Yeoneojang is a raw salmon dish that’s marinated in a soy sauce based marinade. You’ll love this buttery salmon that’s deliciously savory!
Yeoneojang (연어장) is a raw salmon dish marinated in a mild soy-sauce based marinade. Yeoneo (연어) is the Korean word for salmon, and jang (장) refers to soy sauce in this case. If you enjoy eating raw fish, such as hoe (회) or sashimi, this truly is a recipe salmon lovers will instantly fall in love with.
If eating raw fish is not your cup of tea, check out my salmon bulgogi instead.
Over the last decade or so, salmon has been increasingly available and popular in Korea. The country now is one of the largest buyers of Norwegian salmon in Asia. A few years ago, Korea also became the first country in Asia to successfully produce farmed salmon.
Not surprisingly, yeoneojang has become very popular in recent years because Koreans love soy sauce marinated raw seafood such as gejang (crabs) and saeujang (shrimp).
Salmon is a great source of protein and high in omega-3 fatty acids. As is the case with the consumption of any raw seafood, be sure to use only the high-quality and properly handled fresh salmon. Always eat any raw fish at your own risk.
The marinade
I made the marinade very simple here — soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Sometimes, I throw in a small piece of dasima (dried kelp), peppercorns, and/or some garlic and ginger slices.
For gejang, Korean cooks normally use a wide range of aromatic ingredients for the brine to eliminate the fishy taste of raw crabs. But, I find it not absolutely necessary for salmon. This simple, slightly sweet and savory sauce perfectly complements the rich, flavorful fish!
How to serve yeoneojang
The salmon is ready to be eaten in 4 to 5 hours, but it’ll be better the next day and best to be consumed within 2 days.
You can simply serve it as a side or main dish. However, yeoneojang is commonly served on top of rice as a deopbap (a rice bowl with toppings). Garnish it with thin slices of onion and/or micro greens or baby sprouts, but optional. Spoon some marinade over the salmon and rice. The marinade/sauce is delicious mixed with the rice.
Yeoneojang is also commonly enjoyed with wasabi (Japanese horseradish). Serve it on the side if you like.
This marinated salmon can be a great addition to your poke bowl as well.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh salmon
For the marinade (see note 1):
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup rice wine
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar
For the vegetables:
- 1/2 small onion
- 1 or 2 green and/or red chili peppers
- 1/2 lemon
Optional garnish and condiment for serving:
- Thin slices of onion and lemon
- micro greens/baby sprouts
- wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
Instructions
- Bring all the marinade ingredients to a boil over medium high heat and briefly boil for a minute or two. Cool completely.
- Thinly slice the onion, chili pepper(s), and lemon.
- Cut the salmon fillet into small pieces (about 1/4-inch thick and 2 to 3 inch long).
- Place the salmon in an airtight container. Add the chili pepper, onion and lemon slices. Keep it in the fridge while waiting for the marinade to cool.
- Pour the marinade over the salmon (see note 2). Refrigerate. The salmon is ready to eat after 4 to 5 hours, but it will be better the next day and best to consume it within 2 days.
- How to serve: You can simply serve it as a side or main dish with a bowl of rice. Or, serve it on top of rice as a rice bowl (deopbap). Garnish it with optional thin slices of fresh onion and/or microgreens or baby sprouts. Spoon some marinade over the salmon and rice. Serve wasabi on the side if you like.
Notes
- You can also throw in a small piece of dasima (dried kelp), peppercorns, and/or some garlic and ginger slices if you want. Boil a little longer (5 min) if you're adding these ingredients.
- Depending on the size of the container, you may have a little extra marinade. Keep it in the fridge and use it as a sauce for stir-frying or as a dipping sauce.
