Called gejang in Korean, from the root words ge, meaning “crab,” and jang, meaning “condiment,” this preparation of salted fermented crab has roots that go back to the 17th century. In Korea, this recipe is made with freshwater crabs, particularly kkotge, or horse crabs, which are readily available in the Yellow Sea on the west side of the Korean peninsula. Served with a bowl of rice, the salty dish is colloquially known in Korea as “rice thief,” because the flavorful pairing inspires rapid eating. The brine from the preparation is often reserved and used as an ingredient in sauces, or to flavor rice. Western tourists often find gejang too spicy for their palates. The dish is relatively rare in the United States, found only in urban areas with significant Korean-American populations.
Recipe Servings: 2
+ 73 hours resting
Ingredients
- 5 medium fresh blue crabs or kkotge (about 2 lbs)
- 2 cups soy sauce
- ½ cup rice wine or mirin
- 6 cups water
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- ½ medium onion, roughly sliced
- 5–6 garlic cloves
- 3–4 thin ginger slices
- 1 piece dried kelp or dashima (about 5 inch square)
- 1 small apple, roughly sliced (or ½ small korean/asian pear, if in season)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppers
- 2–3 dried red chili peppers
- 2–3 green and/or red chili peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 3 thin onion slices
- 3 thin lemon slices
Directions
- Clean each of the live crabs thoroughly using a brush under cold running water and then chill them in the freezer for 1–2 hours to sedate and immobilize them.
- Combine the soy sauce, rice wine, water, sugar, onion, garlic, ginger, kelp, apple, bay leaf, black peppers, and dried red chili peppers in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to boil, covered, for about 20 minutes. Remove the kelp after about 10 minutes of boiling.
- Strain the mixture, discarding the fruit and vegetables. Let the liquid rest until completely cooled.
- Place the crabs in an airtight container or jar. Add the chili peppers, onion, and lemon slices. Pour the liquid mixture into the container, making sure the crabs are completely submerged. Weigh them down using a heavy object if necessary.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
- Strain the mixture into a pot and return the crabs to the refrigerator.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat and cook for 3–4 minutes before removing it from the heat and letting it cool.
- Pour the cooled liquid back over the crabs, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours.
- To serve, separate the top shell and break the body in half. Use a crab or nut cracker to break the claws. They are best eaten before four days have passed.
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