Making Jang (장) for Kimjang (김장)

Want to learn more about making jang for kimjang? The following post is one of a series that seeks to capture aspects of this verbal tradition in English. The following post focuses on the sauce or ‘jang’. The information is for international families who wish to start their own community kimjang or English-speaking Koreans living abroad who may not have access to traditional information.

Let’s dive deep into the information together.

About Jang for Kimjang

Around the world and across South Korea, you will find hundreds of different kimchi recipes with different jang (장) or dadaeki (다대기). Different factors impact how each family or company makes their jang for kimchi including 1) cost of ingredients, 2) family traditions, 3) local cultural traditions, 4) personal preferences, 5) purpose of kimchi, and more. Kimchi also changes with time as society changes and tastes change. As soon as you think you’ve seen all the jang options, you find a new one and learn all over again.

At South of Seoul, we empower our community with the information they need to evolve and change with the times and their personal needs. The English information available online regarding the jang for kimchi often doesn’t include a wider look at the possible jang variations. Therefore, this post takes a deeper dive into information so that we might empower community members to make their own jang in Korea and worldwide.

Of course, the first thing we need to do is talk about what jang for kimchi is since many folks might not know yet.

What is “Jang”

In Korean, jang (장) means sauce. That means that when you hear people talk about “jang” they could be talking about many kinds of sauce. For example, you may have heard of samjang, gochujang, etc. In this article, jang will specifically refer to the daedaeki (sauce made from chili powder) for kimchi. The dadaeki jang acts as the foundation of any “kimjang” event where we make the kimchi for winter.

At kimjang, we don’t just make cabbage kimchi. We may also make fruit kimchi, radish kimchi, etc. We want the jang we use at our personal kimjangs to reflect our home and people. It doesn’t have to match anyone else’s tastebuds but our own. However, the jang does need to follow food science so that fermentation occurs in a safe and delicious way.

Let’s dig into the elements of the jang used for kimjang.

Dadaeki Without a Recipe

The first thing you need to know is that most homes do not use a recipe for their dadaeki jang. We live off of vibes when deciding how much of each item we add. Instead of measuring everything out, we constantly taste the sauce until it meets our personal preferences. Everyone pitches in with their thoughts until the jang feels right. Of course, there are some rough measurements. For example, people may use a 2/1 ration of garlic to ginger. However, some people might not even use ginger, so it’s mostly vibes.

Reasons exist for why the dadaeki jang at kimjang doesn’t follow a recipe. First of all, every year the ingredients impact the taste differently. Maybe you get salt from a different vendor, or the chili paste is spicier this year. It’s important to adjust for these little changes in the moment. Additionally, the amount of jang you make relates to the size of the cabbages or the number of cabbages. It’s nearly impossible to come up with an exact formula that would make a recipe reliable or useful.

Therefore, we recommend taking the time to build a complex understanding of kimchi dadaeki jang. If you can, attend as many different kimjang events as possible while you live in South Korea or watch all the YouTube videos you can find. Also, start making small batches of jang at home and doing mini kimjangs every few months until you develop a sauce profile you really like. It might take a few times before you find the right balance. In short, practice makes perfect.

The Science of Dadaeki Jang

As we mentioned earlier, making jang is a science. The science behind the jang for kimchi involves aspects of biochemistry, microbiology, and food science. Let’s look at some of the core scientific elements that make the magic happen:

Fermentation Process

• Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB): The primary agents in kimchi fermentation are various strains of LAB. These beneficial bacteria convert sugars (from vegetables and added ingredients like sugar or fruits) into lactic acid, which lowers the pH of the kimchi, creating an acidic environment that preserves the vegetables and develops the tangy flavor.
• Anaerobic Environment: Fermentation occurs in the absence of oxygen. When kimchi is tightly packed in jars and the vegetables are submerged in their juices, it creates an anaerobic environment ideal for LAB growth.

Ingredients Interplay

• Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes): Capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers, is known to have antimicrobial properties, which can influence the microbial community in kimchi.
• Garlic and Ginger: These contain natural antimicrobial compounds like allicin in garlic and gingerol in ginger, which can affect the microbial balance, potentially inhibiting unwanted bacteria while allowing LAB to thrive.
• Salt: Salt is crucial in drawing moisture out of the vegetables and inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. It also creates a favorable environment for LAB.

Pro-Tip: You don’t want to use iodized table salt here. You need straight sea salt if at all possible.

