The Absolute Best Sauces For Dipping Crab Legs, According To Andrew Zimmern

If you think clarified butter is the only way to go with crab you are missing out on some seriously delicious meals. Now, of course butter is great, because crab is great. In fact some fresh, quality crab legs don't need any dipping sauce at all. But just because something doesn't need a sauce, doesn't mean you should avoid them. The sweet, seafood flavor of crab is so versatile that potential flavor pairings are everywhere, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to mix it up. We recently spoke with celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, the co-author of "The Blue Food Cookbook" published in October, and the host and a judge on Food Network's forthcoming series, "Pitmasters," premiering on July 13. And he was the perfect person to ask about the best dipping sauces for crab legs.

"My favorite is a bright sauce gribiche," Zimmern says. "It's a classic cold French sauce made with hard-cooked eggs, Dijon mustard, cornichons, capers, herbs, etc." Since crab is naturally sweet and delicate, Zimmern believes gribiche's mix of acidity, salt, and fresh herbs is the perfect complement, and light enough that it won't overwhelm the crab. "A close second is a Japanese ponzu with grated daikon and scallion," he adds. "The citrus/salt cuts through the richness of the crab while preserving its clean ocean flavor." However he does warn that ponzu should be used with a light touch for crab.

While gribiche and ponzu are great sauces, Zimmern notes that the ideal sauce will change depending on the kind of crab you're eating. For Alaskan king crab, he explains, "The meat is rich, firm, and naturally buttery. I like a lemony mayo seasoned with mustard or ponzu." Adding that you only need a little, and that a citrus beurre blanc is also nice with warm king crab. "My favorite pairing [for Dungeness crab legs] is a California-inspired green goddess dressing with plenty of herbs, tarragon, chives, and parsley," Zimmern notes, "thinned so it remains light rather than creamy."

On the lighter side, for blue crab, Zimmern tells us, "I serve them whole, and make a hot herbed lemon butter. If cold, I just serve with a light mustard mayo." And finally for snow crab, which is more sweet and delicate, he suggests a lemon-herb vinaigrette, along with gribiche.

While there are a lot of great options for dipping steamed crab legs, Zimmern notes that you should avoid anything that buries the crabs' flavor. "Heavy barbecue sauces are too sweet, smoky, and assertive," he says. "Thick ranch-style dressings overwhelm the meat. Highly sugary glazes compete with the crab's natural sweetness." And sorry spicy fans, but Zimmern also says overly hot sauces will numb the palate and make it hard to appreciate crab's more subtle flavors. "Crab is expensive because of its flavor," Zimmern says. "The sauce should frame it, not hide it."