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    Home » Meat

    Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)

    Published 09/20/2020. Updated 09/22/2020

    Jump to Recipe

    Jangjorim is a soy-braised beef dish. It’s a slightly sweet, salty side dish that goes well with any Korean meal!

    DSC3825 e1644457482530 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)

    Jangjorim (장조림) is a soy-braised beef dish. It’s a slightly sweet and salty dish that’s meant to be eaten in small amounts as a basic side dish, mitbanchan (밑반찬). As such, a little bit of meat goes a long way.

    Back in the day, when beef was scarce, jangjorim was an economical way to put some beef on the table for the whole family. It’s also a popular side dish for home-packed lunch boxes. Kids love it! Growing up, it was the most exciting thing to see in my lunch box. Thanks mom!

    Which cut of meat to use

    Beef eye round (called hongdukkaesal, 홍두깨살) is commonly used to make jangjorim. However, I like to use brisket (yangjimeori, 양지머리), flank steak (chimatsal yangji, 치맛살 양지), or shank meat (satae, 사태) because they are more flavorful and yield a better texture. The cooking time may vary depending on which cut of meat you use.

    If you like pork jangjorim, use a lean cut such as pork loin or tenderloin.

    DSC3818 e1644457552274 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)

    How to make jangjorim

    First, boil some aromatic vegetables for a few minutes to make a flavorful broth. Then, cook small blocks of beef in the broth until the meat is cooked through and fairly tender before adding soy sauce and other seasoning ingredients. The beef will turn tough if you cook in soy sauce from the beginning.

    It’s very common to add some fresh chili peppers and/or boiled eggs. Kkwari gochu, 꽈리고추 (aka shishito peppers) is a common choice, but you can use any fresh or dried peppers. Garlic cloves are also delicious braised in the sweet and savory jangjorim sauce.

    DSC3830 e1644457595163 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC3830 350x350 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)

    Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)

    4.67 from 42 votes
    Side Dish
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 pounds beef brisket, flank steak, or shank meat
    • 1/2 medium onion
    • 2 scallions white part
    • 6 ounces of Korean radish, mu, cut into big chunks
    • 7 plump garlic cloves
    • 3 thin ginger slices, about 1-inch round
    • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppers (or ground peppers to taste)

    Sauce ingredients

    • 5 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce (guk ganjang, 국간장) (or use more regular soy sauce)
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • 3 tablespoons rice wine or mirin

    Optional ingredients

    • 1 piece 3-inch square dried kelp (or a bay leaf)
    • 10 to 12 Shishito peppers (or other fresh green peppers) Use less and cut into halves if using large peppers
    • 3 boiled eggs, peeled

    Instructions

    • Cut the beef into 2 to 3-inch rectangles.
      DSC 0986 600x402 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)
    • In a covered medium pot, bring 8 cups of water and the next 6 ingredients to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes over medium high heat.
      DSC 0971 600x402 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)
    • Drop the meat into the pot. Bring it to a gentle boil, and remove the scum. Reduce the heat to medium. Boil, covered, for about 30 minutes.
      DSC 0973 600x402 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)
    • Remove the meat. Strain the cooking liquid into a large bowl, and then add 2.5 cups of the liquid back to the pot. (You can save the remaining broth to make a soup or stew later.)
      DSC 0980 600x402 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)
    • Add the meat and sauce ingredients to the pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and boil, covered, until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced to about ⅓, about 20 minutes. You can cook longer if the meat is still not tender enough.
      DSC3777 640x427 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)
    • Add the optional dried kelp, peppers and eggs and continue to boil for about 10 minutes. Discard the kelp, and transfer everything else to an airtight container for storage. Cool before storing in the fridge. Shred the meat and pour some sauce over to serve.
      DSC3796 640x427 - Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef)

    Notes

    Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. It will keep well up to 7 days. If you want to keep it longer, boil the meat and sauce again after a few days.
    The meat will become hard in the fridge. You can soften it by leaving the shredded beef out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or microwave for about 20 seconds to soften.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This jangjorim recipe was originally posted in March 2014. Here, I have updated it with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Skim says

      August 24, 2022 at 10:41 am

      5 stars
      Hello!
      I love this recipe and have been making for my little boys. Do you think I can sub the Korean mu for something else? I tried buying but they looked really bad. I really loved the original flavor and texture of this recipe so didn’t want to change.

      Reply
    2. Mingee says

      November 18, 2021 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      This may sound crazy, but growing up I recall eating this for *months* and considered it a preserved dish…well, I’m still here so that’s something! Also, I would hope people can use actual Korean kochu peppers, not shishito, which I find different in taste and texture. Thank you so much for your recipes!

