Author's note: Article updated 1.10.21 Show
If you're mad for molluscs have you learnt how to cook abalone yet? The curious looking, yet delicious shellfish that's prized around the world for its sweet and salty notes with a whack of umami. Abalone can be eaten both raw and cooked and makes an excellent addition to any sophisticated menu for seafood lovers. Here's a closer look at the must try mollusc, including how to cook abalone. What is an Abalone?Abalones are a gastropod mollusc belonging to the Haliotidae family, which means they are related to whelks and sea slugs, and there are a huge 130 varieties worldwide. Unlike mussels, and other bi-valves like oysters encased in two shells, abalone are univalves, and as such have just one protective shell (with a stunning mother of pearl like interior), with one suction side exposed, which is how they attach themselves to rocks. Hugely popular in the US in the 20th century, to their detriment, sourcing abalone sustainably remains a challenge. However, they're slowly making a comeback and attracting chef interest not only for their delicate flavour, but also for their capacity to be sustainably farmed. Case in point being Chef Tim Butler of Eat Me and Esenzi in Thailand who has found himself gravitating towards abalone as his new favourite ingredient: "It’s a great product because not only is it diverse, but it’s also very sustainable being raised in farms with very low impact on the environment," like Monterrey Bay Abalone in California. How to Clean Abalone?Cleaning abalone means removing the meat from the shell, as well as tenderising the meat. See how below: How to Cook Abalone?Abalone can be found on some of the menus of the best restaurants around the world, including Dan Hunter's Brae restaurant in Australia where he serves black lipped abalone in a clear stock with calamari, broccoli and blue mackerel, while Italian chef Umberto Bombana has served carpaccio of New Zealand red abalone, confit for almost two days and very thinly sliced and Korean chef Jungsik Yim, included braised abalone with seaweed-anchovy dressing on his tasting menu at an event in Singapore recently. Abalone RecipesThe easiest method way to cook abalone is to fry them with a little butter for two minutes on each side, or the traditional California method of shucking and breading them then pounding, slicing, sautéeing and finishing with a final squeeze of lemon. Check out the Monterey Abalone Company for a variety of more robust recipes, from abalone chowder to abalone hamburgers. Or try chef inspired dishes at abalonbygma, which includes this recipe for brined abalone with vegetables verduras and black citrus cream and yuzu (pictured below) from chef Alberto Moreno. Follow Fine Dining Lovers on Facebook Pan-fried Abalone recipe with sweet soy glaze is my simplified take on the classic Korean dish Jeonbokcho that came from the royal cuisine. Tender but slightly chewy, flavorful sauce but not overpowering the delicate flavors of the abalone, this truly is a luxurious appetizer dish fit for special celebrations, holidays or your most honored guests. Abalone or Jeonbok (전복) is something that I always try to have when I go back to Korea because the Korean one is somehow different from those that you get in the US. Not to mention, buying fresh American abalone in the US is almost impossible. I can’t say I’ve had Abalone in the US that many times but every time I order it from a restaurant, I find that it has little flavor and is just too soft for my taste. I like them chewy. I have seen live, imported Korean Jeonbok at Korean markets but they are usually so expensive I never bought them. And thus, I never tried to even cook with them here in the US. This was my first attempt at making something different than Jeonbok juk and Heo and it turned out so well, I decided I had to share the recipe! FYI, WooltariUSA recenlty sent me some frozen Korean abalone from Wando 완도 – an island in Korea famous for their jeonbok – for me to try. Thank you Wooltari! BTW, wooltariUSA is an online Korean store that sells many premium Korean goods directly imported from Korea. (I recently did a giveaway on my IG – of Korean grown Gochugaru, Sesame Oil and Gochujang). But before we go on, some quick basic info about this lovely yummy seafood. What is Abalone?They are actually not a shellfish but are very large marine snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae. It also goes by ear shells, sea ears, and muttonfish or muttonshells in Australia, ormer in the UK, perlemoen in South Africa, and paua in New Zealand. (source Wikipedia) There are over 50 species worldwide and is considered a delicacy in many cultures. How do you eat Abalone?My favorite way to eat abalone is to eat them sashimi style as Jeonbok Hoe 전복회 with a little Cho Gochujang