K-BBQ Finale Chadol Doenjang Jjigae
차돌 된장찌개·(cha-dol dwen-jang ji-gae)
Friday Night Jjigae: End-of-Week Comfort Stews
At a proper Korean BBQ joint, the meal doesn't end when the meat runs out; it concludes with a bubbling, restorative stew. For years, diaspora home cooks have chased this elusive umami by merely boiling soybean paste in water, finding it entirely too flat. The real trick lies in frying paper-thin brisket to render its fat, roasting the fermented pastes directly in that hot oil, and utilizing starchy rice water to thicken and mellow the broth. It is an uncompromising, deeply comforting slice of heritage that comes together in twenty minutes.
Before you start
Reserve your rice water in advance.
When washing white rice to serve alongside the stew, discard the first wash, then save the milky, starch-rich water from the second or third wash to use as the broth.
Ingredients
- thinly sliced beef brisket4 oz
- starchy rice water2 1/2 cup
- doenjang2 tbsp
- ssamjang1 tbsp
- gochugaru1 tsp
- garlic1 tsp
- yellow onion1/2 small
- starchy potato1/2 small
- Korean grey squash or green zucchini1/3 small
- medium-firm tofu7 oz
- jalapeño or serrano pepper1 med
- scallion1 med
- enoki mushrooms1 oz
Method
- 01
Place a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and sauté the beef brisket for a minute or two until it browns and releases its rich, savory fat.
Do not add any oil; the brisket is fatty enough to provide the necessary rendered liquid gold on its own.
- 02
Push the beef to one side of the pot and add the doenjang, ssamjang, and garlic directly into the pool of hot beef fat.
Fry the pastes continuously for about a minute. This is the secret step that cooks off the raw funk of the fermentation and triggers a massive boost in roasted umami.
- 03
Pour the starchy rice water into the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom, fully dissolving the roasted pastes into the liquid.
Stir in the gochugaru, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the stew to a rolling boil.
- 04
Add the diced potato and onion as soon as the broth boils.
Allow the stew to boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Use a spoon to skim off any excess grey foam that rises to the top to ensure a clean-tasting broth.
- 05
Stir in the zucchini and cubed tofu, lower the heat to a medium simmer, and let it bubble for another 4 to 5 minutes.
Cook until the potatoes are completely fork-tender and the zucchini is soft and semi-translucent.
- 06
Turn off the heat and immediately top the boiling stew with the sliced jalapeño, scallions, and enoki mushrooms.
The residual heat will wilt the mushrooms and release the sharp, fresh oils of the peppers and onions in seconds. Serve immediately, boiling hot, with a fresh bowl of steamed white rice.
Notes
Brisket can be cooked straight from the freezer.
Because chadolbagi is sliced so thinly, there is no need to thaw it. You can pull a handful of frozen brisket directly from the freezer and throw it into the hot pot.
From Cook Korean in America.