Korean Spicy Blue Crab Hot Pot
Quick answer
- Total time
- 40 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Maeun kkotge jeongol is a fiery blue crab hot pot made with two whole crabs broken down and simmered in a gochujang and gochugaru-laced broth.
Read more
The crab shells and innards gradually release a deep, concentrated shellfish essence into the pot, which layers with the fermented chili paste to produce a broth that is bold and complex rather than simply hot. Daikon radish and tofu absorb the spicy liquid as they cook, becoming flavorful in their own right, while thick green onion stalks add fragrance near the end. This is a communal dish meant to be placed in the center of the table over a portable burner and shared as it simmers, with a little water added as the broth reduces to keep it going through the meal. Stirring the crab innards directly into the broth deepens the umami considerably.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Scrub the shells of the 2 blue crabs under running water and remove the gills.
Cut each body into quarters, then keep the top shells with the innards separate because they will season the broth.
- 2Finish
Slice 150g daikon into 1 cm pieces so it cooks through without breaking apart.
Cut 100g tofu into thick pieces, and slice 2 green onion stalks on the diagonal for adding near the finish.
- 3Control
Pour 600ml water into a wide hot pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Lower to medium heat, add 2 tablespoons gochujang first, and whisk until no dense lumps remain.
- 4Season
Add 1 tablespoon Korean chili flakes, 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic.
Stir for about 1 minute, scraping the edges and bottom so the seasoning disperses instead of sticking.
- 5Finish
Add the daikon and reserved crab shells, then simmer over medium heat for about 8 minutes.
Gently loosen the crab innards into the broth, and continue until the daikon edges turn slightly translucent.
- 6Finish
Add the crab body pieces and tofu, then simmer at a steady bubble for about 6 minutes.
When the crab meat turns white and firm, top with green onion, cook 2 minutes more, and serve hot.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Maeun kkotge jeongol releases rich tomalley umami from whole crab shells into a spicy, fermented hot pot designed for tableside simmering with fresh octopus.
- Finish cue
- Gently loosen the crab innards into the broth, and continue until the daikon edges turn slightly translucent.
- Avoid this
- This is a communal dish meant to be placed in the center of the table over a portable burner and shared as it simmers, with a little water added as the broth reduces to keep it going through the meal.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
40min, 9 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 310 recipes
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