Korean Braised Mackerel with Potatoes
Godeungeo gamja jorim is a quintessential Korean home-cooked dish of mackerel and potato braised in a soy sauce and gochugaru seasoning. The oily mackerel fillets release their rich flavor into the sauce, while the potato chunks soak up the spicy, savory liquid as they cook to a fluffy consistency. Onion and green onion contribute natural sweetness and aroma that balance the bold seasoning. This is one of Korea's most beloved fish dishes, often served family-style with the braising sauce spooned generously over rice.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Cut the mackerel into portions and pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
Slice potatoes into 2 cm pieces and thickly slice the onion.
- 3
Layer potatoes and onion in a pot, then place mackerel on top.
- 4
Mix soy sauce, chili flakes, garlic, sugar, and water, then pour in and bring to a boil.
- 5
Reduce to medium heat and braise for 20 minutes, spooning sauce over fish midway.
- 6
Add green onion and braise 5 more minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced.
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Tips
Nutrition (per serving)
More Recipes

Korean Braised Mackerel with Dried Radish Greens
Siraegi godeungeo jorim is a Korean braised mackerel dish cooked with blanched dried radish greens, radish, and onion in a chili-soy sauce. The richness of mackerel fat and the earthy fiber of the dried greens meet in a single pot, each amplifying the other's flavor. Mackerel pre-seasoned with cooking wine is placed on top of the vegetables and braised over medium-low heat for more than twenty minutes, allowing the seasoning to penetrate the fish. Thorough boiling of the greens beforehand is essential to soften their tough fibers, and serving the finished dish over rice with generous spoonfuls of the spicy sauce captures its full depth.

Korean Braised Potatoes with Shishito Peppers
Kkwari-gamja-jorim is a Korean side dish of potatoes and shishito peppers braised in soy sauce with oligosaccharide syrup and minced garlic. The potato pieces absorb the sweet-salty glaze and turn fluffy inside with a lightly sticky exterior, while the shishito peppers wrinkle slightly but keep their snap. A drizzle of sesame oil at the end brings a nutty aroma, and scattered sesame seeds add visual contrast. The heat level stays mild enough for children, and this banchan holds up well at room temperature, making it a practical addition to packed lunches.

Korean Braised Mackerel with Aged Kimchi
Godeungeo kimchi jjim is mackerel braised with well-fermented aged kimchi in a soy sauce and gochugaru broth. The deep sourness of the aged kimchi cuts through the rich, oily mackerel flesh, creating a concentrated savory flavor without heaviness. Onion adds a gentle sweetness while a small amount of sugar balances the fermented tang. The sauce reduces to a thin, intensely flavored glaze that is meant to be spooned over steamed rice, making this one of the most satisfying ways to pair fermented ingredients with fish.

Korean Braised Dried Pollock and Potatoes
Hwangtae gamja jorim is a Korean braised dish of dried pollock strips and potato in a soy sauce seasoning with gochugaru and oligosaccharide syrup. The potatoes are cooked first until partially tender, then the briefly soaked pollock strips and onion are added to braise together. The pollock absorbs the seasoned broth and turns pleasantly chewy, while the potatoes become starchy and fluffy. Sesame oil added at the end ties the flavors together with a nutty fragrance. Keeping the pollock soak time very short is the key to maintaining its signature texture.

Korean Braised Beltfish with Potatoes
Galchi-gamja-jorim is a Korean braise of beltfish chunks and potatoes in a soy-based sauce. The beltfish has naturally oily, flaky flesh that enriches the braising liquid with deep seafood umami. The potatoes soak up this concentrated liquid, becoming fluffy and well-seasoned throughout. Onions dissolve into the sauce as it reduces, adding background sweetness. It is best served when the sauce has thickened to a glossy consistency alongside steamed rice.

Korean Braised Mackerel in Spicy Sauce
Godeungeo-jorim is one of the most frequently cooked fish banchan in Korean homes, pairing mackerel's assertive flavor with a spicy braising sauce that demands steamed rice. Mackerel is cut into steaks and salted for ten minutes to draw out fishy odors, then arranged over thick radish slices that line the pot bottom. The radish serves dual duty: preventing the fish from sticking and releasing its natural sweetness into the braising liquid. A sauce of gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sugar is spooned over and the pot simmers covered for twenty minutes, during which the seasoning penetrates the flesh while the radish absorbs enough sauce to rival the fish itself. Green onion added in the final minutes lifts the heavy spice with a fresh sharpness.