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    Home » Seafood

    Published: Sep 14, 2021 · Modified: Oct 18, 2023 by Mads Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Smoked Crab Legs

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn how to make smoked crab legs on ANY grill or smoker!

    Smoked Crab Legs are easy to prepare, whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, a propane or electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional grill like a Weber. 

    Check out our easy recipe below that also includes a Cajun Clarified Butter for basting and dipping.

    Let's go!

    smoked crab legs on a grill
    Jump to:
    • Preparing the Crab Legs for Smoking
    • Preparing the Cajun Clarified Butter
    • Divide the Clarified Butter
    • Coat and Baste the Crab Legs
    • The Best Wood to Smoke Crab Legs
    • Smoker Temperature
    • Cooking Time
    • Grill Baskets or Grill Mats
    • Monitor your Smoker Temperature
    • Serving Suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe

    Preparing the Crab Legs for Smoking

    Crab legs are traditionally steamed and the served with clarified butter for dipping, sometimes referred to as drawn butter.

    This is simply melted butter with the milk fat solids removed so that it is more clear and thin and well...appetizing.

    pouring clarified butter for smoked crab legs into a bowl

    We are going to kick it up a notch by adding some garlic, lemon, and Cajun seasonings and spices to our drawn butter.

    We are especially big fans of Zatarain's Liquid Shrimp and Crab Boil to give your Cajun butter that authentic Cajun crab boil flavor.  

    Mix about a tablespoon of that stuff in along with some garlic and lemon and you are in serious business.

    ZATARAINS Crab and Shrimp Boil Liquid, Concentrated, 8-Ounce (2 Pack (8 oz))
    ZATARAINS Crab and Shrimp Boil Liquid, Concentrated, 8-Ounce (2 Pack (8 oz))
    Check Price on Amazon

    We'll be basting the crab legs while we are smoking them, and then also setting some aside for dipping after the crab legs come off the smoker.

    Preparing the Cajun Clarified Butter

    Melt your butter in a saucepan as SLOW as you can on VERY LOW heat.

    Slowly stir to break up the sticks as they melt.

    melting butter in a pot

    Once the butter has melted you can turn off the heat and gently skim off all the milk fat solids from the top leaving only the clear, or clarified, butter remaining.

    skimming milk fat off of drawn butter

    You can follow our Cajun inspired recipe below or add your own spices to season the butter how you want it.

    Divide the Clarified Butter

    Make sure you have set aside about half of your Cajun clarified butter for dipping later.

    You don't want to cross contaminate the butter you are basting the carb legs with while they are smoking with the butter you will be dipping into later.

    This is a food safety rule and should be followed with ALL marinades and sauces you baste food with while its cooking.

    Coat and Baste the Crab Legs

    Pour anywhere from ⅓ to ½ of the seasoned clarified butter into an aluminum foil pan and roll your crab legs around in the butter before putting them on the smoker.

    pouring seasoned clarified butter for smoked crab legs into a pan

    Yes, this will mainly coat and season the shells but will also give the crab legs a great color while they are smoking and trust us that a lot of that flavor will make its way into the crab legs over the next 45 minutes.

    seaosning crab legs in a pan before putting on the smoker

    At the 15 and 30 minute marks, use the leftover butter from the foil pan to baste the smoked crab legs some more on both sides.

    basting butter on smoked crab legs on a pellet grill

    The Best Wood to Smoke Crab Legs

    Like most seafood, smoked crab legs benefit from a milder smoking wood such as peach, apple, or cherry.

    wood chips and wood chunks for smoking crab legs

    A little hickory is fine but we recommend using a small amount and blending it with some milder fruitwoods.

    Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack Bundle (4)- Apple, Mesquite, Hickory, and Cherry Flavors (Original Version)
    Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack Bundle (4)
    • Contains most popular flavors- Apple, Mesquite, Hickory, and Cherry
    • Made in the USA
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    Make sure you are choosing the correct type of wood for your smoker. Electric smokers use wood chips, pellet grills use hardwood pellets, and charcoal grills use chunks of wood.

    Knotty Wood Barbecue Almond Cabernet Cooking Pellets BBQ Smoker Red Wine Oak Blend 100% Pure Natural Almond Wood No Fillers Oils or Additives Two 20# Bags, 40 lbs Total
    Knotty Wood Barbecue Almond Cabernet Cooking Pellets BBQ Smoker Red Wine Oak Blend 100% Pure Natural Almond Wood No Fillers Oils or Additives Two 20# Bags, 40 lbs Total
    Check Price on Amazon

    If you are using a pellet tube smoker to smoke on a gas grill or augment the smoke flavor on a pellet grill, you will fill it with pellets.

    We also created a small firebox with charcoal briquettes and real wood chunks. This box can be used on a pellet grill, a charcoal grill, or a gas grill.

