’re rushed, Seafood comes to the rescue!
Some of most popular, easy to make recipes are Chilean Sea Bass, Baked Cod Recipe, Halibut, Baked Haddock, Baked Mahi Mahi, Fish Fry, Honey Glazed Salmon and Green Mussels.
Some of our favorite how to’s and tutorials: How To Cook Lobster Tail, How to Cook Scallops, How to Cook Mussels, Grilled Octopus, Sardines and Shrimp Scampi.
Our raw and succulent seafood recipes include: Sushi Burrito,Tuna Tartare , Salmon Tartare, Tuna Carpaccio, Sushi Bowl and Tuna Steak Recipe.
We’ve also come up with some air fryer magic to cook some of our favorite seafood recipes. Some of them include Air Fryer Salmon, Fish Tacos and Air Fryer Scallops. Our easy and recent Smoked Salmon Dip along with our Smoked Salmon Platter are one of our favorite ways to enjoy breakfast/brunch!
Why You’ll Love Crab Claws?
- They are meaty! Under the shell, you’ll actually find succulent meat to enjoy!
- Crab Claws cook super fast–you’ll have a full mean to enjoy in less than 20 mins.
- It’s another succulent seafood recipe.
- Crab Claws taste sweet and have a pleasant chewy texture.
- The recipe is so versatile and can be flavored so endlessly!
- Flexible when it comes to cooking. You can follow this recipe as is and cook it on the stove or in the oven–both ways are great!
- Keeps so well in the fridge, and reheats beautifully.
- You can serve crab claws cold or warm or hot–depending on your preference.
- This recipe can be made into an apetizer or main dish, depending on how you like to serve it.
- Very special meal that works great on holidays, birthdays, valentine’s or just any day!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Crab Claws
We’ve used Jonah crab claws here which are sourced from Sealand Quality Foods. We love their products and their free delivery is a bonus. While these can be cooed from frozen, we prefer defrosting them overnight in the fridge or for 2 hours over the counter.
If you’re rushed, you can 100% proceed to cook them from frozen, but keep in mind you’ll have a slightly more watery sauce.
Sauce Ingredients
- Butter.
- Minced Garlic.
- Chillies.
- Sweet Chilli Sauce.
- Cilantro, chopped.
- Salt and Pepper.
How to Cook Crab Claws
This is how to cook Jonah crab claws, whether on the stove or in the oven. You’ll need them to defrost first before proceeding and they look close up like the photo above. You can see the meat peaking out of the shell.
Stove Top Crab Claws
- Start by melting the butter and sautéing the garlic in a large pot until fragrant. This takes about 2 minutes.
- Now you’ll add in the chilli sauce and season that with salt and pepper.
- At that point add in the Jonah crab claws (frozen or defrosted) and toss well to coat with the sauce
- Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot and let the crabs cook for about 20 mins. Toss every 5 minutes or so in between.Crab Claws in the Oven:
- If cooking in the oven, make sure your one is preheated to 400 degrees F.
- Cover the same Dutch with a lid and place the pot in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Once ready, check if the crabs need 1/2 up or so of extra sauce (optional).
- Finish off with the cilantro, lime juice and chilies. Serve right away.
Serve the Crab Claws
- Serve Warm: Once cooked, serve the Jonah Crab Claws on a plate with extra cilantro, some lime wedges, some melted butter extra and crusty bread.
- Serve Chilled: Cool the crab claws and place the plate on a bed of ice, and serve with extra sweet chilli or cocktail sauce for dipping.
Crab Claws Tips
- Make sure you know the type of crab claws before buying as some are sold cooked, while others are not.
- The different types are listed below.
- If cooking the crab claws on the stove or the oven, it’s optimal to defrost them, but not essential.
- You’ll add extra cooking time to the frozen crab claws, while observing the amount of liquid.
- You can swap the chilli sauce for BBQ sauce or remove it all together and cook the crab claws in butter and garlic only.
- Leftovers: Store them in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
- Reheat: It’s best to reheat in a small pot over medium low heat adding 1 tablespoon extra sauce for 5-7 minutes. You can alternatively use the microwave as well.
- To Freeze: once cooled down after cooking, you can freeze crab claws for up to 3 months well wrapped. Thaw before reheating.
Types of Crab Claws:
- Jonah Crab Claws. The ones we used today, they are similar to the famous Dungeness crav, but they’re larger in size. The meat is usually flakier than stone crabs, it’s just as tasty and sweet, but less pricey.
- Stone: A pricier crab and considered more delicate, has more tender meat, super juicy and tasty.
