Gochujang is a thick, sticky Korean paste of chilli powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder and salt, aged for months. It is sweet, savoury and hot, and seasons much of Korean cooking.
What it is¶
Gochujang is one of the three great jang (fermented pastes and sauces) of Korea, alongside doenjang (soybean paste) and ganjang (soy sauce). It is made from gochugaru (Korean chilli powder), glutinous rice or other starch, powdered meju (fermented soybean bricks), barley malt and salt, mixed into a paste and left to ferment, traditionally for months in earthenware onggi jars. Enzymes from the malt turn the starch to sugar, while the soybean ferment builds deep savoury flavour, so the result is at once sweet, salty, umami-rich and hot.
It is a cooking ingredient first and a condiment second: stirred into stews and marinades, thinned into dipping sauces, and dolloped on to rice dishes.
Origins¶
Chillies reached Korea around the late sixteenth century, probably via Japan, and over the following century displaced older sources of pungency such as black pepper and chopi (a relative of sichuan pepper). Korea already had a long tradition of soybean jang, and gochujang developed by adding chilli to that fermentation. Recipes for it appear in Korean household manuals by the mid-eighteenth century.
Home production in onggi on sunny terraces (jangdokdae) was universal until the late twentieth century; today most gochujang is industrially made, often with wheat and corn syrup or rice syrup in place of some rice. Sunchang county in North Jeolla province is especially associated with traditional gochujang and has a small village of producers.
What goes in it¶
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Gochugaru | Colour, fruity chilli flavour and heat |
| Glutinous (sweet) rice flour | Starch, converted to sugar; gives stickiness |
| Meju powder | Fermented soybean: savoury depth and the ferment's microbes |
| Barley malt powder (yeotgireum) | Enzymes that turn the starch into sugar |
| Salt | Controls fermentation and preserves |
| Rice syrup or sugar (often) | Extra sweetness and gloss |
Commercial gochujang frequently contains wheat, so it is not usually gluten-free; it is typically vegan, but check labels for added fish products in some sauces made from gochujang.
Flavour¶
Deep, rounded and savoury-sweet, with a fruity chilli heat that builds slowly rather than striking. Fermentation gives a faintly funky, soy-like depth and a sticky, glossy texture. Straight from the tub it tastes thick and quite salty; it is almost always diluted or cooked with other ingredients.
How to use it¶
- Bibimbap: a dollop, often mixed with sesame oil, over mixed rice, vegetables and egg.
- Tteokbokki: rice cakes in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce.
- Stews: gochujang jjigae, and with gochugaru in budae jjigae and spicy fish stews.
- Marinades: dak galbi (stir-fried chicken), spicy pork bulgogi (jeyuk bokkeum).
- Dipping sauces: ssamjang (with doenjang, for lettuce wraps) and chogochujang (with vinegar and sugar, for raw fish and vegetables).
- Beyond Korea: glazes for wings and ribs, dressings, mayonnaise.
💡 A quick chogochujang
Mix 3 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and a little grated garlic. It is the classic dip for raw fish, blanched squid and vegetables.
Making it at home¶
About 1.2 kg (a small traditional batch) · 2 hours active; 2–6 months fermenting
You need
- 80 g barley malt powder (yeotgireum)
- 1 litre warm water
- 300 g glutinous rice flour
- 150 g rice syrup (jocheong) or 100 g sugar
- 150 g gochugaru (fine powder for gochujang is best)
- 70 g meju powder (sold as 'meju garu' in Korean shops)
- 100 g coarse sea salt, plus extra to top
Method
- Soak the malt powder in the warm water for 1 hour, rubbing it occasionally, then strain the liquid through a fine cloth and discard the solids.
- Whisk the rice flour into the malt liquid in a large pan. Warm gently to about 60°C (hand-hot) and hold for 1–2 hours, stirring now and then, until the thick mixture turns runny and tastes sweet — the malt enzymes are converting the starch.
- Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring, until reduced by about a third. Stir in the rice syrup and cool completely.
- Stir in the gochugaru, meju powder and salt until smooth. It should be thick and glossy.
- Pack into a sterilised glass or ceramic jar, leaving headroom. Sprinkle a thin layer of salt over the surface and cover with muslin or a loose lid.
- Ferment in a cool, airy place, ideally with some sun, for at least 2 months, stirring monthly. Refrigerate once the flavour has deepened to your liking.
Variations¶
- By heat: Korean commercial gochujang is labelled on a scale from mild to extremely hot.
- By starch: glutinous rice (chapssal gochujang) is the classic; barley (bori gochujang), wheat and even sweet potato versions exist.
- Sunchang gochujang: the regional style most associated with traditional production.
- Yakgochujang: gochujang stir-fried with minced beef, sesame oil and honey, a traditional side dish and bibimbap topping (not vegetarian).
- Gochujang sauces: ready-mixed bibimbap, chogochujang and bulgogi sauces are sold alongside the plain paste.
Buying and storing¶
Unopened, gochujang keeps well beyond its date. Once opened, keep it in the fridge with the lid on; its salt and low moisture mean it lasts many months, gradually darkening and becoming more concentrated. A white or pale bloom on the surface of homemade gochujang can be yeast; mould that is fuzzy or coloured means the batch should be discarded. Homemade fermentation needs the full measure of salt; do not reduce it.