Korean Butter-Grilled Abalone
Quick answer
- Total time
- 30 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Scored abalone is seared quickly in garlic butter, with the cooking time kept to two or three minutes so the flesh stays springy and firm rather than contracting into a tough, rubbery state.
Read more
Minced garlic is added to the melted butter first, allowing its fragrance to bloom before the abalone goes in, so the shellfish absorbs the full depth of the butter. A small addition of soy sauce to the pan deepens the umami without masking the delicate sweetness of the abalone itself. For an extra layer of oceanic richness, the abalone liver can be minced and stirred directly into the butter sauce as it finishes; the liver melts in, contributing a briny, mineral depth that amplifies the sea flavor of the dish. The finished abalone is best served in the cleaned shells, which both keep the butter sauce pooled around the meat and make for an appealing natural presentation. A light squeeze of lemon juice just before serving cuts through the richness of the butter and brings out the natural sweetness of the shellfish.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Scrub the 6 abalones well, especially around the shell edges where grit can remain.
Slide a spoon under the flesh, separate it from the shell, remove the tooth, and keep the shells for serving.
- 2Season
Score the top of each abalone in a shallow crosshatch so the seasoning reaches the surface without cutting too deeply.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cooking wine and black pepper, rest for 5 minutes, then pat dry.
- 3Control
Warm the pan over low heat and melt 30 g butter slowly so it does not brown too fast.
Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for about 40 seconds, stirring until fragrant but not scorched.
- 4Season
If using the liver, mince it finely and stir it into the butter until the sauce looks evenly mixed and glossy.
Place the abalone in the pan scored side down so the cuts meet the garlic butter first.
- 5Season
Raise the heat to medium, sear for 1 minute, then flip and cook for another minute.
When the flesh just begins to curl at the edges, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and coat quickly.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat before the total cooking time passes 2 to 3 minutes, since extra heat makes abalone tough.
Stir in 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil and chopped scallion, spoon the sauce over, and serve in the shells.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Jeonbok Beoteo-gui features scored abalone seared quickly in garlic butter for a springy texture.
- Finish cue
- If using the liver, mince it finely and stir it into the butter until the sauce looks evenly mixed and glossy.
- Avoid this
- Turn off the heat before the total cooking time passes 2 to 3 minutes, since extra heat makes abalone tough.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
30min, 8 ingredients
Category median
32min, 8 ingredients
Based on 173 recipes
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