- King: The largest in size, most expensive in taste with a firm texture and same sweet taste.
- Snow: Smaller than the king size, but has the same firm texture.
- Dungeness : In between the sizes and has a firm texture with a sweet tone.
How to Buy Crab Claws?
Make sure you choose fresh, and if frozen make sure you know the source. This will ensure sustainability so always check about the fishing practice too. Also be mindful of the different size depending on how you’re cooking/serving the crab claws. They should have a sweet and delicate flavor.
What is the best way them?
You can cook them on the stove, oven, boil or steam them. I prefer the two methods shared above in this recipe.
How do I know if they are fresh?
They should have a clean ocean like smell, and have bright colors with intact shells.
Fish Recipes
Mediterranean Baked Fish
Fish Fry
Crispy Fish Tacos
Calamari
Salmon Tacos
Grilled Shrimp
Shrimp Ceviche
Grilled Mahi Mahi
Crab Claws
Crab Claws are a seafood delight that's succulent and delicious! While pricey to order, and sometimes messy to eat at restaurants, this homemade version is much tastier and fuss free! Today's Jonah Crab Claws are cooked in 20 minutes with just a handful of ingredients-so you NEED to try them!
Ingredients
Crab Claws
- 2 lb Jonah Crab Claws Defrosted
Chilli Garlic Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Butter unsalted
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups sweet chilli sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup cilantro minced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 fresh chillies sliced (optional)
Serve:
- Extra lime wedges
- More chillies for spice
- Bread for dunking in the sauce
Instructions
-
Stove & Oven:
-
Heat a large Dutch oven pan (5 quart and up) over medium high heat.
-
Add the butter and cook in the garlic for just a couple minutes until fragrant.
-
Add the chilli sauce and season, and bring the sauce to a gentle boil.
-
At that point add in the Jonah crab claws (frozen or defrosted) and toss well to coat the crabs well with the sauce.
-
If cooking on the stove, lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot and let the crabs cook for about 20 mins. Toss every 5 minutes or so in between.
-
If cooking in the oven, make sure your one is preheated to 400 degrees F.
-
Cover the same Dutch with a lid after tossing n the frozen crab claws, and place the pot in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes.
-
Once ready, check if the crabs need 1/2 up or so of extra sauce (optional).
-
Finish off with the cilantro, lime juice and chilies.
-
Serve right away.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Crab Claws Tips
- Make sure you know the type of crab claws before buying as some are sold cooked, while others are not.
- The different types are listed below.
- If cooking the crab claws on the stove or the oven, it's optimal to defrost them, but not essential.
- You'll add extra cooking time to the frozen crab claws, while observing the amount of liquid.
- You can swap the chilli sauce for BBQ sauce or remove it all together and cook the crab claws in butter and garlic only.
- Leftovers: Store them in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
- Reheat: It's best to reheat in a small pot over medium low heat adding 1 tablespoon extra sauce for 5-7 minutes. You can alternatively use the microwave as well.
- To Freeze: once cooled down after cooking, you can freeze crab claws for up to 3 months well wrapped. Thaw before reheating.
Types of Crab Claws:
- Jonah Crab Claws. The ones we used today, they are similar to the famous Dungeness crav, but they're larger in size. The meat is usually flakier than stone crabs, it's just as tasty and sweet, but less pricey.
- Stone: A pricier crab and considered more delicate, has more tender meat, super juicy and tasty.
- King: The largest in size, most expensive in taste with a firm texture and same sweet taste.
- Snow: Smaller than the king size, but has the same firm texture.
- Dungeness : In between the sizes and has a firm texture with a sweet tone.
How to Buy Crab Claws?
Make sure you choose fresh, and if frozen make sure you know the source. This will ensure sustainability so always check about the fishing practice too. Also be mindful of the different size depending on how you're cooking/serving the crab claws. They should have a sweet and delicate flavor.
What is the best way them?
You can cook them on the stove, oven, boil or steam them. I prefer the two methods shared above in this recipe.
How do I know if they are fresh?
They should have a clean ocean like smell, and have bright colors with intact shells.
These were so good. I had a party last Saturday, and I used this recipe as part of the menu. Everyone loved them.
Mahi! These take crab claws to a whole new level! I love this recipe so much. Beautiful in presentation and flavor!
I’m a seafood lover and these are perfect! The chili sauce adds so much flavor.
These crab claws look amazing. I’ve never had them in a sauce like this and I can’t wait to try it.
We live in an area where you can get fresh crabs regularly, so I have no idea you could buy them frozen like this! SO much easier and they tasted great! This was definitely a different preparation for us, but we all loved it!