Kim Dae-seok's Octopus Sookhoe

Name: Kim Dae-seok's Octopus Sookhoe
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: octopus 1 whole (2kg); green onion 1 stalk; radish 200g; sea salt 1 tablespoon; soju 1/3 cup; sugar 1 large spoon; flour generously 1 tablespoon; sesame oil half large spoon; pepper a pinch

Clean the octopus thoroughly with flour to remove mucus, then gently simmer it in a brine made with radish, soju, and sugar for tender, soft, and chewy texture without toughness.

50 min Difficulty Easy drinking snack

Main ingredients

octopusgreen onionradishsojuflour

Ingredients needed 3 servings

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octopus green onion radish flour

Yoon Yi-ryeon's Low-Water Octopus Sukhoe

Octopus sukhoe that maximizes the octopus's natural juices and tender texture by steaming it with the vapor of soju, vinegar, and maesil syrup using almost no water.

40 minNormaldrinking snack

octopuscoarse saltsojuvinegarmaesil syrup

drinking snacksholiday foodhealth food

Sung Si-kyung's Blanched Octopus with Sweet and Sour Soy Sauce

A refreshing sweet and sour soy sauce dressing, made by briefly simmering mirin and soy sauce, is poured over thinly sliced cucumber, seaweed, and blanched octopus.

10 minVery easydrinking snack

pre-cooked octopuscucumbersoaked seaweedsoy saucemirin

super simplelight appetizerseafood dish

octopus 1 whole (2kg)

green onion 1 stalk

radish 200g

sea salt 1 tablespoon

soju 1/3 cup

sugar 1 large spoon

flour generously 1 tablespoon

sesame oil half large spoon

pepper a pinch

Recipe

Fill a pot with water, add chopped green onion, sliced radish 200g, sea salt 1 tablespoon, soju 1/3 cup, and sugar 1 large spoon. Cover and bring to a boil for 5 minutes to prepare the brine.
Sprinkle 1 large spoon of flour onto the octopus and massage gently on the suction cups, then rinse thoroughly under running water about 3 times to clean off impurities.
Use scissors to split open the head and carefully remove the internal organs and ink sac. (The roe and ink can be saved separately and cooked together if desired.)
Once the water boils, grasp the octopus head and repeatedly dip it into and out of the hot water to shape the legs neatly before fully submerging it into the pot.
Cover the pot and boil over high heat for 10 minutes, then flip the octopus once and reduce heat to medium for another 10 minutes of simmering.
After 20 minutes of thorough cooking, remove the octopus and let it cool completely at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Once fully cooled, cut the octopus in half and slice diagonally and thinly, like a spear, to preserve its chewy texture.
Serve with a sesame oil dressing mixed with salt and pepper, or pair with a tangy gochujang sauce for finishing.

In a pot, add green onion, radish, sea salt, soju, and sugar, and bring the brine to a boil first.
Clean the octopus thoroughly with flour to remove debris, then remove internal organs and prepare the meat.
Boil the octopus for a total of 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, then cool slightly before slicing thinly.

Cooking tips

Avoid adding vinegar when boiling octopus as it may make the skin mushy; use sugar instead for a softer texture and natural flavor.
Never slice octopus while hot—it tends to break apart easily. Always cool it completely or slightly freeze it before slicing for neat, thin cuts.
To prevent skin from peeling off, rub the octopus with flour instead of coarse salt to safely remove mucus and grit without causing damage.

Recommended for

Those who want to enjoy octopus that is neither tough nor rubbery but pleasantly chewy and soft.
People looking to learn how to prepare octopus with beautifully shaped legs for holidays or ancestral rites.