Baek Jong-won’s Meat and Chives Jang (Ssamjang)
Baekpacker 2’s Recipe: Baek Jong-won’s Meat and Chives Jang, Grilled Gim & Gim Ganjang Sauce
My partner can finish a whole bowl of rice with just grilled seaweed (gim) and a ssamjang variety like one with clams or meat, without needing other side dishes. So, I noted down Baek Jong-won’s method for making Meat and Chives Jang from the Baekpacker 2 broadcast and finally made it. This flavorful meat and chives ssamjang, paired with crispy grilled gim, especially the rich 곱창김 (gopchang-gim), makes for a satisfying meal. It’s a true rice thief!
Main Ingredients- 75g ground pork
- 50g chives
- 35g onion
- 15g green onion (scallion)
- 1 Korean green chili pepper (approx. 12g)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 75g of ground pork. Wash the chives and onion thoroughly, then finely chop them. You can also thinly slice the onion if you prefer.
Step 2
Finely chop the Korean green chili pepper and green onions. If you enjoy more spice, feel free to add an extra chili pepper. If green onions aren’t available, you can substitute with finely chopped white parts of a regular leek. Have 0.5 Tbsp of minced garlic ready.
Step 3
In a frying pan, add the ground pork and 2 Tbsp of cooking oil. Start stir-frying over medium heat.
Step 4
Once the pork is partially cooked, add 1 Tbsp of cooking wine (Mirin) to help eliminate any gamey odors.
Step 5
Next, add 1 Tbsp of dark soy sauce (No-dou yu) for added depth of flavor. If you don’t have dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce can be used as a substitute, though the flavor profile might differ slightly.
Step 6
Add 1.3 Tbsp of sugar. It’s best to start with this amount and adjust the sweetness to your preference at the end, rather than adding too much initially. If you have a sweet tooth, you can increase it to 1.5 Tbsp.
Step 7
Incorporate 0.5 Tbsp of soy sauce for soup (Guk-ganjang) to harmonize the flavors.
Step 8
Add the minced garlic and continue stir-frying over medium heat until all the seasonings and the pork are well combined.
Step 9
Cook until the pork is fully done and the sauce has reduced to a glaze-like consistency. Chef Baek Jong-won mentioned in the broadcast that he transferred the cooked pork to a separate bowl to cool before mixing it with other ingredients, and he stopped using the stove at that point. However, you can continue to reduce the sauce in the pan.
Step 10
Once the pork mixture is reduced, add all the prepared chives, onion, green onions, and Korean green chili pepper. In Chef Baek’s original recipe, he added the onions later to prevent excessive saltiness, but adding them all together at this stage is also delicious. Mix all the vegetables in at once.
Step 11
Add 4 Tbsp of regular soy sauce (Jin-ganjang) to enhance the umami and season the mixture overall. Chef Baek Jong-won added the regular soy sauce before the vegetables; you can adjust the order to your convenience.
Step 12
Drizzle in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil to add a fragrant aroma.
Step 13
Add 1 Tbsp of ground sesame seeds for an extra nutty flavor.
Step 14
Finally, add 0.5 Tbsp of red pepper flakes (Gochugaru) and stir everything together. Using fine red pepper flakes will also give a more vibrant color.
Step 15
After mixing all the ingredients, taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. If you plan to eat this generously with gim, it’s best to make it less salty. Add more regular soy sauce or sugar if needed to achieve your desired taste.
Step 16
Transfer the finished Meat and Chives Jang to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish. It looks appetizing already!
Step 17
To prepare the accompanying Gopchang-gim (a type of seaweed), heat a dry pan over medium heat. Roasting the gim on a dry pan without oil enhances its crispiness and nutty flavor.
Step 18
Once the pan is hot, place the gim on it. Roast one side until slightly crisp, then flip and roast the other side. Repeat this process for the remaining sections, ensuring both sides are lightly browned. Keep the heat at medium and work quickly to prevent burning the gim.
Step 19
Cut the roasted gim into bite-sized pieces with scissors. Serve it alongside the generously prepared Meat and Chives Jang. This combination creates a satisfying and delicious meal without the need for many other side dishes. Enjoy!
