Korean Braised Mackerel in Spicy Sauce
Quick answer
- Total time
- 40 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 10
About this dish
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.
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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 below. A sauce of gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sugar is spooned over, and the pot simmers covered for twenty minutes. During this time the seasoning penetrates the flesh while the radish absorbs enough sauce to rival the fish itself as the most satisfying component of the dish. Green onion added in the final minutes lifts the heavy spice with a fresh sharpness.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Cut one whole mackerel into 4 steaks, sprinkle coarse salt on both sides, and let stand for 10 minutes to draw out fishy odors.
Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry.
- 2Prep
Slice 200 g of daikon into half-moons about 1 cm thick and arrange them in a single, gapless layer across the pot bottom so the mackerel rests on radish, not bare metal.
- 3Season
Combine 2 tablespoons gochugaru, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger juice, and 200 ml water. Stir until the paste is fully dissolved and the sauce is a smooth, deep-red color.
- 4Season
Set the mackerel steaks skin-side up on the radish bed, then spoon the sauce evenly over each piece, making sure all surfaces are coated.
- 5Control
Cover and bring to a vigorous boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and braise for 20 minutes.
Every 5 minutes, spoon the simmering braising liquid over the fish so the sauce penetrates the flesh and the surface stays glossy.
- 6Finish
Two minutes before the end, scatter diagonally sliced green onion and 2 sliced cheongyang chilies over the fish.
Let the residual heat release their fragrance, then serve immediately while the sauce is still bubbling.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Radish on the pan floor prevents sticking and feeds sweetness into the spicy gochujang-gochugaru braise.
- Finish cue
- Every 5 minutes, spoon the simmering braising liquid over the fish so the sauce penetrates the flesh and the surface stays glossy.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
40min, 10 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 183 recipes
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Tips
Estimated nutrition (per serving)
Variations
Soy-Braised Mackerel
Mackerel simmered in a savory soy-based sauce until the liquid reduces and caramelizes. The rich, oily fish absorbs the bold seasoning beautifully.