      Reply
      • Josh says

        July 07, 2022 at 8:54 pm

        When I was a kid we were definitely working on the same jar in the fridge for months… maybe there’s something to it!

        Reply
      • Jinsun says

        October 10, 2022 at 12:55 pm

        5 stars
        Yes we ate it for months too. Maybe because we had a super simple one: just meat, soy sauce, garlic cloves, and sugar. There was alot of soy sauce. It kept for months in the fridge in a glass jar, as long as the shredded meat was under the liquid.

        My mom would sometimes use expired raw beef to make it, she would just drain off the water from the first boil that smelled bad, sometimes second. Then the next boiling of the meat there would be no more foam, and it would smell good. Simmer that for hours, and then add the garlic cloves and soy sauce and sugar. Lasted for months. Delicious and cheap. No sickness.

        Reply
    3. Erica says

      October 09, 2021 at 5:38 pm

      4 stars
      The recipe was great. Extremely tasty! However, the 2.5 cups of the cooking broth (step 4) is definitely not enough. It needs more like 3.5 cups. I followed everything exactly, and this is the only step that didn’t make sense. Because of that, there was not enough liquid in the end 🙁 I had to add more broth after + soy sauce to fix.

      Reply
      • Jes says

        January 09, 2023 at 9:53 pm

        5 stars
        This is the best jangjorim I’ve ever had! I love the brisket. My mom and eeemohs use flank, but now said they’re going to try brisket. They loved it!

        I agree that the liquid isn’t quite enough. I double the sauce ingredients. The sauce is so good added to rice..that being said, I also put at least a cup to the side to marinate more eggs in. I like this marinade better than mayak egg recipes.

        Reply
        • Hyosun says

          January 13, 2023 at 11:12 pm

          So happy to hear that!! Also, glad you modify the recipe to have more sauce to taste.

          Reply
    4. Tim L says

      July 23, 2021 at 11:42 pm

      I’ve read this recipe many times, and cannot see when you add the soy sauce. You specify to add the “next 6 ingredients” at step 2. Those ingredients don’t include the soy sauce, so when you recommend adding that? Your list of ingredients include 5 tablespoons of Soy Sauce, and 2 tablespoons also, so you must be adding those at different times? Please clarify the instructions for readers. Thank you, Tim L

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 24, 2021 at 9:16 pm

        Step 2 is to boil aromatic vegetables/ingredients before adding the meat. The post head notes, under How to Make Jangjorim, explains why the recipe has this process: “First, boil some aromatic vegetables for a few minutes to make a flavorful broth. Then, cook small blocks of beef in the broth until the meat is cooked through and fairly tender before adding soy sauce and other seasoning ingredients. The beef will turn tough if you cook in soy sauce from the beginning.”

        Regarding when to add the soy sauce, Step 5 says: Add the meat and sauce ingredients to the pot.” And the photo for step 5 shows that as well.

        5 tablespoons soy sauce is regular soy sauce, and the next soy sauce says “soup soy sauce” which is different. This is why I have a note “or use more regular soy sauce.” Soup soy sauce is Korean traditional soy sauce which is a byproduct of making doenjang. It’s lighter and saltier than regular types, and has strong, unique flavor. I’ll add the Korean name to make it clear.

        Hope this clarifies everything for you.

        Reply
    5. Diana says

      April 21, 2021 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It came out wonderful 🙂 I did do a few things differently: I pre-blanched the brisket for 5 mins in salted boiling water, added 1 tbsp kosher salt to the stock, & reduced the sugar to 2 tbsp. It also took about 1.5-2hrs for the brisket to become tender / shreddable. Thanks again. Definitely saving to our collection <3

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 21, 2021 at 11:38 am

        Glad it came out wonderfully! Brisket is a tough cut of meat, but 2 hours seems too long with these small pieces. One thing I suggest you try next time is not to use salt in your initial boiling. The salt can toughen the already tough cut of meat. That’s why we add the soy brine after the meat is cooked. I mention this in the narrative of this post: “First, boil some aromatic vegetables for a few minutes to make a flavorful broth. Then, cook small blocks of beef in the broth until the meat is cooked through and fairly tender before adding soy sauce and other seasoning ingredients. The beef will turn tough if you cook in soy sauce from the beginning.” Also not sure why you need to add salt. The soy brine makes the dish quite salty at the end. Hope this helps.

        Reply
        • Diana says

          April 21, 2021 at 3:17 pm

          5 stars
          Thanks for the feedback! Yes I noticed your instructions with the cooking in stock that you do not add salt. I usually do this to ensure the seasoning penetrates through the meat, but now I realize it caused the brisket to become tough. The dish did not come out salty though just perfectly seasoned. Perhaps it’s due to the brand of soy sauce that I use? Either way it was delicious 🙂 Next time I will not add salt and see how it turns out then. Thank you!