    Weber Apple Wood Chunks, for Grilling and Smoking, 4 lb.
    Weber Apple Wood Chunks, for Grilling and Smoking, 4 lb.
    Check Price on Amazon

    Smoker Temperature

    We are going to set up the smoker or grill for indirect cooking at 225°F.

    flipping over smoked crab legs on a pellet grill

    This will allow the crab legs to absorb plenty of smoky flavor for about 45 minutes while we also baste on the Cajun butter seasoning every 15 minutes or so.

    Cooking Time

    Most frozen crab legs sold in the US are already pre-cooked so you will in essence just be heating up the crab legs while smoking them if you buy frozen crab legs.

    Make sure to thaw them a little before throwing them on the hot smoker.

    If you are smoking fresh, raw crab legs, they should be a bright red color and fully cooked after the 45 minutes of smoking.

    smoked crab legs on a grill

    Unfortunately, unlike a steak or piece of fish, we can't just stick a temperature probe in the hard shelled crab leg to check for doneness.

    But, you can always check one of them for doneness by cracking it open and inspecting the meat.  It should be firm and not slimy and slide out easily in one piece.

    Grill Baskets or Grill Mats

    You may be more successful if you place the smoked crab legs in a grill basket rather than directly on the grill grates.

    Especially if you have little orphan legs that can easily fall between the grates.

    We are particular fans of the ORDORA Portable Grill Basket because it comes with its own handle, making it much easier to manage and move lots of delicate food around with one quick motion.

    ORDORA Grill Basket, Fish Grill Basket, Rustproof Stainless Steel BBQ Grilling Basket for Meat,Steak, Shrimp, Vegetables, Chops, Heavy Duty Grill Basket Outdoor Grill Accessories
    ORDORA Grill Basket, Fish Grill Basket, Rustproof Stainless Steel BBQ Grilling Basket for Meat, Steak, Shrimp, Vegetables, Chops
    • 3 Custom Divided Sections
    • Food-safe Material, Rustproof 201 Stainless Steel
    • Larger Cooking Surface
    • Portable with Detachable Wooden Handle
    Check Price on Amazon

    Another option is to use a grill mat, which are becoming increasingly popular in many BBQ circles, especially for delicate veggies and small seafood like shrimp and scallops.

    Our personal favorite is the Grillaholics Mesh Grill Mat.

    Just throw it down on your grill to keep your smoked crab legs (or any other food) from falling through.

    It keeps your grates really clean, and when you are done, you just throw it right in the dishwasher!

    Grillaholics BBQ Mesh Grill Mat - Set of 2 Grill Mats Non Stick - Nonstick Grilling with More Delicious Smoky Flavor - Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty
    Grillaholics BBQ Mesh Grill Mat - Set of 2 Grill Mats Non Stick
    • Grillaholics Grill Mat Mesh allows more air circulation for your food to give it that extra smoky flavor.
    • Dishwasher safe
    Check Price on Amazon

    Monitor your Smoker Temperature

    Almost every grill and smoker will have some sort of temperature gauge on them.

    Now, if you are using a pellet grill or electric smoker, you should be able to pretty accurately dial in your desired temperature of 225°F with the turn of a dial.

    This is what makes them so convenient!

    If, however, you are using a charcoal or propane grill/smoker, you can't rely on the cheap lid mounted temperature gauge that come installed on them.

    We have found these can sometimes be up to 30°F off from what the true actual temperature at the grill grate level.

    This is unacceptable.

    This is why you will always see competition cooks, and backyard chefs who know their stuff, using wireless digital probe thermometers to keep track of both their meat AND their cooking chamber.

    And even if you have a fancy pellet grill like a Traeger or even an electric smoker, it can't hurt to double check how accurate your temperature settings are to the true temperatures you are getting.

    We are big fans of the ThermoPro Wireless Digital Meat Thermometer series.

    ThermoPro TP08 300FT Wireless Meat Thermometer for Grilling Smoker BBQ Grill Oven Thermometer with Dual Probe Kitchen Cooking Food Thermometer
    ThermoPro TP08 300FT Wireless Meat Thermometer with Dual Probe
    • 300ft remote range
    • Oven safe with highly accurate stainless steel meat probe and oven/ grill/ smoker temperature probe, to allow you to monitor both food and ambient temperature simultaneously
    • Food temp & HI/LOW ambient temp alarm
    • Highly accurate temp range 14˚f to 572˚F; Displays both Fahrenheit and Celsius
    Check Price on Amazon

    Our current favorite thermometer is the MEATER. It has a dual probe that measures the internal temperature of your food and the ambient temperature of the grill at the same time.

    The MEATER connects wirelessly with a free app on your smart phone to allow you to monitor the temperature from up to 165 feet away. It even gives an estimated time when the food will be finished.

