The Ultimate Home-Style Stew: Baek Jong Won’s Easy and Delicious Potato Stew (Gamja Jjageuli)
Rice Thief Baek Jong Won’s Potato Stew: Simple, Delicious, and a National Favorite
Introducing Baek Jong Won’s Gamja Jjageuli recipe, made with common pantry ingredients for an effortlessly delicious dish that is anything but simple! The savory spam and tender potatoes come together in this irresistible stew, perfect as a side dish for rice or as a flavorful accompaniment to drinks. I’ve slightly adapted the original Baek Jong Won recipe by roughly mashing the spam to retain some texture and chewiness, which makes it even more savory and satisfying. This recipe is already a beloved classic, so if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend using this recipe tonight to create your own delicious Gamja Jjageuli!
Main Ingredients- 2 medium potatoes (approx. 300g)
- 1/2 onion
- 1 stalk green onion
- 2 Korean chili peppers (cheongyang chili peppers)
- 1 can spam (120g)
Seasoning Ingredients- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp soybean paste (doenjang)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper paste (gochujang)
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (ganjang)
- 500ml water (about 2 to 2.5 cups)
- 1 Tbsp tuna extract (optional, for added umami)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp soybean paste (doenjang)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper paste (gochujang)
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (ganjang)
- 500ml water (about 2 to 2.5 cups)
- 1 Tbsp tuna extract (optional, for added umami)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients for the Potato Stew. You can substitute spam with pork or tuna for a delicious variation.
Step 2
Peel the skin off 2 medium potatoes (about 300g) using a peeler and rinse them thoroughly under running water. Cut the potatoes into thick, bite-sized cubes, approximately 2-3 cm in size. Place the prepared potatoes directly into a pot. Baek Jong Won’s Jjageuli is wonderfully easy because you can add ingredients to the pot as you prepare them, without strict order!
Step 3
Slice the green onion diagonally. Dice the onion into pieces similar in size to the potatoes. Slice the Korean chili peppers diagonally for a touch of heat.
Step 4
Before using the spam, it’s a good idea to rinse it under hot water or blanch it briefly. This helps remove impurities and excess oil, resulting in a cleaner, more savory flavor. Once prepared, cut the spam into bite-sized pieces, or for a more textured experience, roughly mash it.
Step 5
Now, add all the prepared ingredients into the pot: potatoes, onion, green onion, chili peppers, and the prepared spam.
Step 6
Once all the main ingredients are in the pot, it’s time to add the seasoning. Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of red pepper paste directly into the pot.
Step 7
Next, add 0.5 tablespoon of soybean paste for a rich, savory depth. While Baek Jong Won’s original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of sugar, I’ve reduced it to 0.5 tablespoon as I prefer less sweetness. Finally, add 2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes for a pleasant spiciness.
Step 8
After adding all the seasoning ingredients, pour in 500ml of water (about 2 to 2.5 cups). While using anchovy or kelp broth will add more depth, plain water works perfectly fine. I tasted the broth and felt it needed a little more savory kick, so I added 1 tablespoon of tuna extract for an extra umami boost. (Tuna extract is optional.)
Step 9
With all ingredients and seasonings in the pot, bring it to a boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the flavors have melded beautifully. The sauce will thicken as it simmers. It’s incredibly simple, yet results in a wonderfully flavorful dish!
Step 10
This finished Gamja Jjageuli is perfect as a hearty meal or a delicious side dish to accompany drinks. Enjoying it with warm rice makes it even more satisfying.
Step 11
Spoon this delicious Potato Stew generously over a bowl of hot rice and mix it well – you’ll find one bowl is never enough! Lately, I’ve been enjoying it so much that my weight has been increasing. It seems that sharing so many delicious recipes on the blog might be leading me to cook and eat too much! I really need to get back on track with my diet. I hope you all enjoy a wonderful mealtime with this tasty Gamja Jjageuli!
