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“Making Korean fermented soy sauce 조선간장 and doenjang 된장”

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started 2 years ago by powerplantop

latest reply from powerplantop

powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
- Yorizzang
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First make salt brine. I used 13 cups of water to 2 cups of course sea salt. You want your room temp water to be saturated with salt (no need to heat the water). It should float a raw egg.

This time I used commercial a meju 메주 someday I will make my own but that is a lot of work.

To speed up the process we broke it into smaller pieces then added it to the brine. I am a using a kimchi jar and the big block would not fit. If this works in the fall I will make a big batch in crock.

Next I heated up a piece of hardwood charcoal until it was just getting red on all sides and added it. I also added some jujube dates and sesame seeds. I need to add some dried chili peppers but did not have any at the time.

Then I covered it with plastic wrap loosely put on the lid and sit it where it could get sun.
Attachments
1. Next_day.jpg (835 KB, 283 downloads) 2 years old
2. Ready_to_Ferment.jpg (841.5 KB, 222 downloads) 2 years old
3. Heating_the_carcoal.jpg (564.8 KB, 201 downloads) 2 years old
4. Block_Ready_to_go_in.jpg (575.1 KB, 188 downloads) 2 years old
5. Block.jpg (702.5 KB, 196 downloads) 2 years old
6. Egg_in_Brine.jpg (528.2 KB, 202 downloads) 2 years old
- Posted 2 years ago
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JamieF New Zealand My profile page I'm a fan!!
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Wow! What an amazing post! I am incredibly impressed that you are doing this all yourself - it is my dream to do the same but I am having difficulty finding the jars from a seller who will ship outside Korea. Also I have not seen any meju here for sale so that is difficult too.

I am going to make gochujang soon - I have the necessary stuff for that and just got a good recipe.
- Posted 2 years ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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Can you get a German sauerkraut crock? Harsch makes a really good one they would work really well for Korean foods.

Normally meju is in the markets in the fall. My mother-in-law brought this one form Korea town in LA. You could always make you own.
http://www.mykoreandiet.com/ingredients-for-korean-food/what-is-bean-paste-korean-bean-paste-doenjang.html
- Posted 2 years ago
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JamieF New Zealand My profile page I'm a fan!!
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I might be able to get a sauerkraut crock - European things are much easier to come by here than Korean things. I actually found a place online (gmarket.co.kr) that said they shipped outside Korea but then they cancelled my order :)

I would like to try making meju but I am a bit concerned that it will be too difficult for me to prepare it due to the lack of underfloor heating (I have central heating but that works through vents). I can definitely source the necessary ingredients though.
- Posted 2 years ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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I don't think that you have to have underfloor heating as long as it is warm and dry you should be good to go.
- Posted 2 years ago
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JamieF New Zealand My profile page I'm a fan!!
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Hmm in that case maybe I will give it a shot - it seems relatively straight forward.
- Posted 2 years ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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Ok time for an update. The soy sauce did not turn out so good. Next time I will not break up the meju block.

But the Doenjang is really good.

After about one month the soy sauce was carefully poured out.

This is what the jar looks like now.

To get some out I scape the mold off to one side get what I need then put the mold back.

Close up of the Doenjang.
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1. DSC_0129.JPG (1277.2 KB, 170 downloads) 1 year old
2. DSC_0126.JPG (1241.3 KB, 168 downloads) 1 year old
3. DSC_0127.JPG (1388.4 KB, 157 downloads) 1 year old
- Posted 1 year ago
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Maangchi New York City My profile page
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omg! Congratulations, James! I can almost smell your doenjang. It looks very tasty. Make more doenjang later because you know how to make it. Amazing!
- Posted 1 year ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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My Mother in law is going to send us a few more meju blocks in the fall. I am also going to by a Korean style crock and I will try again.

I plan to film it so that others can learn how to make it also.
- Posted 1 year ago
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JamieF New Zealand My profile page I'm a fan!!
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I am going to buy some meju blocks when I am in Korea - this post is going to be extremely helpful :) I am also buying ongghi to store it outside. Summer is coming so I will be making gochujang too.
- Posted 1 year ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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I am latter than planned but I have started my second batch.
- Posted 1 year ago
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Maangchi New York City My profile page
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Thank you for uploading the video! I hope you upload another video when it's fermented!
- Posted 1 year ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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If I am around when it is done I will definitively do that.

Perhaps soon I can work with my mother-in-law to make the meju blocks. She made these for me. I would love to film how to make them.
- Posted 1 year ago
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Maangchi New York City My profile page
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Your mother-in-law can do anything for you! : ) I'm looking forward to the meju making video! I love your passion for sharing your delicious recipes with many people. You are cool, James! BTW, the green mold is known to be harmful. Be sure to remove all of it.
- Posted 1 year ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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Yep she grew up in the country so she knows a lot about how things used to be done. I am happy to learn from her and share what I learn. Thanks for the tip on the green mold.
- Posted 1 year ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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Its been almost a month now and the fermentation slowed way down so we went ahead to the next step.
- Posted 1 year ago
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Maangchi New York City My profile page
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Thank you so much for sharing this video. It's not easy to film and work at the same time. I love your doenjang color! It must be well fermented! I wish I could taste it.
By the way, was this filmed in your yard? I hope you didn't have any complaints from your neighbors because when you boil soy sauce, it gives off such a strong smell. : )
- Posted 1 year ago
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michii Nashville My profile page
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Thank you for sharing these techniques. It makes me wish I didn't have to travel so much and could baby sit a few clay-pots myself.
- Posted 1 year ago
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powerplantop Louisiana My profile page I'm a fan!!
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M, yes it was filmed in my yard but my neighbors are not that close. As to the smell I would not do that inside the house.

michii I would have liked to have waited about one more week before doing this step but I have to leave soon and from Saturday until I leave I will be to busy.
- Posted 1 year ago
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