Korean Raw Crabs Marinated In Soy Sauce (Ganjang-Gejang)

I didn’t think there could be a better way to eat raw crabs other than the spicy variety–but I was wrong. I’ve never actually had the soy sauce marinated version, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I think a part of me thought that it was impossible to match the spicy sweetness of the hot pepper version I made yesterday, and I was fully prepared to be underwhelmed. Today, when I opened the fridge, I looked at the box of marinating big fat blue claws, actually sighed and said to myself, “I made too much.”

Spoiler alert: I did not make too much.

I have to say, with great surprise, that the soy sauce marinated version heightened my understanding as to why this was considered such a delicacy. A little salty, and the flesh of the crabs with a delicate seafood sweetness that is truly unmatched, I absolutely get why this side dish is called a “rice thief.”

I ended up eating most of the whole crab plus a big ol’ bowl of rice before remembering I needed to take a picture. My only issue is that separating the shell from the body is a bit of hard work, and I’m always terrified of accidentally flinging it around, but the reward is worth it.

I had looked up a whole bunch of different recipes–it seems every family has their own, and ended up picking the parts I liked best from each. I think this will definitely be something I will be making often, when blue claws are coming up in the traps in the bay.

As always, raw seafood comes with some risk.

Ingredients

• 4 female blue claw crabs, live
• 1.5 cups soy sauce
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup Sake
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 apple
• 1 onion, halved
• 2 Jalapeno peppers
• 1 inch ginger, peeled
• 12 garlic cloves, 8 whole, 4 minced
• 1 tablespoon dried kombu stock, or 1 piece kombu
• 2 sprigs spring onion, chopped
• Sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green bell peppers or hot peppers

1. Place crabs into freezer to 1.5 – 2 hours.
2. Wash crabs thoroughly with a stiff bristled brush, especially under the apron. Alternatively, cut off the apron, the last segments of the claws, the mouthpieces, and separate the shell from the body and make sure it’s washed well, careful not to cause the roe and tamale to drop off. Drain and piece them together again.
3. In a pot, bring soy sauce, water, ginger, sugar, apple, kombu stock/puece onion, jalapenos, whole garlic cloves to a boil. Boil for 20 – 30 minutes. Strain and cool thoroughly.
4. Combine with sake, minced garlic, spring onion, and thinly sliced peppers.
5. In a deep enough container, submerge cleaned crabs in marinade belly side up and marinate for 24 hours minimum.
6. Open, cut into pieces, and garnish with sesame seeds when ready to serve.