Korean Pork Kimchi Stew (Fermented Kimchi & Pork Shoulder)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 37 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
This traditional Korean stew is prepared by simmering aged kimchi and pork shoulder to create a rich and savory broth.
Read more
The marbled fat from the pork shoulder balances the sharp acidity of the fermented kimchi, producing a deep umami flavor. The cooking begins by stir-frying the pork and kimchi for three minutes to mellow the sour notes. Next, chili flakes, minced garlic, and soup soy sauce are incorporated briefly, followed by water and sliced onions. Simmering the stew for fifteen minutes softens the pork and allows the flavors to meld. Adding a small amount of kimchi brine during this process enhances the fermented depth of the broth. The dish is finished by layering thick slices of tofu and chopped green onions on top, simmering until they are heated through. It is served hot, typically alongside a bowl of steamed rice.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut 220 g pork shoulder into bite-size pieces, and cut 250 g aged kimchi into 2 cm strips without shaking off the filling.
Slice the tofu, onion, and green onion so they can go into the pot without delay.
- 2Control
Heat the pot over medium heat, then add the pork and kimchi and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
Move on when the pork surface turns pale and the kimchi looks glossy from the rendered pork fat.
- 3Season
Add 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, then stir-fry for only 30 seconds.
Keep scraping the bottom of the pot so the chili flakes bloom without scorching.
- 4Control
Pour in 800 ml water and add 90 g onion, then bring the pot to a boil over high heat.
Once it bubbles strongly, reduce to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming foam as the pork softens.
- 5Control
Lower the heat if the broth reduces too quickly.
Simmer gently until the sour kimchi seasons the 800 ml water and the pork becomes tender.
- 6Control
Add 180 g tofu sliced about 2 cm thick, then scatter in 1 diagonally sliced green onion.
Simmer 5 more minutes, just until the tofu is hot through and lightly seasoned by the broth.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Aged kimchi and marbled pork shoulder create a rich, acidic broth in pork kimchi jjigae.
- Finish cue
- Simmer gently until the sour kimchi seasons the 800 ml water and the pork becomes tender.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
37min, 9 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 122 recipes
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