I’m introducing Korean style salty cucumber pickles (oijangajji). Unlike Western cucumber pickles, oijangajji is seasoned with a lot of other condiments and spices, which makes it good for side dishes. After we make the pickles I’ll show you how to make two side dishes that use oijangajji.
When you choose cucumbers, make sure they are firm and the skin of the cucumbers is dark green, so that it will be crunchy when they are made into pickles.
How to make Korean style salty cucumber pickles (oijangajji):
Ingredients
Kirby cucumbers (5 pound: 2.5 kilograms), water, kosher salt, vinegar, apples
Directions
- Wash and drain 5 pounds of cucumbers.
- In a large pot put 9 cups water, 1 cup kosher salt, and 1 cup vinegar.
- Remove the cores from two small apples. Slice the apples thinly and put them into the pot.
- Stir the pot of brine and apple slices with a wooden spoon until the salt on the bottom of the pot has dissolved.
- Bring to a boil over high heat for about 40 minutes.
- Strain the cooked apples.
- Put the cucumbers into the hot brine. Turn them over with a wooden spoon
- Let the pot sit until the brine cools down.
- Move the cucumbers into a glass jar and pour the brine over the cucumbers.
- Close the lid and let it sit for 12-24 hours at room temperature
- Drain the cucumbers by pouring out the brine into a pot.
- Boil the brine again for 10 minutes to sterilize it.
*tip: leave the cucumber in the jar - Turn off the heat and let the brine cool down.
- Pour the brine into the cucumbers and refrigerate it.
*tip: Wait at least 1 week to start eating
Yes, one week! : )
Ok, let’s make two kinds of authentic side dishes with oijangajji!
Oijangajji muchim (Korean style cucumber pickle side dish)
Ingredients
2 pickled cucumbers (about ¾ to 1 cup), Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru), garlic, green onion, green chili pepper, honey, toasted sesame oil, roasted toasted sesame seeds
Directions
- Slice 2 cucumber pickles thinly and put them into a mixing bowl.
- Add 1-2 ts of hot pepper flakes, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 tbs chopped green onion, 2 ts chopped green chile pepper, ½ ts honey, and ½ ts toasted sesame oil. Mix well with your hand.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle ½ tbs roasted sesame seeds.
Serve with rice!
Oijangajji naengguk (cold cucumber pickle soup)
Ingredients
2 cucumber pickles, garlic, vinegar, Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru), kosher salt, green onion, green chile pepper, red chile pepper or red bell pepper, honey, and ice cubes
Directions
- Slice 2 pickled oijangajji thinly and put it into a glass bowl.
- Add 1 clove of minced garlic, 2 ts vinegar, 1 ts hot pepper flakes, 1 ts kosher salt, 1 tbs chopped green chile pepper, 1 tbs chopped green onion, 1 tbs chopped red bell pepper or red chile pepper, 1 ts honey, and combine it with a spoon.
- Add 1 cup purified water, 7-8 ice cubes , and mix it.
Serve with rice.
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I trimmed the ends of the cucumbers. Will this cause problems? I used Persian cucumbers will that work?
How long does the pickle last refrigerated? I have had lactose fermented pickles last for months, but this has sugar and vinegar. So is this technically a fermented pickle?
Hello! I am making oijangajji for the first time this week. I don’t have pictures yet, but I just put the jar of pickles in brine in the fridge. It’s taken me many years to get up the courage to do this, Maangchi! Thank you for keeping up the inspiration and encouragement!
I just had some friends over for dinner, none very familiar with Korean food. This recipe for oi jangaji muchim was everyone’s favorite part of the meal. When they were done eating, they all gathered around the iPad to watch Maangchi videos while I cleaned up. So, now there are 4 new Korean food fans.
ooh whoo! exciting! : )
After a week, do I throw away the brine? Or should I leave the cucumbers in the brine till I eat them? Will it get too salty? Thank you!
Maangchi – Im trying to make some of the pickles. I have two jars, but when I reboiled the brine after 24 hours I lost a bit of it due to evaporation/spilling. Now on my second jar the tops of some of the tops of the pickles are not fully submerged in the brine. Will this ruin the pickles or should they be alright?
Thanks!
Hi Maangchi!
I don’t know if you remember but when we met in Amsterdam, I told you that I was wondering if the salt in the oijangajji recipe was normal table salt or not as for me it was way too salty.
So I made more oijangajji but with 1/2cup of salt and it turned out better for me.
