Here’s my favorite way of eating crab. For years I was all about steaming them but I found that oven roasting increases the flavor and it also makes the shells brittle so they are easier to peel.
Here’s how it goes.
Ingredients
1 cup of melted butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 julienne sliced leek
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper (I used 2 packs that came with my pizza)
4 large Dungeness crabs, cleaned and cracked
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vinegar
1 lemon, cut in half
Method
Combine everything in a bowl and mix.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Take crab out of the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking.
Place pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Roast for 15 minutes and do a taste test. On average, it should cook in 20 minutes.