Sugar and Sweeteners

• Role in Fermentation: Sugars, whether from added sweeteners like sugar or natural sugars in fruits, serve as a food source for LAB, promoting their growth and the production of lactic acid.
• Balance of Flavors: Sugars also help balance the flavors, countering the saltiness and spiciness.

Pro-Tip: If you cut out all the fruit and sugar it impacts the science. Even if you don’t like sugar, it’s needed here for flavor and food safety.

4. pH and Acidity

• Acidic Environment: As LAB ferments sugars, they produce lactic acid, which lowers the pH of the kimchi. This acidic environment is essential for preserving the kimchi and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.
• Taste Development: The acidity is a key component of kimchi’s signature tangy flavor.

5. Texture Changes

• Enzymatic Activity: Natural enzymes in vegetables and added ingredients, along with enzymes produced by LAB, break down the cellular structures of the vegetables over time, changing their texture.

Pro-Tip: Pay close attention to this because you don’t want to use too much salt or too much jang when making your kimchi or it breaks down too much and gets weird.

Potential Ingredients in Dadaeki

Now that we sort of understand the science, let’s talk about jang ingredients. Remember, jang varies everywhere you go. Women in Korea will argue about the perfect jang if given the chance.

Personally, we have participated in different kimjang and witnessed the differences in jang firsthand. We have seen a range of ingredients go into the jang and how the same family might make it a little different each year depending on what ingredients were on sale or what they plan to use the kimchi for during the year. Each time we see it made, we learn a little more about what’s possible. We also learn how the ingredients change the flavor of the kimchi over time.

To compile the list of potential jang ingredients in this post we searched many different recipes and videos online. Then, we ran the list past women in our community for their approval. So here we go, presenting the common (and some uncommon) foundational ingredients used in jang.

Foundational Ingredients

The following foundational ingredients can be found in most jang:

1. Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes): This is the primary ingredient that gives kimchi its characteristic red color and spicy flavor. The type and quantity of gochugaru can vary depending on desired spiciness and color intensity.
2. Garlic: Essential for its pungent flavor, garlic is a key component in the paste. It’s used generously to enhance the overall taste and aroma.
3. Ginger: Adds a slightly spicy and fresh flavor to the paste. Ginger also has natural preservative qualities which aid in the fermentation process.
4. Sugar or Sweeteners: Sugar, corn syrup, or sometimes Korean pear or apple, is used to balance the flavors with a hint of sweetness. This also helps in the fermentation process.
5. Scallions (Green Onions): Scallions are added for their mild, slightly sweet flavor and crisp texture.
6. Salt: Salt is crucial not only for seasoning but also for its role in the fermentation process. It helps to draw out water from the vegetables and create an environment conducive to the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Seafood or Meat

We said this will be a deep dive into ingredients for kimchi jang and we deliver on that promise. In our kimjang experiences, we have run into some intense jang variations. This lead us to explore what all the seafood and meat options have been used in jang for kimchi. We compiled the following list, please feel free to tell us what we missed.

Seafood Ingredients

In the preparation of jang for kimchi, various seafood and occasionally meat ingredients can be included to enhance the flavor and aid in the fermentation process. Such ingredients contribute to the umami taste and complexity of the kimchi. Here are some common seafood and meat additions:

• Jeotgal (Salted Seafood):
  • Saewoo Jeot (Salted Shrimp): A popular choice, it adds a distinct seafood flavor and saltiness.
  • Myeolchi Jeot (Anchovy Sauce): Made from fermented anchovies, it provides a deep umami flavor.
  • Kkanari Jeot (Sand Lance Sauce): Another fermented fish sauce that offers a unique taste.
  • Ojingeo Jeot (Squid Jeotgal): Fermented squid adds a different level of flavor and texture.
• Fresh Seafood:
  • Fresh Shrimp: Can be used for a sweeter, more delicate seafood taste.
  • Raw Oysters: Sometimes added to kimchi, particularly in winter, for a briny, oceanic flavor. We LOVE kimchi made with raw oysters. The first kimjang we ever attended used raw oysters and we fell in love immediately. Also, Busan has some amazing raw oyster kimchi.
• Fish Sauce: A staple in many Asian cuisines, fish sauce is commonly used for its savory depth. We learned kimchi from our “older sister” who is from Jeju. She loves fish sauce in all her kimchi so now we do as well. She likes to use chamchi (tuna) fish sauce or even Thai fish sauce.