Then I ask my Korean friend how it was and she said that it was not enough salty.. haha so your recipe is really how it should be ;)
She explained me that as it is eaten with rice, it has to be really salty.
Personally I’ll keep it with 1/2cup of salt only but its funny to see how different it can be from one person taste to another ^o^
oh my god, nanasse, your name is Anastasia? : )
I was going to email you after coming back from my Gapshida trip last year but never had a chance.
After meeting you at Sarah’s house in Amsterdam with my other readers, I went to Rotterdam. When I met Reinier who uploaded some oijangajji photos on my website, I asked him. “Reinier, someone I met in Amsterdam said my oijangajji is way too salty. Do you think so?” Reinier said, “no, it’s ok for me..”
If you don’t use enough salt in oijangajji it will turn out soggy. I was going to email you about it but never had a chance.
Do you remember I had a small notebook where I wrote everybody’s names and email addresses? I just looked you up.
I noticed that you’ve been posting all kinds of beautiful Korean food photos on my website these days, but I never knew it was you!
Cheers, Anastasia!
I tried making this but the pickles came out too salty. Can I dump some of the brine out and then add more water to the jar to make it less salty? I took the pickles I sliced already and soaked them in water, but I don’t want to do that every time I make this banchan.
If you add more water, the cucumbers may get soggy. If it’s too salty, as you said, soak sliced cucumber in cold water, and squeeze out excess water before combining with seasonings. That’s what I’m doing.
Hi there. I was wondering, if I could use Lebanese cucumbers to make this side dish.
Hi, I have a question, What kind of vinegar we should use? The rice wine one? or just the normal one?
I usually use apple vinegar but it doesn’t matter. You can use any type of vinegar.
Hi Maangchi,
Does it matter what kind of apples to use for this recipe? It looks like you used Fuji apples.
And, if you don’t already know it, you are wonderful! Thanks for all your hard work!!!
Chiba
Chiba,
Sweet apple such as Fuji or Royal Gala will work well. Cheers! : )
Hi Maangchi! I’ve been reading your recipes for a long time. :) I’m wondering – is it ok if the brine reduces quite a lot? During the boiling, maybe half the liquid evaporated!
hmm, yes, it will be ok but if you want more brine, add more water and salt when you boil it. Make salty and crispy oijangahjji! ; )
Hi Maangchi,
I made this recipe but found the cucumber to be quiet salty. Can I rinse the pickle cucumber before adding the other ingredients to complete the side dish?
yes, this cucumber pickle is supposed to be salty and served with bland rice. Follow the direction in the recipe. But if you want it to be less salty, chop it up and soak it in cold water for a while until it reaches your satisfaction.
I’ve tried it again but this time did what you suggested and its so yummy. Thanks
hi maangchi, 2 questions for you.
1. can we use sliced japanese cucumbers instead for this recipe?
2. do you have the recipe for spicy potato banchan? it’s comes with a watery red gravy. i cannot leave comments on the potato banchan page!
thanks a lot!
I remember my grandmother making pickles that were a little sweet; this sounds like the way she might have made them (makes sense, since she is Korean and likes to prepare traditional meals). She offered me some from a storage container and I wound up taking the whole thing home with me. They didn’t last long since they’re so delicious. Now I know how to make them!
Hi maangchi! I really want to make this..but I cannot find a Jar big enough….Where do you buy big jars for this?? Can it be plastic or does it have to be glass??
Hey Maangchi,
I just made oijangajji today for the first time and I used japanese cucumber instead of kirby cucumber. Can’t wait to know what the result from it. ^__^
Maangchi,
this is the 3rd time Im making this recipe. I find it difficult to gauge the amount of water for the brine. Small cucumbers in my country are mainly sold in 500gm packets. I tried making 1kg and 500gm oijanganchi in 2 separate batches but i always don’t get enough brine brine! >__<
hi Maangchi,
Do you think it would be possible to freeze it afterwards?
I’m the only one who’ll eat it, so I don’t want to throw it all away…
thanks :)
no, it will turn out mushy if you freeze them. Keep it in the refrigerator. I recommend boiling salty broth from the pickles twice, then it will never go bad. Pour the salty broth into a pot with the cucumbers kept in the jar, and boil and cool it down. When the salty broth cools down, pour it into the cucumber jar again and put it back to the refrigerator.
Hello. Can you convert this recipe for only two cucucumber dills? 5 pounds is too much and it’s only me and my husband. hehe
Is this the traditional way of making it? What does the apple do? And do I have to put honey or can I just use sugar? Thanks!
I used the apple for sweetness and flavor but you can use sugar.