Ganjang Gejang 간장게장- Soy Marinated Raw Crab
Soy sauce marinated raw blue crab
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 2 lbs live blue crab or swimming crab
Seasoning Sauce
- 2 5x5 sheets of dried kelp
- 1 small onion sliced
- 1 small apple sliced
- 2 Korean pepper sliced
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger sliced
- 3 dried red chili peppers
- 2 cups low sodium soy sauce Sempio brand #501 or #701
- 6 cups water
- 1/4 cup rice syrup or sugar
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp msg optional, highly recommended
Garnish
- green and/or red pepper slices
- chopped green onion
- furikake (for the rice)
Instructions
- Put the lives blue crabs in the freezer for 2 hours to put them to "sleep."
- Mix the seasoning sauce ingredients together in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil.
- When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and boil for another hour.
- Strain the seasoning sauce and let it cool completely.
- After 2 hours in the freezer, the crabs should be asleep and easy to handle. Scrub them under cold water with a stiff brush.
- To break down the crab, lift the apron and remove it by twisting it off. It helps to lay the crab on a flat surface and holding it down.
- Place your non-dominant thumb on the furthest leg to the back with a firm grip, then pull off the shell with your other hand.
- Remove the gills and mouth area with kitchen shears. Cut off any protruding shell pieces so its easier to eat around.
- Cut off the ends of the legs and the claw.
- Give it another good rinse, making sure you don't throw away any of the eggs and fat.
- Put the cleaned crabs back in the freezer while we finish the next steps (you don't want to keep them out in room temperature for too long).
- Next, clean out the shells under cold water. Remove all the black stuff without removing too much of the eggs and fat.
- Place the shells back onto the bodies and put them in a glass or plastic container. Pour the cooled down marinade over the crabs and make sure they are fully submerged.
- Refrigerate for at least one day before eating, or up to 3 days. I recommend eating them by the 4th day- after that they will start to get too salty.
- Tip: I like to enjoy these with some fresh sliced peppers, green onions, and a little furikake in my rice when mixing into the shells with the roe and fat.
