Korean Grilled Hard Clams with Doenjang Sauce

Name: Korean Grilled Hard Clams with Doenjang Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 9 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: hard clams 1000 g; doenjang 1.5 tbsp; soy sauce 1 tbsp; minced garlic 1 tbsp; cheongyang chili 1 piece; scallion 2 stalks; sesame oil 1 tsp; water 2 tbsp

Quick answer

Active time: 34 min
Waiting: See the steps
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Two kinds of salt meet in each shell here: the briny juice of the hard clam and the fermented saltiness of doenjang.

That is why the paste goes on thin enough to let the clam meat show through; doenjang varies in saltiness from brand to brand, and a heavy coat buries the shellfish. Over high heat the doenjang surface scorches lightly and turns toasty, and the moment the liquid in the shell bubbles, the clams come off. Another minute and the meat turns tough.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

cheongyang chili1 piece

scallion2 stalks

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Soak 1000g hard clams in salt water with seawater-like salinity for at least three hours to purge sand.

Discard cracked clams, then scrub the shells firmly with a brush under running water.
2

Mix 1.5 tablespoons doenjang, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons water.

Stir until thick and smooth, because a lump-free paste spreads thinly without overpowering the clam.
3

Finely slice 1 cheongyang chili and 2 stalks of scallion, then keep them aside.

Adding them at the end keeps their color fresh and prevents the small pieces from burning over high heat.
4

Heat a pan or grill grate thoroughly over high heat, then arrange the clams in a single layer.

Cook for three to four minutes until the shells open, and discard any clams that remain closed.
5

For each opened clam, keep only the half shell holding the meat and set it level so the juices stay inside.

Spread the doenjang sauce thinly, without burying the meat, to control saltiness.
6

Return the clams to high heat for only one to two minutes, just until the doenjang surface lightly scorches.

As soon as the shell juices bubble, remove them and finish with chili, scallion, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.