sauce. But do this only if the it is still alive when you get it. How to cook themIf it’s been frozen or is dead then it is best to cook them. You can steam, grill or pan-fry them like I’m doing here. You can also make Jeonbok Juk (porridge) with it which is my 2nd favorite way to enjoy this fabulous seafood. I hope to share a recipe soon. What does it taste like?As it is a type of a snail, abalone has a wonderfully silky texture but slightly chewy texture as an escargot but can become quite tough if cooked incorrectly. When eaten raw, it has a crunchy texture in the center which makes it extra fun to eat. Flavor-wise, it is quite mild, subtly sweet, buttery and has a very mild fresh ocean flavor, not at all fishy – basically somewhat similar to scallops. Types of Korean abaloneThere are mostly 6 different kinds of this wonderful seafood in Korea. But the most common and popular ones are 참전복 Cham Jeonbok (Haliotis discus hannai), 까막전복 Kkamak Jeonbok (Haliotis discus), 말전복 Mal Jeonbok (H. gigantea) and 왕전복 Wang Jeonbok (H.madaka). The one I have is Cham Jeonbok. Mother of Pearl? Mother of JinJoo? 😝The shells are also highly valued as it’s used in making mother of pearl jewelry (nacre). Called Jagae 자개 Lacquerware in Korean. Koreans have used these to decorate wood furniture and other products as an inlay for thousands of years. History records Nacre-inlaid lacquerware peaked during the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) and has since been a big part of Korean culture. I remember when I was little, almost every home had some piece of Jagae whether it was on a table, dresser, jewelry box or even as a faux Jagae table with foldable metal legs. This reminds me of something.. about my name. Because JinJoo 眞珠 means pearl in Korean and my mom told me that when I was born and my grandpa saw me, he decided to name me JinJoo because my face was as round as a pearl.. hahaha..Well, I actually hated this story growing up because I was so self-conscious of my big round face. But I always did love the name. Made me feel special and like a treasure. ❤️ I still don’t like my big round face but nothing much I can do about that..😝 Let’s get cooking, shall we? TIP FROM JINJOO!Chef’s Tips
Where can I get Korean Abalone?You can buy fresh live ones from Korean grocery stores sometimes or other Asian stores. I know that Koreans, Japanese and Chinese all love abalone so try those ethnic stores (I’m sure other cultures eat them too, I just know these definitely do). In the US, you can also buy frozen Korean abalone (flash frozen and directly flown in) online at wooltariusa website. FYI – I’m not an affiliate nor is this a sponsored post but I’m just sharing the info because this abalone was really fresh and of great quality! Serving Suggestions
About sparkling wines
Step-by-Step Instructions
And there you go! I hope you enjoy this luxurious appetizer as much as we did. My husband was soo happy with this recipe that he asked me to take this picture (don’t ask me why he is looking away.. he had a reason but I forgot) of him to share on FB – also to show how much he has to suffer.. lol.. by having to wait sooo long until I was done with taking photos and videos..hahaha. I do appreciate his patience though. ❤️Bon Appetit! Watch Video to see how I clean, score and pan-fry to make the perfect abalone recipe! Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes serves: 6 pieces
sauce
Pre-cook Abalone
Make Sauce
Calories: 51kcal (3%)| Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)| Protein: 1g (2%)| Fat: 3g (5%)| Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)| Sodium: 192mg (8%)| Potassium: 31mg (1%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 5g (6%)| Calcium: 4mg| Iron: 1mg (6%) Course:Appetizer Cuisine:Korean Keyword:abalone KoreanCategory:Gui (구이) How do you soften abalone?Pound Each Abalone Slice Until Tender
Some people use a meat tenderizer but you may have success gently tapping all over the abalone slice with the back of a large spoon—this method tenderizes the flesh without tearing it. Pound the slice until tender, checking the abalone's texture every once in a while.
Do you need to Tenderise abalone?Whether it's wild or farmed, abalone needs to be cleaned and tenderized before cooking.
How do you tenderize canned abalone?Put abalone and salt in a pot filled with water. Simmer for about an hour for the abalone to be tender. Grind the abalone using food chopper and put it back to the cooking water.
Why is abalone so tough?The sample from wild abalone was found by the sensory panel to be the most chewy, firm and springy. The size of the collagen-rich areas was linked to the texture perception, with the toughest pieces of meat displaying the largest collagen-rich areas.
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