Korean Mushroom Jangajji (Shiitake Oyster Soy Pickle)
Quick answer
Beoseot jangajji is a Korean fermented mushroom side dish produced by briefly blanching shiitake and king oyster mushrooms, then submerging them in a soy sauce, vinegar...
What makes this special
- Beoseot jangajji combines the dense chew of shiitake with the springy texture of king oyster.
- Shiitake dense chew and king oyster springiness coexist in one jar
- One-minute blanch removes mushroom moisture so the brine stays concentrated
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Remove the stems from 180 g shiitake mushrooms, then cut the caps into 4 pieces along the grain.
- 2 Bring water to a strong boil over high heat, then add all the mushrooms and blanch for just 1 minute.
- 3 Rinse the blanched mushrooms in cold water to stop the heat, then drain them in a sieve.
Beoseot jangajji is a Korean fermented mushroom side dish produced by briefly blanching shiitake and king oyster mushrooms, then submerging them in a soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar brine that has been brought to a boil and cooled. The shiitake brings a thick, meaty chew that firms further as it absorbs the pickling liquid, while the king oyster stays springy and dense, so a single batch of this jangajji provides two distinct textures from one marinade. Soy sauce supplies a deep umami foundation and vinegar cuts through with its sharp acidity, creating a balance that tastes substantial and complete without any meat or added stock. The ratio of vinegar to soy sauce can be adjusted to preference: more vinegar produces a brighter, more assertive pickle, while reducing it brings out the soy sauce's savory depth. Stored in the refrigerator, beoseot jangajji keeps well for over a week, making it one of the more practical banchan to prepare in advance and draw from throughout the week.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Remove the stems from 180 g shiitake mushrooms, then cut the caps into 4 pieces along the grain.
Slice 220 g king oyster mushrooms lengthwise into 1 cm thick strips so the pieces pickle at a similar rate.
- 2Control
Bring water to a strong boil over high heat, then add all the mushrooms and blanch for just 1 minute.
Drain as soon as the color deepens slightly, because longer cooking can make the mushrooms soft and watery.
- 3Season
Rinse the blanched mushrooms in cold water to stop the heat, then drain them in a sieve.
Press firmly by hand to squeeze out moisture, since excess water will dilute the soy, vinegar, and sugar brine.
- 4Control
Combine 170 ml soy sauce, 220 ml water, 90 ml vinegar, 55 g sugar, 5 sliced garlic cloves, and 1 dried red chili in a pot.
Stir over high heat until the sugar dissolves and the brine reaches a full boil.
- 5Heat
Pack the squeezed mushrooms tightly into a sterilized glass jar, pressing out large gaps.
Pour the boiling brine in right away until the mushrooms are fully submerged, reducing air pockets so the surface does not dry out.
- 6Finish
Set the lid on loosely and let the jar cool at room temperature until the heat is gone.
Seal it once fully cool, refrigerate for 1 day, then serve chilled after the mushrooms have absorbed the seasoning evenly.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
Recipes That Go Well With This
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Korean Braised Shiitake Mushrooms
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Korean Braised Tofu and King Oyster Mushrooms
Saesongi dubu yangnyeom jorim is a braised side dish of firm tofu and king oyster mushrooms cooked down in a sauce of soy sauce, gochujang, and Korean chili flakes until the liquid is nearly gone and every surface is glazed. Pan-searing the tofu first over low heat until golden builds a crust that keeps it intact through braising and gives the seasoning somewhere to grip. Thick-cut king oyster mushrooms stay springy even after the long braise, while onion woven through the pot contributes a sweetness that softens the heat of the gochujang. Sesame oil stirred in at the end draws all the aromatics together into a cohesive finish. The result is a banchan with layers, gochujang spice, deep soy saltiness, and a savory earthiness from the mushrooms, that holds its flavor cold, making it a natural fit for packed lunches.
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Korean Bamboo Shoot Pickle
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Similar recipes
Korean Celery Jangajji (Blanched Soy Lemon Pickle)
Celery jangajji is a Korean soy pickle made by briefly blanching celery stalks to tame their fibrous exterior, then submerging them in a boiled brine of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Peeling away the tough outer strings and cutting into five-centimeter lengths before a thirty-second blanch removes the raw grassy edge while leaving the celery's distinctive cool, herbal scent intact. Lemon slices and whole garlic cloves added to the jar contribute a gentle citrus brightness and mild pungency that build quietly as the pickle rests. After two days in the refrigerator the brine penetrates evenly, producing a crisp, tangy side dish that pairs particularly well with grilled or braised pork. By the fourth or fifth day the flavors deepen further, and even those put off by raw celery's sharpness tend to find the pickled version approachable.
Korean Pepper Leaf Soy Pickle
Gochuip jangajji is a Korean soy pickle made from pepper leaves, a summer byproduct of chili cultivation, washed and submerged in a boiled brine of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Unlike the chili fruit, pepper leaves carry almost no heat. What they bring instead is a grassy, mildly bitter fragrance that blends naturally with the savory and sour notes of the brine. Boiling the pickling liquid first and letting it cool before pouring it over the leaves preserves some of their texture while ensuring even seasoning throughout. Garlic and cheongyang chili contribute a sharp, pungent edge to the liquid, and the thin leaves absorb the brine fully within a single day. Over time, the pickling liquid penetrates deeper and the umami grows more pronounced. Laying one leaf over rice and folding it into a small parcel combines the roles of banchan and ssam in a single, compact bite.
Korean Garlic Scape Soy Pickles
Maneul jong jangajji is a Korean garlic scape pickle made by cutting fresh scapes into 5 cm lengths, packing them into a sterilized jar along with cheongyang chili peppers, and pouring over a freshly boiled brine of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and dried kelp. The scapes' sharp garlic bite melds gradually with the soy's salty, savory depth to produce a flavor that builds with every chew, while the kelp dissolves a subtle seaweed umami into the brine over the course of steeping. The vinegar keeps the salt in check so the overall taste stays clean rather than heavy, and the cheongyang chili adds a slow, lingering warmth at the end of each bite that prevents the pickle from tasting one-dimensional. Reboiling the brine and pouring it back over the scapes after two days is an important step for both preservation and even pickling, and repeating this process once more ensures the scapes absorb flavor uniformly throughout. Handled this way, the finished banchan keeps reliably for over a month in the refrigerator.
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