    MEATER Plus: Premium Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth | for BBQ, Oven, Grill, Kitchen, Smoker, Rotisserie | iOS & Android App | Apple Watch, Alexa Compatible | Dishwasher Safe
    MEATER Plus: Premium Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth
    • Dual temperature sensors enable you to monitor both the internal meat temperature (up to 212°F) and the ambient/external temperature (up to 527°F) at the same time.
    • Dishwasher safe
    Check Price on Amazon

    Serving Suggestions

    Your smoked cab legs should be served immediately after removing them from the smoker.

    No need to rest or wait to eat!

    a finished plate of smoked crab legs

    Make sure to give everyone some extra fresh lemon wedges as well as their own small side of Cajun butter to dip the smoked crab legs into!

    You can go traditional and serve the smoked crab legs alongside some smoked shrimp, andouille sausage, smoked corn, and smoked potatoes.

    Or get a little more creative with maybe a smoked ribeye surf and turf plate and if you are watching your carbs serve it up alongside some smoked cauliflower or smoked asparagus!

    📖 Recipe

    smoked crab legs on a grill

    Smoked Crab Legs with Clarified Cajun Butter

    Mads Martigan
    Crab legs rolled and basted in a cajun clarified butter and then slow smoked over indirect heat on any grill or smoker.
    These smoked crab legs are easy to prepare, whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, a propane or electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional grill like a Weber. 
    5 from 1 vote
    PRINT PIN SHARE SAVE Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Seafood
    Cuisine American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ, Keto, Seafood, Smoked
    Servings 4 Servings
    Calories 350 kcal

    Equipment

    • Large Saucepan
    • Mixing Bowl and Large Spoon
    • Large Aluminum Foil Pan
    • Basting brush
    • Grill, Pellet Grill, or Smoker
    • Pellets, Wood chunks, or a pellet tube smoker with pellets or a smoker box with wood chips
    • Grill Tongs
    • Grill Basket or Phat Mat (optional)

    Ingredients
      

    • 6-8 lbs Frozen Crab Legs Thawed

    Cajun Clarified Butter

    • 2 lbs Unsalted Butter
    • 1 tablespoon Zatarain's Liquid Shrimp and Crab Boil
    • 2 tablespoon Minced and crushed fresh garlic
    • 3 tablespoon Fresh Chopped Parsley
    • 2 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
    • 2 Lemons Juice of 1 Lemon (Save the other lemon to cut into wedges to squeeze on fresh when serving.)
    • Salt and Pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    Melt the Clarified Butter

    • Place the butter in a large saucepan and melt slowly over VERY LOW heat, stirring occasionally until completely melted
      melting butter in a pot
    • Remove the butter from the heat and gently skim off the solid milk fat solids floating on top with a large spoon and discard.
      skimming milk fat off of drawn butter
    • Transfer the clarified butter from the saucepan to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
      pouring clarified butter for smoked crab legs into a bowl

    Prepare the Grill or Smoker

    • Light or turn on your smoker or pellet grill and set up the temperature to 225°F. If using a grill, set up the burners or charcoal on only one side for indirect cooking.
      setting the traeger pellet grill to 225 degrees F
    • Add your wood chunk(s) directly to the firebox or on top of the charcoal of a smoker, or use chips in a smoker box, or pellets in a tube smoker on a gas grill.

    Prepare the Cajun Butter and Season the Crab

    • Add the liquid shrimp boil, garlic, parsley, cajun seasoning, and the juice of 1 lemon to the clarified butter. Stir gently to incorporate.
      adding parsley to clarified butter in a bowl
    • Set at least half of the cajun butter aside for dipping later, pour the remaining half into a large aluminum foil pan.
      pouring seasoned clarified butter for smoked crab legs into a pan
    • Roll the thawed crab legs in the pan of butter to coat on all sides and then place on a tray until ready to smoke.
      seaosning crab legs in a pan before putting on the smoker

    Smoke the Crab Legs

    • Once smoke is being produced, put your crab legs in the smoker, or on the grill AWAY from the direct heat.
      smoked crab legs on a smoker
    • At the 15 and 30 minute marks, brush the smoked crab legs on all sides with more cajun butter from the foil pan. Do not use the butter you set aside for dipping.
      basting butter on smoked crab legs on a pellet grill
    • After 45 minutes, remove the crab legs from the smoker or grill and place on a large serving platter.
      a finished plate of smoked crab legs
    • Serve with a lemon wedge and individual cups of the cajun butter you set aside for dipping for each guest. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 350kcal
    Keyword alaskan king crab legs, barbecue, bbq, Butter, cajun, Camp Chef, clarified butter, drawn butter, electric smoker, Masterbuilt, pellet grill, Pit Boss, shellfish, smoked crab legs, smoked seafod, snow crab, traeger, Weber
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Mads Martigan

    Mads is the founder of Madbackyard.com and has been a BBQ and Grilling enthusiast for the past 15 years. He loves to write about and make videos on smoking and barbecuing all kinds of great food.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tim says

      September 18, 2021 at 11:33 am

      5 stars
      Nice recipe, thanks for sharing!

    5 from 1 vote

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    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

    More about me →

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