Steamed pear

Baesuk 배숙

Hi everybody!
Let’s meet a new Korean food called baesuk! : )

Baesuk, as its name indicates, it’s cooked pear (“bae” = pear” and “suk” = cooked). There are 2 types of baesuk: steamed whole pear and cooked pair punch, like sujeonggwa. Today I’m showing how to make the steamed pear, sometimes called baejjim (“jjim” = steamed) or baekkuljjim.

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Since I posted my ginger tea recipe and explained that it’s a home remedy for colds, stomachaches, and nausea (it sounds like panacea, yeah?), many people have asked me to post more recipes that are not only delicious but have medicinal qualities and are healthy. Baesuk is great for colds, especially sore throats and coughs. It’s also a delicious sweet snack or dessert. Yes, it’s very delicious! I love the texture of cooked pear.

If you serve baesuk for a loved one who has a severe cold, say this: “I made Korean baesuk for you. Have this whole pear and the juice on the bottom, then your cold will be gone!” If you serve baesuk as a dessert, you can say, “you want some Korean style dessert? Baesuk is waiting for us!”

I’m going to show you how to make baesuk with a Korean pear, and also with a small bosc pear, which is easier for some people to find and is the perfect portion for a dessert. Enjoy the recipe and please let me know how yours turns out, and how you serve it to your loved ones.

Ingredients (1-2 servings)

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Directions

  1. Rinse the pear in cold water and pat dry.
  2. Make a lid by slicing 1 inch off the top.
  3. Scoop out the core and the seeds with a small spoon.
    baesuk
    baesuk
  4. Fill it up with honey, ginger, cinnamon powder, and jujubes

    baesuk
  5. Put the sliced lid back on the pear and put it in a heat-resistant bowl. In the video I’m using a soup bowl.
  6. Steam the pear about 1 hour over medium high heat.
    baesukbaesuk
  7. If you’re trying to cure a cold, serve it hot, with a small spoon. Otherwise, you can serve it hot or chill it in the fridge before serving.
    baesukbaesuk

Bosc pear baesuk:
If you make baesuk with a bosc pear, the directions are the same but you only need to steam it for 30 minutes. And because the pear is smaller, the ingredients need to be scaled down:

bosc pear

steamed bosc pear

Posted on Friday, December 14th, 2012 at 11:54 am. Last updated on July 29, 2021.
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25 Comments:

  1. m-moo812 vancouver, bc joined 12/18 & has 1 comment
    Posted December 16th, 2018 at 1:26 pm | or create a profile.

    Hi Maangchi, This recipe sound delicious! I was wondering if I can leave the pinenut out since I’m allergic to nut? will it impact the flavor of the dessert? Also, Can use an apple instead of a pear for this recipe? Thank you and Happy Holiday!

  2. deedle2038 Austin, TX joined 3/18 & has 6 comments
    Posted April 20th, 2018 at 1:07 am | or create a profile.

    I just saw your photo of 배숙 used on an episode of KBS “Mr. House Husband!” take a look here: https://youtu.be/G8h8T_WNXHY?t=14m37s

  3. Grace Lee Illinois joined 10/16 & has 1 comment
    Posted December 10th, 2017 at 11:39 am | or create a profile.

    Thanks for this recipe Maangchi!!! This is so useful for this time of the year!!! Would you have any recipes using the Instant Pot ? I would love to make this and many of your recipes in an instant pot, thanks again for sharing your delicious recipes !!!

  4. gracejbarnett US joined 11/17 & has 1 comment
    Posted November 10th, 2017 at 2:03 pm | or create a profile.

    I remember my mom making this for me when I’d have to stay home from school with a bad cough. I was trying to remember how to make it for my sick husband when I stumbled across your recipe. Thank you for this!

  5. Janet-Ridgefield joined 7/15 & has 11 comments
    Posted August 10th, 2015 at 2:52 pm | or create a profile.

    P.S. I bought a bag of pine nuts at Trader Joe’s. They have the best price!

  6. Janet-Ridgefield joined 7/15 & has 11 comments
    Posted August 10th, 2015 at 2:50 pm | or create a profile.

    Now this is my favorite dessert treat! I put it in the fridge for a few hours. It’s so delicious! The jujubes and pine nuts make it so good. Healthy too!


    See full size image

  7. dinovta Indonesia joined 10/14 & has 2 comments
    Posted November 28th, 2014 at 6:19 am | or create a profile.

    Hi, maangchi.
    Can’t wait to make it. Almost all the ingredients can be found easily in my country except for the pine nuts. Can I use any other nuts such as peanuts, cashew or almond? Or should I skip it?
    Thanks

  8. MeepKitty Florida joined 10/12 & has 9 comments
    Posted February 26th, 2013 at 8:30 pm | or create a profile.

    I couldn’t wait any longer and pulled out my pears from the steamer at the 25 min mark! :) it was SO GOOD!! The flavors were really warm and comforting, I love that the pear was soft but still kept it’s shape. ^__^ yummy!!! Definitely making this dessert for my father in law :) and parents.

