Sausage Yachae Bokkeum
소세지 야채볶음·(so-se-ji ya-chae-bo-kkeum)
Halmoni's Dosirak: The Packed School Lunch
The pan hisses, half a yellow onion softens in the rush, and scored mini sausages curl in ketchup and gochujang, delivering the reward of opening your tin lunchbox to find these little red octopus sausages. Sausage Yachae Bokkeum—'sso-ya'—anchors the tin dosirak, an intersection of post-war processed meat and a grandmother quickly pan-frying the sausages while the rice finishes steaming. The magic lies in scoring the meat to catch the sticky glaze, a quick plunge in hot water to strip away the artificial grease, and blooming fresh garlic in oil. Keep a few for eating it straight from the pan with a cold beer. Pack the tin while the glaze is still sticky, snap the lid shut, and go.
Before you start
Score the sausages into octopus shapes.
Using a small knife, make three or four shallow cross-slits vertically down the bottom half of each sausage, stopping about halfway up. These cuts act as flavor traps for the sticky sauce.
Give the sausages a hot water bath.
Place the scored sausages in a colander and pour a kettle of boiling water over them, shaking off the excess. This traditional trick washes away the greasy, artificial oils on the casing and plumps the meat.
Ingredients
- Korean-style mini Vienna sausages8 oz
- yellow onion1/2 med
- green bell pepper1/2 med
- red or yellow bell pepper1/2 med
- garlic cloves5 large
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- ketchup3 tbsp
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- corn syrup or honey1 tbsp
- sugar1/2 tbsp
- white vinegar1/2 tsp
- minced ginger1/4 tsp
- gochujang1/2 tbsp
- toasted sesame seeds1 tsp
- toasted sesame oil1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Mix the golden ratio sauce.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce, corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, ginger, and gochujang if using. Mixing it now ensures the sugars won't scorch in the pan later.
- 02
Build the aromatic garlic oil.
Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat, add the neutral oil and the thickly sliced garlic, and sauté for about one minute until the edges just start to turn golden brown.
- 03
Stir-fry the meat.
Turn the heat up to medium-high, toss in the blanched sausages, and stir-fry for two to three minutes. Watch as the cuts curl outward into tentacles and the meat becomes snappy and lightly browned.
- 04
Add the vegetables.
Toss in the chopped onions and bell peppers, stir-frying for just one to two minutes. Do not overcook them; they must retain a crisp, fresh bite to balance the soft sausages.
- 05
Glaze and finish.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour the sauce mixture over everything, and gently fold until it bubbles and thickens into a shiny, sticky glaze.
- 06
Garnish and serve.
Turn off the heat entirely, drizzle in the toasted sesame oil, toss once more, and sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds before serving with hot steamed rice.
Notes
Sourcing the sausages.
If you can't find Korean-style mini Vienna sausages, standard American cocktail sausages, Lil Smokies, or high-quality hot dogs cut into one-and-a-half-inch pieces work perfectly.
The adult upgrade.
While the pure ketchup version is classic for a kid's lunchbox, adding a half tablespoon of gochujang and a pinch of ginger elevates it to the legendary adult drinking snack served in Korean Hof bars.
From Cook Korean in America.