Homemade Saeujeot (Salted Shrimp): Freshly Made at Home
Homemade Saeujeot (Salted Shrimp): Freshly Made at Home
Making Homemade Salted Shrimp Using Fresh Shrimp
When salted shrimp (saeujeot) is hard to find or too expensive abroad, or even when you want to make it at home for kimchi or other dishes, try making your own with regular shrimp! It’s surprisingly easy and adds wonderful umami to your cooking.
Ingredients- 4 Tbsp fresh or flash-frozen shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 4 Tbsp regular fine salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Using the freshest raw shrimp is ideal, but if unavailable, you can use thawed flash-frozen shrimp. After peeling and deveining the shrimp, lightly rinse them in a weak saltwater solution, drain, and pat them completely dry. This recipe is designed for a small batch, so you can increase the quantities once you’re comfortable with the process.
Step 2
Process the prepared shrimp in a blender or food processor until finely ground, or chop them very finely with a knife. The finer the shrimp are processed, the smoother the texture of your salted shrimp will be.
Step 3
The traditional ratio for saeujeot is 3 parts shrimp to 1 part salt by weight. However, when using regular fine salt, which can be quite salty, a 1:1 ratio by volume using measuring spoons is a good starting point for a pleasant taste. My processed shrimp from 4 shrimp yielded about 4 tablespoons. Now, prepare your container. You can use an earthenware pot, a glass jar, or a stainless steel airtight container. To ensure hygiene, sterilize your chosen container with boiling water or wipe the inside with a cloth soaked in soju. Combine the ground shrimp and half of the total salt (2 tablespoons) in the prepared container and mix well.
Step 4
Spread the shrimp and salt mixture evenly across the bottom of the container.
Step 5
Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt evenly over the shrimp mixture. If you are making a larger batch, you can layer the mixture: spread some of the ground shrimp and salt mixture, then top with salt, and continue layering. Ensure the top layer is generously covered with salt to prevent the shrimp from coming into contact with air and spoiling. (Optional Tip: Traditionally, coarse sea salt is used, which requires a longer fermentation time. You can pour a small amount of soju over the shrimp, just enough to moisten it, to help remove any unwanted odors and create some brine, though this step is optional. Make sure the top is always covered with salt.)
Step 6
Close the lid of the airtight container securely. Let it sit at room temperature for one day, then refrigerate to allow it to ferment and mature.
Step 7
After making your salted shrimp, let it age in the refrigerator for over a month. As time passes and the shrimp ferments sufficiently, becoming soft and breaking down, it will be at its most delicious. You can use it in cooking during the fermentation process as well! The longer it ferments, the deeper and richer the umami flavor will become.
