For most home kitchens, frozen crab legs take about 7–10 minutes to steam once the water is boiling and producing steady steam, as long as the legs are already pre-cooked (which most store-bought frozen crab legs are).

Quick Scoop

  • Pre-cooked frozen snow crab legs: steam 6–8 minutes from frozen until hot and fragrant.
  • Pre-cooked frozen king crab legs: steam 8–10 minutes from frozen; the thicker shells need a bit more time.
  • Mixed or large clusters (like Dungeness): aim for 8–12 minutes , checking one thick joint for heat all the way through.
  • If the crab was thawed first in the fridge, you usually only need 5–6 minutes of steaming instead of the longer frozen times.

A simple way to think of it: once the pot is producing strong steam and you add the frozen legs, set a timer for 7 minutes , then check; if they’re not piping hot and very aromatic, give them another 2–3 minutes.

Easy Step-by-Step Timing

  1. Add about 1–2 inches of water (optionally with lemon slices or seasoning) to a pot and bring it to a vigorous simmer so you see steady steam.
  1. Place frozen crab legs in a steamer basket (or on a rack above the water) and cover with a tight lid.
  1. Start timing once the lid is on and steam returns:
    • Snow crab: 6–8 minutes
    • King crab: 8–10 minutes
    • Big clusters / whole frozen crab: 10–20 minutes depending on size and whether they’re raw or pre-cooked.
  1. Check doneness: shells should be bright, meat fully opaque and hot, and steam should smell strongly of sweet crab when you lift the lid.

Tip: If you accidentally overdo it by a couple of minutes, the crab will usually still be fine, just slightly less tender. Better to start on the lower end of the time range and add a minute or two if needed. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.