Spicy & Hearty Gochujang Stew with Pork (Baek Jong Won’s Recipe)
The Ultimate Korean Comfort Food: Baek Jong Won’s Flavorful Gochujang Stew with Pork Belly
I had some delicious gochujang, so I decided to make this stew, and it turned out incredibly tasty! It’s spicy, rich, and utterly satisfying, perfect for a meal that requires no other side dishes – a true rice thief! I used fermented brown rice gochujang, which added a lovely depth. This stew is so comforting and delicious, it’s a meal in itself. Let me share how you can easily make this amazing Gochujang Stew!
Stew Ingredients
- Pork belly or shoulder for stew, 3 handfuls (approx. 300g)
- 1 medium potato
- 1/2 onion
- 1/3 zucchini or Korean squash
- 1 enoki mushroom
- 1/3 stalk green onion
- 2 Korean green chilies (cheongyang peppers)
- 500ml water
Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 4 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp coarse gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 4 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp coarse gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy)
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare all your vegetables for the stew. Peel the potato and squash, then dice them into bite-sized pieces, slightly smaller than usual. Slice the onion thinly, and cut the green onion and Korean green chilies diagonally. Trim the base of the enoki mushroom and separate the strands. You can use either pork or beef for this stew; stew-cut meat works best. (About 3 handfuls of pork).
Step 2
If you cut the potatoes too large, they will take a long time to cook. To prevent the other vegetables from becoming mushy and losing their flavor as the stew reduces, it’s best to dice the potatoes into about 1.5cm cubes, similar to how you’d chop them for fried rice. This size ensures they cook through evenly, even with a bit less broth.
Step 3
Now, let’s start cooking the stew! Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pot over medium-low heat.
Step 4
Add 4 tablespoons of gochujang to the preheated pot. IMPORTANT: To prevent the gochujang from burning, make sure to use low heat and stir it constantly. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant. This step removes any bitterness from the gochujang and brings out its savory, nutty aroma.
Step 5
Once the gochujang is fragrant, add 1 tablespoon of coarse gochugaru (chili flakes) and sauté briefly with the gochujang. Be careful not to burn the chili flakes. Just about 30 seconds to 1 minute is enough to release their flavor.
Step 6
Now, carefully pour in 500ml of water into the pot with the sautéed gochujang mixture. If there are any clumps of gochujang, make sure to dissolve them completely.
Step 7
Once the water comes to a boil, add the diced potato (1), pork (3 handfuls), minced garlic (2 Tbsp), soup soy sauce (3 Tbsp), and fish sauce (1 Tbsp). Also add the enoki mushrooms and sliced onion. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Step 8
When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the diagonally sliced Korean green chilies and green onions. Sprinkle in a pinch of black pepper. Simmer for another 2 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Your delicious Gochujang Stew is now ready to be enjoyed with a warm bowl of rice!