Meat Ingredients

While far from the norm, some variations of kimchi might include meat for added flavor. The only reason I learned about this was through conversations with people in my area. They told me that some people in Pyeongtaek (평택) traditionally use raw beef in their kimchi. This completely caught me off guard and I can’t recommend it because I haven’t seen how it works. However, I feel it’s important to document the use of meats in jang for kimchi in case you come across it unexpectedly.

The following meats have been used in jang for kimchi but not often:

• Pork: In some regional varieties, small amounts of pork might be added for richness.
• Beef: Occasionally used in certain traditional recipes, beef adds a hearty element to the kimchi.

Dietary Substitutions and Considerations:

Of course, some folks don’t or can’t eat seafood or meat. If this is your situation, you have some other options:

• Kelp powder (Vegetarian or Vegan Variant): For those who prefer not to use animal products, there are vegan alternatives such as kelp powder which provides the umami (savory) flavor that usually comes from seafood or meat.
• Soy Sauce: If you don’t want any seafood flavor at all, you can opt for soy sauce to provide the umami (savory) flavors that add depth to your jang.
• Health and Dietary Restrictions: The use of seafood and meat should be considered based on dietary needs and restrictions, like allergies or vegetarian diets.

Optional Ingredients:

We have often seen the following items used in different sauces as well. These tend to be included if the prices aren’t too high:

• Asian Pear or Apple: Used for natural sweetness and to aid in fermentation. We prefer sauces that use more fruit for sweetness. However, fruit tends to be very expensive in Korea so this isn’t always possible.
• Green Onion/ Spring Onion: Adds additional depth and sweetness to the paste.
• Toasted Sesame Seeds: We consider these necessary.
• Daikon Radish: Sometimes grated into the paste for extra texture and flavor.
• Radish Greens: You cah finely chop up the leafy tops of the radish and add it to your jang for an earthier flavor. If you do this, consider adding kimchi pul (we talk about this later). We add these because that’s how we learned it and we like the depth of flavor.

The optional ingredients get blended into a paste and mixed with the main vegetable ingredients. Once again, the precise recipe and proportions can vary greatly depending on regional preferences, family recipes, and personal taste. Such diversity in recipes is part of what makes Kimjang and kimchi in general such a rich and varied tradition.

Processing the Vegetables and Greens

We use a food processor for everything. Depending on what you plan to use your kimchi for later, you may prepare your ingredients differently. For example, at our house we prefer to put everything into the food processor. Using the food processor means that we can more easily use the aged kimchi for making jjigaes. Since we primarily do our own kimjang for this purpose, we choose not to have chunks of radish we need to remove later.

Therefore, the first step to getting the sauce started is getting your veggies chopped or processed. Once again, how you chop or process your veggies is something you decide. In the photo below you see the processed radish, ginger, and garlic that we will mix in our jang. Additionally, we used radish greens and green onion.

Some people chop their radish and pears into thin strips which make the jang more attractive. Additionally, it can be delicious if you are primarily using the kimchi as a side dish.

Kimchi Pul (풀)

Some jangs also include pul (풀) which means glue, paste, or grass in Korean. The kimchi pul is a flour and water mixture that helps to mellow the kimchi. SEOYOUNG JUNG from but bburi kichen says that the pul “counteract grassy flavors in the greens, and also provide food for the lactobacillus (speeding up fermentation in seasonal, quickly-consumed kimchi).” we have heard that pul is commonly added to jang made in the Southern parts of Korea. Since we learned about our jang from our older-sister who grew up in Jeju, it’s something we use in our kimchi dadaeki.

How to Make Kimchi Pul (풀)

It’s hard to find clear documentation of kimchi pul on Google. So let’s quickly talk about how you make pul. Put on a pot of water to boil. Then, mix a few scoops of flour into a separate bowl of cold water. Mix the flour and water thoroughly to avoid lumps. Then dump the flour mixture into the boiling pot of water. Stir regularly until the pot sort of boils up to the top and the liquid thickens a little – kind of like making watery gravy.

@socialdropoutvibes

We will come back to Step 3. Needed to maje this video for a blog 🤣 I use TikTok all wrong.

♬ Cooking Time – Andy Ms

Types of Flours in Kimchi Pul (풀)

1. Rice Flour: A common thickener, rice flour helps to create a sticky consistency that coats the vegetables evenly. It also serves as a food source for the fermenting bacteria, promoting a healthy fermentation process.
2. Wheat Flour: Some recipes use wheat flour as an alternative to rice flour. It has similar thickening properties and contributes to the fermentation process, though it might slightly alter the flavor profile compared to rice flour.
3. Sweet Rice Flour (Glutinous Rice Flour): For a slightly sweeter and stickier paste, sweet rice flour is used. It’s particularly effective in creating a glossier appearance and a slightly sweeter taste.

