Undoubtedly, anyone who has ever eaten crabs for dinner has to spend lots of time choosing what to serve with crab legs. If you want some clues to make a final decision, Fishermen’s Net will help you to answer that question in the below article. Let’s begin to find the best crab dinner sides!
How Much Crab Meat Do You Get From Crab Legs?
Commonly, a crab leg can yield up to 50% meat. Specifically, if you pick up 16 - 24 oz crab legs for 2 people, your meal will end up with 8 - 12 oz of crab meat. In other words, it means that each person will have 4 - 6 oz crab meat.
What To Serve With Crab Legs For Dinner?
Crab have a rich and sweet meat, so that the best side dish with crab meat should not overpower it. Take a look at the following sides to know what is suitable for a crab leg dinner.
Traditional Sides
1. Roasted Vegetables
As we mentioned above, crab has a sweet and buttery taste. Thus, it is essential to make a choice for a side dish which will not overshadow the light meat. Definitely, roasted vegetables are one of the perfect choices for a savory crab meal. You can choose to roast asparagus to bring out its bright undertones. If you have a grill or a grill pan, use the fire to give vegetables smoky flavours.
Additionally, to bring a depth of flavour to your meal, try using a variety of in-season veggies. For example, in summer, use zucchini and bell peppers; in autumn, use carrots and onions for cold-weather taste.
2. Creamy Potatoes
With the infinity of cooking methods, potato is the easiest ingredient to prepare and helps upgrade the plate flavor. Also, it is subtle, creamy and buttery, making it a natural companion of crabs. You can choose to make mashed potatoes. In addition, pouring garlic butter and sour cream over the mashed potatoes will boost the taste of the dish to perfection.
In case you have prepared too much crab meat, toss it with your mashed-potatoes mix for a hearty twist.
3. Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce
Lemon garlic dipping sauce is the most typical side dish for crab legs. The standard recipe is made from the combination of butter with lemon and garlic. Those ingredients can deliver a slight citrus tang with refreshing taste to the crab. Particularly, garlic melds with butter to give a perfectly savory taste.
Here is how to do it. Merge them with different lobster spices for a colourful taste. You can use Worcestershire sauce to enhance the thickness and sweetness to the dip. Then, add in extra herbs and spices such as parsley, rosemary, salt, etc. However, be careful not to overdo it, as the most essential of this sauce is simplicity.
4. Melted Butter
Crab legs have a sweet and succulent taste, when dipped in butter, you will surely enjoy a completely different taste.
The difference that makes this dipping sauce is real butter, not margarine, real butter, specifically melted butter.
It's easy to make, you just melt plain butter in a pan, let it cool and the milk solids in the butter sink to the bottom, leaving the clear liquid on top. Use a spoon and scoop into the bowl.
Then add some garlic and squeeze some fresh lemon and you have a wonderful dipping sauce.
Note that you should eat with hot crab legs, if you use cold crab legs to dip into the sauce, it may cause the butter to freeze.
Fast Sides
Perhaps, you want to try a crab plate, but you do not have much time. Don’t worry, let Fishermen’s Net provide you with a simple side dish.
1. French Fries
Similar to what to serve with lobster tails, try French fries to take crab to the next level of flavour and convenience. It is certain that nothing can beat French fries as a side dish. For classic French fries, all you need to prepare is potatoes, flour, paprika, vegetable oil, and salt. After cutting potatoes, dip them into the herbs and spice batter, then fry over the stove.
If you want some new experience with French fries, try pouring the cream on the fries and put them in the oven.
2. Raw Or Steamed Vegetables
If you don’t have time to roast or grill vegetables, you can choose raw or steam veggies as a quick side dish. Blanch green beans in well-salted water and saute with garlic, add pepper and butter for fresh and delicious flavor. Steam broccoli, cauliflower and carrots for a light side dish to complement the rich and filling taste of the crab dinner.
3. Flavored Dips And Sauces
You need a flavorful sauce, but simple and fast to create with mayonnaise? Add fresh dill, Dijon mustard and lemonade for Dijon mayo, or toss some chipotle seasoning for southwestern kick. If you need a perfect sweet-and-sour complement to your steamed crab, whip together a gourmet brandy-infused mayonnaise.
Fancy Sides
1. Fresh Artichokes
Roast artichokes with fresh herbs and garlic, stuff them with butter, cheese then add lemonade and olive oil. This ultimate finger food side dish will make an explosion in your mouth. Otherwise, cover artichokes with garlic and butter, then steam it for 20 minutes to soften the leaves. After cooked, serve a whole artichoke with butter or mayo-based sauce for dipping.
2. Crisp Green Salad
To create an understated and sophisticated side dish, try to use fresh salad. Use the simple recipe with romaine-heart salad dressed with homemade dressing with shallots, mustard, lemonade, salt and pepper.
3. Cocktail Sauce
Bring to your crab dinner an instant class with a homemade cocktail sauce. Combine ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire and tabasco sauce with lemon for a rich and flavorful cocktail sauce. Toss it with a different amount of each sauce, or add pepper for a new experience.
Unique Sides
1. Sweet Corn
Maybe corn is something really unrelated to crab legs, but this vegetable is a tasty accompaniment to your crab meal. For an easy side dish, steam corn on the cob with lemonade. Then, add sugar, smear it with butter, garlic and salt before serving.
2. Asian Noodles, Vegetables And Sauces
If you need an innovative dipping sauce, try your meal with Vietnamese fish sauce, combined with rice vinegar, fresh lime juice. Then season it with garlic, sugar, chiles and ginger root for a special spicy taste.
3. Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs might be the best warm summer dinner side dish. For a classic taste, toss mayo, vinegar and mustard with egg yolks and dust with paprika. You can customize by using avocado and lemon for a green twist on the traditional recipe.
In addition, you can also treat your loved family with a hearty seafood table including crab claws, lobsters jumbo, clams, oysters,... for a happy weekend. Fishermen's Net absolutely can help you.
Now, you know what is best to serve with crab legs. Whether it is a traditional or a fast one, these above side dishes will bring you remarkable moments with crab leg dinners. However, before going any deeper into those side dishes, the most important thing is to buy fresh crab legs.
Visit our blog for more useful tips related to the crab and the other seafoods. Feel free to contact us via the below contact information if you have any further questions or requests.
- Website: www.mualobster.com
- Address: 849 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103.
- Tel: +1 (207) 772-3565.