  9. gwaja1004 Germany joined 12/12 & has 1 comment
    Posted December 29th, 2012 at 6:27 pm | or create a profile.

    안녕하세요
    배숙은 정말 맛있는 것 같아서 한 번 만들어 보고 싶어요. 근데 스티머가 없는데 어떻게 할까요?
    I would really like to try this recipe. Since I don’t have a steamer, do you think it’ll be possible to cook the pears in the oven?
    감사합니다 (:

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
      Posted December 29th, 2012 at 7:40 pm | or create a profile.

      You can make baesuk without a steamer. In a pot, add a few cups of water. And place pear filled with honey mixture in a heat resistant bowl. And place it in the pot and cook it. Good luck with making delicious baesuk!

  10. makemequiche DC joined 5/12 & has 12 comments
    Posted December 27th, 2012 at 1:12 pm | or create a profile.

    I made this for my parents over the holidays, and they were really impressed! It turned out perfectly, and the filling was delicious. I did make the carving a bit narrow… I think I will make it wider and fill it back with the fruit like you did. Thank you, and happy new year!

  11. liannangel2004 Maryland joined 12/12 & has 2 comments
    Posted December 20th, 2012 at 12:21 am | or create a profile.

    These look wonderful! I HAVE to make these. It can’t be a coincidence that my sister just gave me a box of Korean pears and that I actually have all the other ingredients (except the optional jujubes). I even have the pine nuts, that I have never bought before, but just got for the first time to try to make the Maejakgwa (Ginger cookies). I think I will try to find the jujubes though, since I have never tried them before. Thanks a lot for the recipes!

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
      Posted December 21st, 2012 at 12:46 pm | or create a profile.

      wonderful! Let me know how your baesuk turns out.

      • liannangel2004 Maryland joined 12/12 & has 2 comments
        Posted December 23rd, 2012 at 7:29 pm | or create a profile.

        I did a pretty good job, although I think I added a little too much ginger. :\
        It took a bit of searching, but I’m glad I decided to use the jujubes. They were really good. I’ll probably try making it again, this time making sure I don’t over do it with the ginger.

        Thanks again for the great recipe!

      • gothamette NYC joined 12/12 & has 1 comment
        Posted December 23rd, 2012 at 7:50 pm | or create a profile.

        Maangchi – I put a question about jujubes on the discussions forum before I saw that you can comment about the recipes here. I bought a bag of dried jujubes from a Chinese market today. It says on the bag that it’s “not a snack” and that you have to wash them, and cook them before you can eat them.” I don’t mind doing that but the way they put it, it sounds as if it’s unsafe to eat them without first cooking them. What is your experience with dried jujubes? Thank you. (These jujubes are definitely from China; they have Chinese writing on the bag in addition to English.)

  12. weirdingway San Diego, CA joined 11/11 & has 8 comments
    Posted December 19th, 2012 at 10:34 pm | or create a profile.

    So good! It’s been rainy and blustery for several days so today I made baesuk. I had been wanting to make ever since I saw it mentoned on a drama. I know I will make this often over the winter season… hopefully not because I have a cold, but because it is so delicious and warming! ^_~ Thanks!

  13. Montana Cook Montana joined 3/12 & has 1 comment
    Posted December 18th, 2012 at 12:58 pm | or create a profile.

    Maangchi, I love watching your how to videos. They are very easy to follow, step by step. I tried making the Baesuk. It turned out very delicious. The Bosc pears were not in season at the store, so I had to substitute with the Bartlett pear.

  14. socleveromg Canada joined 12/12 & has 3 comments
    Posted December 15th, 2012 at 2:52 am | or create a profile.

    안녕하세요! Maangchi, thank you so much for this recipe! This year, I am learning Korean, and as a Christmas present to my mother and grandmother I will be cooking Korean food for them. Your site has been so helpful to me while I’ve been practising! I’ve already made 짜장면 and 비빔밥, and this will be so good for dessert. I’ll be sure to take some pictures when I do :)

  15. Christian netherlands joined 7/12 & has 12 comments
    Posted December 14th, 2012 at 3:35 pm | or create a profile.

    im a expert in this fruit^-^(if you want to find it in the toko, its cald ”Golden pear” the korean pear, is what darker skin colour, and more juicy flesh. And there is also a sweeter one a light-skin, and its cald ”nashi”, chinese, japanese, korean pears, etc, are the same, but a different climat change the form, or the tast. and is good for the health-isues, what i study for it.) want to know more, about pears, i open for quistions^_^

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