📝 About This Recipe
Jang-eo-gui is a prized delicacy in Korean cuisine, celebrated for its rich, fatty texture and its reputation as a powerful stamina-boosting meal. This recipe features fresh freshwater eel grilled to smoky perfection and lacquered with a sweet, spicy, and savory gochujang-based glaze. The contrast between the charred, crispy skin and the melt-in-your-mouth interior creates a luxurious dining experience that captures the heart of Korean coastal grilling.
🥗 Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 large fillets Freshwater Eel (Unagi/Jang-eo) (cleaned, deboned, and butterflied)
- 2 tablespoons Rice Wine (Cheongju or Mirin) (for prepping the fish)
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Juice (squeezed from grated ginger)
Spicy Gochujang Glaze
- 3 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean Red Chili Paste)
- 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce (regular or dark soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons Honey (can substitute with corn syrup)
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic (very finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon Grated Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil (toasted)
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
- 3 tablespoons Water (to thin the sauce)
For Garnish and Serving
- 2 inch knob Fresh Ginger (peeled and sliced into very fine matchsticks)
- 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 2 stalks Green Onions (finely chopped)
- 10 pieces Perilla Leaves (for wrapping)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the eel by patting it completely dry with paper towels. Any moisture on the skin will prevent it from getting crispy.
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2
Drizzle the rice wine and ginger juice over the eel fillets. Let them sit for 10 minutes to neutralize any 'fishy' odors and tenderize the meat.
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3
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water.
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4
Simmer the sauce for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a glossy glaze. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil and black pepper.
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5
Soak the ginger matchsticks in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes to remove their harsh bite, then drain and pat dry.
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6
Preheat your grill or a non-stick grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
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7
Place the eel fillets on the grill, skin-side down first. Press down lightly with a spatula to ensure even contact. Grill for 3-4 minutes until the skin is charred and crispy.
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8
Flip the eel carefully and grill the flesh side for another 2-3 minutes until the meat turns opaque and firm.
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9
Reduce the heat to medium. Using a brush, generously coat the flesh side of the eel with the prepared gochujang glaze.
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10
Flip the eel again and grill the glazed side for 30-60 seconds. Watch closely as the sugar in the sauce can burn quickly. You want a slight caramelization.
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11
Apply another layer of glaze to the skin side, flip, and grill for another 30 seconds.
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12
Remove the eel from the heat and let it rest for 1 minute on a cutting board. Slice into 1-inch wide bite-sized pieces using a sharp knife.
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13
Arrange the pieces on a serving platter, overlapping them slightly. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and the prepared ginger matchsticks.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use fresh ginger matchsticks as a garnish; the sharp heat cuts through the richness of the fatty eel perfectly. If you don't have an outdoor grill, a cast-iron grill pan or even an oven broiler works excellently to achieve the char. Don't apply the sauce too early; the high sugar content will burn before the eel is cooked through. For the most authentic texture, try to find 'freshwater' eel (unagi) rather than saltwater eel (anago), as it has a higher fat content. If the eel curls up during grilling, make small shallow scores on the skin side before cooking to keep it flat.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with perilla leaves (ggatnip) or lettuce to wrap the eel pieces along with a dollop of ssamjang. Accompany with a bowl of warm, short-grain white rice to soak up the extra spicy glaze. Pair with a chilled glass of Korean Bokbunja-ju (raspberry wine) which is the traditional pairing for eel. Provide a side of pickled radish (mu-ssam) to cleanse the palate between bites. Include a light soybean paste soup (doenjang-guk) to round out the meal.