Crab Legs in 25 Minutes: Oven Baked with Garlic Butter

Instructions:

1. Sauté the garlic. Melt the 225g butter in your saucepan over medium low heat. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes until the kitchen smells like a dream and the garlic is translucent. Note: Don't let it brown or it will turn bitter.
2. Season the sauce. Whisk in the 15ml Old Bay, 5ml black pepper, and 2ml smoked paprika. Pull it off the heat and stir in a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten everything up.
3. Heat the oven. Preheat to 190°C (375°F). This is the sweet spot temperature that’s hot enough to create steam but gentle enough not to scorch the butter.
4. Prepare the foil. Line your baking sheet with two long pieces of heavy duty foil in a cross shape. You want plenty of overhang so you can seal the top completely.
5. Layout the crab. Arrange the 2 kg of thawed crab legs in the center. Don't be afraid to overlap them a bit, but try to keep them in a single layer if possible.
6. Add the aromatics. Tuck your lemon slices into the gaps between the legs. These will release juice directly onto the shells as they bake.
7. Drizzle the gold. Pour that spicy garlic butter evenly over the legs. Use a brush if you want to be extra thorough, but pouring works just fine.
8. Seal the chamber. Fold the foil edges up and crimp them together tightly. You want a little dome of air inside, but the seams must be airtight.
9. The precision bake. Slide the tray into the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the foil is puffed up and the aroma is irresistible.
10. The grand reveal. Carefully open the foil — watch out for that initial blast of hot steam! Garnish with the fresh parsley and serve it right out of the foil to keep those juices contained. > Chef's Tip: If you really want to take the flavor to the next level, throw a few sprigs of fresh thyme or a smashed knob of ginger into the butter sauce while it simmers. It adds a subtle complexity that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is. $img_2$