Korean Gapojingeo Beoteo Maneul Gui (Butter Garlic Cuttlefish Grill)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 27 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Gapojingeo beoteo-maneul-gui is butter-garlic grilled cuttlefish in which the thick body of the cuttlefish is scored in a crosshatch pattern and cooked in a pan with foaming butter and minced garlic.
Read more
Cuttlefish flesh is substantially thicker and denser than regular squid, which means scoring is not optional for even cooking. Without it, the outside would overcook before heat reaches the center. The cuts also create channels that the melted butter and garlic flow into as the cuttlefish sears, infusing each section with concentrated fat and aromatics rather than just coating the surface. The timing of when to add the cuttlefish matters. The butter should be on medium heat and just beginning to foam at the edges when the cuttlefish goes in. At that temperature, the garlic releases its fragrance into the oil without burning, and the cuttlefish develops a golden crust before it has time to toughen. Two minutes per side is typically enough. The crosshatch pattern spreads open as the flesh cooks, and the surface takes on a lightly charred color that signals the Maillard reaction has done its work. Leaving it longer makes the flesh rubbery. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end cuts the richness of the butter and lifts the whole dish with a clean, acidic finish.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Clean 350 g cuttlefish by removing the guts and skin, then pat it very dry.
Score the inside of the body in a deep 0.5 cm crosshatch pattern so heat and seasoning can reach the thick flesh evenly.
- 2Season
Cut the scored cuttlefish into bite-size pieces.
Season with 0.5 teaspoon salt, 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, and 0.5 tablespoon lemon juice, then rest for 10 minutes so the thick pieces absorb the seasoning.
- 3Heat
Just before cooking, lightly blot the surface moisture from the cuttlefish.
If it is too wet, the butter will splatter, the surface will steam instead of sear, and the pieces will not brown properly.
- 4Control
Heat a pan over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 30 g butter.
When foam appears around the edges, add 2 tablespoons minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds, just until fragrant, without browning it hard.
- 5Heat
Lay the cuttlefish in one layer and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes.
When the cuts open and the underside turns golden, flip the pieces, add 1 Cheongyang chili, and cook 1 minute more.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat when the total cooking time is around 4 minutes, before the cuttlefish turns rubbery.
Drizzle with the remaining 0.5 tablespoon lemon juice, sprinkle 1 tablespoon parsley, spoon over the butter-garlic sauce, and serve immediately.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Crosshatch scoring allows butter and garlic to penetrate this thick Gapojingeo Beoteo Maneul Gui.
- Finish cue
- When the cuts open and the underside turns golden, flip the pieces, add 1 Cheongyang chili, and cook 1 minute more.
- Avoid this
- Do not overcook cuttlefish; keep total cooking around 4 minutes.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
27min, 9 ingredients
Category median
32min, 8 ingredients
Based on 173 recipes
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