Author Notes
Octopus has a succulence many people stateside aren't too willing to experience. I know, however, if you cover anything in BBQ sauce and grill it, my family won't ask too many questions. This "BBQ" comes directly from Korea, but it still shares many of the hallmarks that American BBQ does: sweet, smoky, spicy, tangy. Wrap it up in cool, crisp lettuce and you have a cookout. The BBQ octopus is delicious on its own, over rice, or as I suggest here: as an entire Korean ssäm; a communal affair with cooked meats, kimchi, lettuce, and rice. —PieceOfLayerCake
Test Kitchen Notes
Tangy and sweet marinated octopus meets its match in the crunchy cucumber slaw and lettuce-leaf wraps! A solid CP. —mitschlag
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
2 pounds
baby octopus, cleaned
-
4 tablespoons
gochujang (red pepper paste)
-
4
gochugaru (red pepper powder)
-
2 tablespoons
Korean soy sauce
-
2 tablespoons
mirin (Japanese rice wine)
-
4 tablespoons
light brown sugar
-
1 tablespoon
grated or minced garlic
-
1 tablespoon
grated fresh ginger
-
2 tablespoons
sesame oil
-
1 tablespoon
toasted sesame seeds
-
2
small seedless cucumbers, sliced thinly
-
1 bunch
scallions, topped and tailed, sliced thinly
-
1 teaspoon
salt
-
2 teaspoons
granulated sugar
-
Ssämjang, for serving
-
2 to 3
large heads butter or red leaf lettuce, leaves separated, chilled
-
Steamed rice, for serving
-
Kimchi (optional)
Directions
-
Rinse the octopus under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl.
-
Combine the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a small cup and pour over the octopus. Toss the octopus well with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
-
Combine the cucumbers, scallions, salt, and granulated sugar in a small bowl and allow to chill for at least 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
-
Preheat the grill to medium heat and wipe the grates well with vegetable oil. Sear the octopus for 3 to 4 minutes, turning often. Do not overcook. Overcooked octopus is rubbery and tough. Remove octopus to a platter and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds.
-
Serve immediately with the cucumber-scallion slaw, ssämjang, lettuce, rice, and kimchi. There is no "right" way to eat a ssäm, but I like to smear a dab of ssämjang on a lettuce leaf, pile on the octopus, some rice, and the slaw. Roll it up like a little package and eat in one huge bite. Kimchi is a lovely "intermezzo," if you will, and essential to every Korean meal. 잘먹겠습니다
See what other Food52ers are saying.