Jangjorim (Soy Sauce Braised Beef, 장조림)
My notes for this recipe
Jangjorim is a Korean side dish made by slowly simmering beef in a savory soy sauce broth. It is usually served in small portions with rice and keeps well in the refrigerator, which makes it especially useful for everyday meals and lunchboxes.
At Korean porridge restaurants, jangjorim is often served finely shredded alongside the porridge. I especially enjoy it this way because the salty, tender beef adds a rich contrast to the mild rice porridge.
A lean beef cut that stays firm during simmering works best. Once the beef is tender, you can leave it in larger pieces, slice it, or shred it by hand before returning it to the seasoned broth.
How I cook it
Prepare the beef and broth
Add 600 ml of water, the Tafelspitz (beef rump cap), radish, apple, and roughly chopped daepa to a pot. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat.
Simmer the beef
Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat slightly and cook the beef for about 25 minutes. The beef should be cooked through and firm enough to slice or shred afterward.
Cut the beef and strain the broth
Remove the Tafelspitz from the pot and let it cool briefly. Cut it into bite-sized pieces or shred it if you prefer. Strain the broth to remove the solids and keep the strained broth for the jangjorim.
Prepare the braising sauce
Mix 100 ml soy sauce, 35 g sugar, 20 g corn syrup, and 40 ml matsul together. Stir until the sugar is well distributed.
Braise the beef
Return the cut beef to the pot. Add the whole garlic cloves, prepared soy sauce mixture, and the optional spicy chili, then combine with the reserved broth. If desired, you can also add boiled eggs, quail eggs, or small mushrooms at this stage.
Simmer and serve
Simmer everything over medium heat for about 7–8 minutes so the beef absorbs the soy sauce and the flavors come together. Remove from the heat and serve with rice.
