Grilled Eel

Updated February 23, 2016

Chef

Cookbook

Eating Korean: From Barbecue to Kimchi, Recipes from My Home

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

A favorite in Korean barbecue joints, this slightly sweet flavor is a wonderful seasoning for eel. Choose fresh, live eels if possible. Otherwise, use frozen, thawed eels. You can make a spicy version by adding a couple of tablespoons of chili paste to the seasoning. As with all grilling recipes, you may use the broiler to cook the eel. But watch carefully since eels cook very quickly.

Makes6 to 8 servings, depending on the other banchan and kimchi served

Cooking Methodbroiling, grilling

CostModerate

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Kid FriendlyYes

One Pot MealYes

Recipe Coursemain course

Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, low carb, peanut free, tree nut free

Equipmentgrill

Five Ingredients or LessYes

Mealdinner

Moodadventurous

Taste and Texturegarlicky, rich, savory, spiced, umami, winey

Ingredients

5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1½ tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Black pepper
2 eels

Instructions

In a small stockpot, add the soy sauce, green onions, garlic, ginger, sugar, rice wine, sesame oil, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and, stirring occasionally, simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Meanwhile clean the eels, removing the heads and entrails. Halve the eels lengthwise, removing the bones. Then cut the halves into about 2- to 3-inch widths.
Grill the eel pieces on an oiled grill. Baste the eels with the seasoning and grill again. The fish should be white all the way through and slightly charred and browned on the edges.
Serve with several leaves of red curly leaf lettuce or just with rice, banchan, and kimchi.