Roasted King Crab Recipe

Prepare

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). If using whole legs, use kitchen shears to cut along the underside of the shell to expose the meat while keeping legs intact. Pat the crab legs dry with paper towels.

Season

Brush the exposed meat lightly with 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Season the meat with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, rubbing gently to adhere.

Roast

Place the crab legs on a rimmed baking sheet, meat side up. Roast in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, until the meat is heated through and edges begin to brown slightly. Because the crab is pre-cooked, the goal is to warm and caramelize, not to cook raw meat.

Finish

Remove from oven and tent loosely with foil to keep warm while you prepare the uni butter and ponzu. Reserve any juices on the baking sheet to spoon over when serving if desired.

Make uni butter

While the oven is heating or during the last 5 minutes of roasting, combine 4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter and 2 ounces uni in a small bowl. Mash together with a fork or use a small blender/immersion blender to emulsify until smooth and homogeneous. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest. Taste and adjust salt or lemon to balance the rich, briny uni flavor. Keep the butter at room temperature so it is spreadable.

Warm slightly (optional)

If you prefer the butter slightly melted when served, place the uni butter in a small heatproof bowl and warm briefly (10–15 seconds) in the microwave or over a bain-marie until just soft — do not overheat or it will separate.

Assemble sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons ponzu, 1 teaspoon chili oil, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon mirin (if using). Stir in 1 tablespoon finely sliced scallion. Taste and adjust: add more chili oil for heat, or more ponzu for citrus-salt balance.

Final strain (optional)

For a very smooth sauce, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove scallion bits; otherwise leave as-is for texture.

Plate the roasted king crab legs on a serving platter, meat side up. Using a small spoon or palette knife, dollop or smear 1–2 teaspoons of uni butter over each exposed section of crab meat while it is still warm so the butter melts over the meat. Drizzle 1–2 teaspoons of the chili ponzu around or over each piece (serve extra on the side).

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and the sliced scallion from the ponzu section over the crab as a finishing touch. Add microgreens or shiso leaves and lemon wedges to the plate.

Serve immediately, allowing diners to squeeze lemon over the crab and dip into additional chili ponzu. Leftover uni butter can be chilled and saved for up to 2 days; bring back to room temperature before using.