Chef Jeong Ho-young’s Super Simple Soy-Marinated Shrimp (Ganjang Saeu-Jang)
Easy & Delicious Soy-Marinated Shrimp Recipe You Can Make at Home
This is a soy-marinated shrimp recipe made with Chef Jeong Ho-young’s method. Among various ways to make it, I find this one the simplest and most flavorful. You should definitely try making it! It’s incredibly easy to prepare and results in a delicious, savory, and slightly sweet shrimp dish that’s perfect as a side or a special treat.
Main Ingredients
- 12 fresh raw shrimp (choose medium-sized ones)
- A pinch of coarse salt (for cleaning shrimp)
- 1/2 onion (sliced into large pieces)
- 3 cloves garlic (lightly smashed with the side of a knife or sliced thickly)
- 3 Cheongyang peppers (deseeded and diagonally sliced for a spicy kick)
Special Soy Sauce Marinade
- 50g sugar (white or brown)
- 200ml water
- 150ml soy sauce (e.g., Sempio brewed soy sauce or regular soy sauce)
- 50ml Cheongju (Korean rice wine, like Mirin)
- 50ml cooking wine (like Mirin)
- 50g sugar (white or brown)
- 200ml water
- 150ml soy sauce (e.g., Sempio brewed soy sauce or regular soy sauce)
- 50ml Cheongju (Korean rice wine, like Mirin)
- 50ml cooking wine (like Mirin)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, we’ll make the special soy sauce marinade, which is the key to delicious soy-marinated shrimp. Combine 50g of sugar, 200ml of water, 150ml of soy sauce, 50ml of Cheongju, and 50ml of cooking wine in a saucepan.
Step 2
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the ingredients are well combined. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat slightly and simmer for another 3 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let it cool completely. Boiling removes the alcohol scent while leaving behind a rich umami flavor.
Step 3
Now, let’s clean the shrimp thoroughly. Place the shrimp in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt, and gently shake the bowl to remove any impurities from the shrimp. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water and drain any excess water.
Step 4
Using kitchen scissors, carefully trim off the sharp antennae from the shrimp. This makes the shrimp cleaner and easier to eat and store.
Step 5
Next, we need to remove the digestive tract. Locate the segmented lines along the shrimp’s back. Insert a skewer into one of these segments and gently pull upwards. You should see a long, dark vein emerge. Carefully pull it out.
Step 6
Ideally, the vein will come out in one long piece. If it breaks, don’t worry! Simply re-insert the skewer into the next segment and continue pulling to remove the rest of the vein. Repeat this process until all the veins are removed.
Step 7
Once all the shrimp are prepped, place them neatly into a clean container. Try not to overcrowd the container; leaving a little space between them is best.
Step 8
When the soy sauce mixture has cooled to lukewarm, add the half-sliced onion, smashed garlic cloves, and diagonally sliced Cheongyang peppers. These aromatics will infuse the sauce with a wonderful flavor. Wait for the sauce to cool down completely after adding the vegetables.
Step 9
Pour the completely cooled soy sauce marinade over the shrimp in the container, ensuring the shrimp are fully submerged. Close the lid tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and mature. Once marinated, you’ll have wonderfully succulent and flavorful soy-marinated shrimp ready to enjoy! It’s fantastic served over rice for a simple yet satisfying meal, or as a delicious accompaniment to drinks.
