Premium Homemade Maesil (Plum) Extract
DIY Guide to Making Delicious and Healthy Maesil Extract
This year, the maesil (Korean green plum) harvest is bountiful once again! My family runs a traditional maesil farm in Pohang, ensuring that we use only the most reliable, home-grown plums. This year, we’re offering these exceptional plums to our neighbors at a very reasonable price. While these heirloom plums are smaller than those typically found in markets, they are pure, traditional varieties known for their sweetness and ability to yield abundant extract. My family sent me 10kg of these wonderful plums, so I’m excited to share my detailed method for making maesil extract right at home. It’s a perfect way to enjoy a refreshing and healthy treat during the hot summer months!
Ingredients- 10 kg ripe, heirloom maesil (Korean green plums)
Seasoning- 10 kg brown sugar or white sugar (equal weight to the plums)
- 10 kg brown sugar or white sugar (equal weight to the plums)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by thoroughly cleaning the fresh maesil. Place the plums in a large basin or a thoroughly sanitized sink and rinse them gently 2-3 times under running water. While washing, carefully pick out any bruised, damaged, or imperfect plums to ensure you’re using only the freshest ones. It’s crucial to remove the small stems from each plum, as they can impart a bitter taste. This meticulous step is key to achieving a clean and pleasant flavor in your maesil extract.
Step 2
Drying the maesil completely is essential to prevent spoilage. Spread the washed plums on a clean colander and let them air dry in a well-ventilated area until all moisture has evaporated. For an extra touch of care, you can also pat each plum dry with a clean cotton cloth or paper towels, though this requires more effort. Skipping this drying step can lead to the mixture bubbling excessively and potentially spoiling during the fermentation process. Ensure the plums are bone dry before proceeding.
Step 3
Prepare your fermentation vessel, such as an earthenware pot (onggi) or a glass jar. Ensure it has been sterilized by boiling or thoroughly washed and completely dried. You’ll be layering the maesil and sugar in a 1:1 ratio by weight. Brown sugar will lend a deeper, richer flavor, while white sugar will result in a cleaner taste. Begin by placing a layer of plums at the bottom of the container, followed by a layer of sugar. Continue alternating layers of plums and sugar. Crucially, do not fill the container more than two-thirds full. Leave about one-third of the space at the top empty to accommodate expansion during fermentation and prevent overflow.
Step 4
Properly sealing the container is important for controlled fermentation. Instead of a tight lid, cover the opening with breathable material like traditional Korean hanji paper or a clean piece of cloth. Secure this covering firmly with a rubber band to prevent it from shifting. This allows gases produced during fermentation to escape naturally while keeping contaminants out, promoting a clean fermentation process.
Step 5
Witness the magic of fermentation begin! After about 5 to 7 days, you’ll start to see the sugar dissolving and the maesil extract beginning to seep out. Around the 10-day mark, carefully reach into the pot or jar with clean hands or a spoon and gently scoop up the sugar that has settled at the bottom. Stir this sugar into the plums to help it dissolve further and ensure even extraction. This mixing process is vital for consistent flavor development.
Step 6
To perfect the flavor of your maesil extract, regular stirring is key. After the initial sugar dissolving stage (around day 10), you’ll want to stir the mixture again approximately 20 days later. Perform a second stir about another 20 days after that (around day 40 from the start). This process of stirring the mixture twice more, with 20-day intervals, ensures that the sugar is completely dissolved and the flavors are fully integrated, resulting in a successful batch of delicious maesil extract. Make sure no sugar lumps remain.
Step 7
The final step is maturation. Keep the container covered and store it in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place for about 2 months. After the 2-month aging period, strain the plums from the liquid using a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer the clear, amber-colored maesil extract into a clean bottle or jar. Store it in a cool place or refrigerate. Enjoy your homemade maesil extract by diluting it with water for a refreshing drink, mixing it into a warm tea, or using it as a flavorful, natural sweetener and condiment in your cooking.