Reasons to Include or Exclude Flour

1. Including Flour:
   • Improved Texture: Flour helps in achieving a thicker, more consistent paste that adheres better to the vegetables.
   • Enhanced Fermentation: Flour acts as a food source for beneficial bacteria, aiding in a more controlled fermentation process.
   • Flavor Development: It can impact the flavor profile subtly, contributing to the overall complexity of the kimchi.
2. Excluding Flour:
   • Dietary Restrictions: For those avoiding gluten or grains, omitting flour is essential.
   • Texture Preference: Some might prefer a less viscous sauce, leading to a different texture in the kimchi.
   • Simplicity and Authenticity: Traditionalists might opt for a more straightforward recipe, focusing on primary ingredients like gochugaru, garlic, and fish sauce.

Deciding to Use Pul

Whether or not to include ‘pul’ in the dadaeki for Kimjang is a matter of personal preference and dietary needs. Each type of flour ‘pul’ brings a unique quality to the paste, influencing the texture, fermentation process, and flavor of the kimchi. The versatility of kimchi preparation allows for a wide range of experimentation, enabling individuals to tailor the recipe to their specific tastes and requirements.

Jang Yooksu (육수)

To add a strong umami flavor, add a yooksu to the jang. To make the yooksu you boil a pot of water with dried shrimp and dried fish (typically anchovies) until you like the flavor and the vibes. We can’t tell you any exact measurements of this. Just do your best. You want a light soup flavor to the broth which might be hard to envision if you don’t make a lot of soup. This is why attending kimjang really helps get you started on the right path.

Also, not everyone uses yooksu in their jang for kimchi. However, it does add that extra something to the kimchi for making jjigae later. We would recommend giving it a try at least once. The following video gives you an idea of what you want to the broth to look like.

@socialdropoutvibes

Making the most delicious jang for kimchi takes a few steps. At our house, we use a savory guksu. We do this because our older-sister Sue is in charge. 🥰 This year she let us document all the steps so we can help more folks learn the process of kimjang. The process is out of order on my TikTik feed, but it will all make sense in the blog post 🤣

♬ original sound – 라네-네

Also, when you add the yooksu to the jang you need to pour it through a strainer so to take out the dried fish and shrimp. Those don’t go into the jang.

Putting the Jang Together

Now that we understand the foundational aspects of jang, let’s put it all together. You will make a big spicy sauce you can use make many kinds of kimchi. We’ve used TikTok to show the different parts.

@socialdropoutvibes

Assembling the jang for kimjang! We add all the parts onto a big bowl or bucket and stir! This is why kimjang kimchi tastes best.

♬ One of a Kind (热播版） (Cover G-DRAGON (权志龙)) – 田浩宇

Tell Us What We Missed

Keep in mind that this blog does not constitute the entirety of knowledge regarding dadaeki for kimjang. This is not our attempt to be experts in the field of kimjang sauce. Instead, this is a living document that changes as we learn more from our community each year. We rely on our community to fill in the blanks so that an increasing amount of detailed information gets documented in English.

This means we want you to tell us what else needs to be added. What details have you learned that need to be documented here? Send us an email at blog (at) southofseoul.net, message us on Facebook, or leave a comment on this post. We want our kimjang information to continually grow and expand.

Culture Note

In this post, I talk about how “we” make our jang although I was not born in Korea nor am I of Korean heritage. This may feel uncomfortable for those who don’t live within Korean culture. In my home, we have a mixed group of people. We have all lived in Korea for over 13 years or ARE Korean. Kimjang exists as an integral part of our lives. It’s not something “they” do. It’s something that “we” do together in our home. In Korea, we exist as “we” within our communities, and talking about kimjang in terms of “them” and “me” feels uncomfortable and disrespectful. It’s not cultural appropriation, it’s our lived experience within a community.

Additionally, I refer to our “older sister” whom we have no blood relation to. In Korea, this is how we refer to people we feel close to. It’s important for me to honor my community relationships. It’s difficult to do in English. It feels uncomfortable for me to refer to her as a friend or neighbor because that doesn’t explain the context of our relationship correctly. Within the context of the culture that I live in here in South Korea, she is our older sister.