Korean Seafood with Doenjang Sauce Grill

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Haemul doenjang-gui is a Korean grilled seafood dish in which shrimp and squid are brushed with a paste of doenjang, a measured amount of gochujang, minced garlic, sesame oil, and sugar before being grilled or pan-fried until the coating caramelizes.

The fermented soybean paste contributes a deep, earthy umami that layers over the natural brine of the seafood, producing a complexity that neither ingredient could achieve alone. The gochujang serves as a supporting element rather than a dominant one, providing a quiet background heat that amplifies the doenjang without overpowering it. Sugar in the paste is non-negotiable: without it, the protein-dense doenjang scorches on the grill before caramelization can develop. The dish is finished when the sauce darkens to a mahogany brown and releases a nutty, fragrant aroma; hold the heat too long past that point and a bitter char begins to overtake the flavor. It functions well as a side dish with rice or as a grilled snack alongside drinks.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
Shrimp	150	g
Squid	150	g
Doenjang	2	tbsp
Gochujang	0.5	tbsp
Minced garlic	1	tbsp
Sesame oil	0.5	tbsp
Sugar	0.5	tsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Pat 150 g shrimp and 150 g squid very dry, then cut the squid into bite-size pieces.

Excess surface moisture makes the doenjang sauce slide off and prevents steady browning.
2

Season

Mix 2 tablespoons doenjang, 0.5 tablespoon gochujang, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil, and 0.5 teaspoon sugar until smooth. The sugar helps the paste caramelize before it scorches.
3

Season

Coat the seafood with a thin, even layer of sauce.

Spread out any thick clumps with your fingers or a spoon, because heavy patches of paste burn before the seafood cooks through.
4

Control

Heat a grill or pan well over medium heat, then lay the seafood in a single layer.

Avoid high heat at the start, since the doenjang coating can burn before the shrimp and squid firm up.
5

Heat

Cook the first side for about 2 minutes, turning when the edges become opaque.

Cook the second side for 1 to 2 minutes more, just until the seafood is firm and the paste darkens.
6

Finish

Remove the seafood as soon as the sauce turns deep brown and smells nutty.

Serve it hot with rice or as a grilled snack with drinks, before the concentrated doenjang flavor turns bitter.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Haemul Doenjang-gui features grilled shrimp and squid brushed with a savory fermented bean paste.
Finish cue: Cook the first side for about 2 minutes, turning when the edges become opaque.
Avoid this: Add sugar to the doenjang sauce to prevent burning during grilling.