Korean Soy Pickled Burdock

Quick answer

Total time: 32 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Ueong jangajji is a soy-pickled burdock root prepared by soaking cut burdock in vinegar water to prevent browning, blanching to remove any earthiness, then submerging in a brine of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

Kelp, dried red chili, and whole peppercorns boiled into the brine contribute umami depth and a subtle warmth. The root's natural nuttiness and earthy aroma meld with the sweet-salty-tangy brine into a layered, lingering flavor. Its firm, crunchy texture holds up well over days of storage, and reboiling the brine on the third day extends the pickle's shelf life further. Because burdock oxidizes quickly once cut, transferring it to the vinegar soak immediately after slicing is essential for keeping the finished pickle looking clean and bright rather than muddy.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

burdock root400 gg

soy sauce180 mlml

water180 mlml

vinegar120 mlml

sugar90 gg

kelp5 gg

dried red chili2 eaea

whole black pepper2 gg

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Scrape the 400 g burdock root thinly and cut it into 6 cm sticks.

As soon as each piece is cut, move it into vinegar water and soak for 10 minutes to prevent browning.
2

Control

Bring water to a boil, add the burdock, and blanch over medium heat for 3 minutes.

When the earthy smell softens and the surface looks slightly translucent, rinse in cold water and drain well.
3

Season

Add 180 ml soy sauce, 180 ml water, 120 ml vinegar, and 90 g sugar to a pot.

Stir before heating so the sugar dissolves evenly instead of sitting on the bottom.
4

Control

Add 5 g kelp, 2 dried red chilies, and 2 g whole black pepper, then bring the brine to a boil over medium heat.

Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to avoid bitterness.
5

Step

Strain the brine and keep it hot.

Pack the drained burdock upright in a sterilized jar, then pour in the hot brine until every piece is fully submerged.
6

Heat

Let the jar cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 days before serving.

On the third day, pour off only the brine, reboil it, cool it, and return it to extend storage.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Earthy burdock root in ueong jangajji stays bright and crisp after a vinegar soak and soy curing.
Finish cue: When the earthy smell softens and the surface looks slightly translucent, rinse in cold water and drain well.
Avoid this: Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to avoid bitterness.
Storage and reheating: Its firm, crunchy texture holds up well over days of storage, and reboiling the brine on the third day extends the pickle's shelf life further.