Ganjang Gejang
Ganjang Gejang is a traditional Korean dish featuring raw crab marinated in a savory soy sauce mixture. The crabs soak up the rich flavors, resulting in a unique texture and umami-rich taste. This recipe captures the essence of this classic, offering a harmonious balance of sweet, salty, and spicy notes.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 day
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 326 kcal
Allergen information: may contain crustaceans, fish, gluten, sesame, and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 4 pcsblue crab, cleaned, live or very fresh
marinade
- 1.5 cupsoy sauce
- 1.5 cupwater
- 0.5 cupsugar
- 0.25 cuprice wine
- 6 clovegarlic, sliced
- 20 gginger, sliced
- 2 pcskorean dried chili
- 2 pcsgreen onion, roughly chopped
- 0.5 pcsyellow onion, sliced
- 0.25 pcskorean pear, sliced
garnish
- 2 pcscheongyang pepper, sliced
- 1 pcsred chili, sliced
- 1 pcsgreen onion, sliced
- 1 tspsesame seed, toasted
Equipment
fine-mesh sieve · medium saucepan · cutting board · knife · airtight container
The method
Step by step
- 1
Thoroughly clean the live or very fresh blue crabs under cold running water, scrubbing any dirt from their shells. Pat them completely dry with paper towels.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Ensure crabs are very fresh to avoid any off-flavors. If using frozen crabs, thaw them completely in the refrigerator before cleaning.
- 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the soy sauce, water, sugar, rice wine, sliced garlic, sliced ginger, korean dried chilies, roughly chopped green onion, sliced yellow onion, and sliced korean pear.
About 2 min
- 3
Bring the marinade mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Simmering allows the flavors to meld and deepen.
- 4
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the marinade cool completely to room temperature.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: It's crucial that the marinade is fully cooled before adding the crabs to prevent cooking them.
- 5
Once cooled, strain the marinade through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all the solids. Discard the solids.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Straining creates a clear and clean marinade.
- 6
Place the cleaned and dried blue crabs into a clean, airtight container or a large glass jar.
About 1 min
- 7
Pour the strained, cooled marinade over the crabs, ensuring they are fully submerged. If needed, use a plate or a clean weight to keep the crabs submerged.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Full submersion is key for even marination and flavor absorption.
- 8
Seal the container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to 2-3 days for deeper flavor.
About 1 day
Cook’s note: Marinating longer will result in a richer, more intense flavor. Turn the crabs occasionally if they are not fully submerged.
- 9
To serve, take the marinated crabs out of the container. You can cut the crabs into halves or quarters for easier eating.
About 1 min
- 10
Garnish with sliced cheongyang pepper, sliced red chili, sliced green onion, and toasted sesame seeds.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Serve immediately with warm rice.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 325.7kcal
- Protein
- 31.8g
- Carbs
- 40.9g
- Fat
- 3.6g
- Fibre
- 3.2g
- Sugar
- 30.5g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover Ganjang Gejang in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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