So, to sum it up: 3 to 5 minutes in a rolling boil. That’s the magic window. Any longer and you’re in rubber city. Any shorter and you’re eating lukewarm disappointment.
I once had a friend who boiled his crab legs for twenty minutes because he “wanted to be safe.” He ended up with something that crunched like a potato chip. He called it “crab jerky.” We still laugh about it. Don’t be that friend. Be the hero with a butter bowl and a timer.
Now go, get that pot boiling. Your fingers will be sticky, your table will be a disaster zone, and you will be gloriously happy. Just remember: three to five minutes, and you’ve got a feast fit for a king (crab king, that is).
