Roasted Dungeness Crabs with Garlic and Chiles
Discover the irresistible flavors of succulent Dungeness crabs roasted to perfection with aromatic garlic, spicy chiles, and rich butter. This intermediate-level dish serves 4 as a main or 8 as an appetizer, delivering a feast that's sure to impress!
- Nutritional Information Per Serving (Based on 4 servings): Calories 1461 | Total Fat 106 g | Saturated Fat 37 g | Carbohydrates 14 g | Dietary Fiber 2 g | Sugar 2 g | Protein 111 g | Cholesterol 491 mg | Sodium 1856 mg
- Total Time: 2 hr 5 min
- Preparation: 15 min
- Resting Time: 1 hr 15 min
- Cooking: 35 min
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus additional for boiling the crabs
- 1 lemon, cut into thin slices
- 1 head garlic, finely minced (peels reserved)
- 1 onion, finely minced (peel reserved)
- 4 large Dungeness crabs* (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or 6 to 8 fresh red chiles (such as serrano), minced and seeded, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro leaves
Cook Mode: Keep your screen awake while you create this culinary masterpiece!
Instructions
- Fill a large stockpot two-thirds full with water, salting it generously to mimic ocean water. Add half the lemon slices and reserved garlic/onion peels, then bring to a boil. Blanch crabs in batches for 5 minutes, then cool until easy to handle.
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Clean cooled crabs: Remove top shell, apron, gills, and membrane. Rinse under cold water, halve shell-side up with a heavy knife.
- In a large baking dish, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, minced garlic, onion, butter, oil, red pepper, and black pepper. Place on oven's lowest rack; roast 8 minutes until golden (watch garlic!). Add crab halves, toss to coat, and roast 13-15 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until hot and glossy. Finish with parsley or cilantro and serve hot for maximum flavor explosion!
Recipe credited to Emeril Lagasse. Fire up your oven and dive into this seafood sensation today!
