Was doing a quick turn and burn to the Reagan Library/Museum for the weekend – and needed a speedy smoke for the day before I left. I wasn’t going to do a full write up – because it really didn’t take much – but because it turned out incredibly well, I had to share. So simple, easy, fast – AND it tasted outstanding. Skip to the recipe below, if you wish, but read on for the adventure. Short smoke, so it’s a short post.
The Prep Table
Fired up the smoker to 250 degrees. We’re only going for about a half hour here. The legs are already cooked, so we’re adding heat to it. By making a smokey heat – we’re looking to impart some of that flavor as well. I’m still rolling a mix of the extra pellets in this guy – but I’d probably go with a soft apple or cherry.
I bought just over a pound of these snow clusters on a whim and thought it’d be a perfect dinner (after 5:30pm) especially with an early flight (5:30am). They were pre-packaged, so it was just a scoop and go.
Like we usually do, I gave it a once over and saw some dark funky discoloration on some of it so I scooped that off before getting her on the grill. That RecTeq pre-heats so quickly, especially the Trailblazer – so it was just mixing up the butter mop. My local store didn’t have any Old Bay. I thought Old Bay was everywhere, but I guess I’ll just have to make my own very soon.
Speaking of which – on a side note – I’m working on the next in the line of ForensicBBQ seasonings. I’m looking for poultry this time around – leave a comment, DM me on Instagram – what seasoning makes it a perfect poultry rub for you? I’ve gathered group of recipes – this will probably be my Winter project – but let me know what your essential ingredient is!
No Old Bay, no problem. I have my go-to Cajun blend that will no doubt work with this one. Figure 3Tbsp of butter, probably a Tbsp of that Cajun, maybe a Tsp of parsley and a splash of lemon juice. (I know, you probably hate that I can’t give exact measurements – but it’s all to taste! I like a strong seasoned butter)
The Process
RecTeq rolling smoke at 250, let’s get the crab on there. We’re really just warming these up and letting the butter do its job. I was thinking about doing a pre-crack and butter but I didn’t want to dry anything out. So I kept them as is, and mopped the exterior with emphasis on the body/joints. Does that matter? probably not, but it’s all honesty when you come to forensicbbq.com
Every ten minutes, gave it another mop of that butter and let it roll. The 3Tbsp of butter was the perfect amount for 3 mops of a pound of crab. At least it was for me. I put the crab on the grates – mop. 10 minutes, mop. 10 minutes, mop. 3 Mops total and that bowl was empty. I try not to do another crack/dip for the crab meat – and luckily with this – I didn’t even want to. There was so much flavor it was delightful.
A little personal photo amidst the cooking. I didn’t have any Old Bay, but I had my Old Boy here as I smoke. Dude loves being outside – lays a little bit weird sometimes – but he’s our watchdog.
The Result
Hopefully that color, texture, moisture is present in this photo like it was in person. After that 30 minutes, I gave it a bare hand touch and it was hot. You don’t need to get them piping/scalding hot, definitely don’t want to burn them, just get them right. 30 minutes at 250 degrees did that perfect for me.
These actually turned out way better than I thought. Especially for a 30 minute smoke, the only reason I won’t do this again is the cost of crab. I really want to throw a king leg on there – but I went snow clusters and wasn’t disappointed.
Thanks for reading through this small one – I highly suggest you take that 30 minutes and try this out out. Super simple and worth the minimal effort!
And as always, get these recipes in your inbox (and don’t forget to verify the return e-mail!). Let me know if you’ve had issues with the e-mail service – I’ve heard there has been, but here’s hoping it was an isolated issue.
Recipe
Smoked Crab Legs
Ingredients
Butter Mop
- 3 Tbsp Butter I used unsalted
- 1 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1 Tsp Parsley
- 1 Tsp Lemon Juice "Splash"
Snow Crab
- 1 Lb Snow Crab Clusters
Instructions
Butter Mop
- Melt butter, add lemon juice/seasoning/parsley.
Smoked Crab
- Preheat your smoker for 250 degrees using your favorite wood. I'd recommend a soft Apple/Cherry wood.
- Place clusters on the grates and brush lightly with the butter mop. Close lid, smoke for 10 minutes. Repeat until crab has been in the smoke for 30 minutes and are hot to the touch.
- Crack a leg and dine on the limb. I didn't need any additional cocktail sauce, garlic butter or anything – but go crazy! Make your choice ahead of time, cause you're only smoking or about 30 minutes!