          Reply
    6. Marlena Di says

      December 01, 2020 at 6:19 pm

      Absolutely delicious. My family is so sad I only used a pound of meat to try out this recipe. It was a huge hit. I’ve seen this side dish in a lot of Korean dramas I’ve been watching and I’m so glad I gave it a try today. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us!

      Reply
    7. Carol says

      October 15, 2020 at 10:27 pm

      Dearest ,
      Appreciated for you r kindness to share recipe with us!

      Reply
    8. Myung Armstrong says

      September 26, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      Going to make this tonight with Prime Steak blocks from Costco. I’ll let you know how it goes.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 26, 2019 at 7:02 pm

        Look forward to hearing about it!

        Reply
    9. Nicole S says

      June 16, 2019 at 9:49 pm

      5 stars
      The flavor is amazing but mine came out tough and I followed the recipe pretty much exactly except I left out the ginger. Why would it still be tough after almost an hour of boiling?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 20, 2020 at 11:26 pm

        Which cut of beef did you use? You’re right it shouldn’t be that tough after boiling it for that long.

        Reply
    10. grace chang says

      October 25, 2018 at 12:45 pm

      I just want to thank you for your recipes!! Very easy to follow and the taste is amazing!!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        October 29, 2018 at 1:08 pm

        Thank you for the kind words, Grace! You just put a big smile on my face.

        Reply
    11. April says

      December 10, 2017 at 3:21 pm

      Hi! Is there a way to make this in a pressure cooker?

      Reply
    12. Kay Johnston says

      December 03, 2017 at 11:56 am

      Hi Hyosun! I’m new to your site and very excited to have found you. All recipes look so appetizing & thorough that I can follow. One question: rice wine, what is it called in Korean? Mirin, I know, is a Japanese version with some additional ingredients. Is it ”Matsul,” Cheongju, or soju? I don’t recall my mom using any kind of wine in her Korean cooking. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 03, 2017 at 9:29 pm

        Hi Kay! Traditionally, Koreans use cheongju in cooking, but these days seasoned cooking rice wine (mirin) is also widely used. Sometimes soju is also used. Any one of these is okay to use in the recipe or you can omit.

        Reply
    13. Gina says

      October 20, 2017 at 12:58 am

      How long would this lay in the refrigerator? Since there’s so much sodium, I would imagine it stays a little longer than normal

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        November 18, 2017 at 3:43 pm

        Yes it does. It should be okay for 2 to 3 weeks.

        Reply
    14. apark says

      July 26, 2017 at 10:22 am

      i was thinking that this might be a great recipe for a pressure cooker like an instant pot. Have you tried it that way?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 30, 2017 at 2:27 am

        no I haven’t, but yes it should work. If you try, let me know how it turns out. Cheers!

        Reply
    15. Grace says

      October 14, 2016 at 2:27 pm

      What if I wanted to use a crock pot for this recipe? How would I do it?

      Reply
    16. Jin H. says

      July 20, 2015 at 9:04 pm

      Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! It turned out super delicious. I forgot to put in ginger slices, but it still turned out the way my mom use to make it for me when I was a kid! I also put in some boiled eggs and it came out lovely.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 21, 2015 at 12:40 am

        You’re welcome! I am happy to hear it was like your mom’s jangjorim.

        Reply
    17. Otocolobus says

      January 31, 2015 at 8:25 am

      Hi!

      I think that korean radishes might be hard to find here. Is there any other vegetable that would be suitable to replace it with?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 31, 2015 at 9:39 am

        just omit it. It should be fine. Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Grace says

        August 18, 2022 at 12:21 am

        Jicama is a pretty close match for Korean radish. 🙂

        Reply
    18. Young Mi says

      January 18, 2015 at 1:23 am

      Hi Hyosun, what kind of kelp do I buy to use here? Is it the same kind as that used in 미역국 (don’t know if I spelled that right)? Can you give me some tips on what to look for? I have both Hmart & Assi stores here.

      Also, won’t the brisket be tough if cooked only for 1-1.5 hours? Thank you for all your work in helping people with Korean food. God bless!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 24, 2015 at 1:03 am

        Hi Young mi – sorry about the late reply! It’s dahima 다시마 not miyeok 미역 used in this recipe. There’s a photo of dried kelp/dashima package here: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/2011/06/how-to-make-anchovy-broth-for-korean.html
        It should become tender enough with that time, but cook longer if you like it softer. Thanks!

        Reply
    19. Young mi says

      July 27, 2014 at 4:27 am

      My mind is blank right now… What is good to serve this with (besides kimchee)? 🙂

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 28, 2014 at 2:08 am

        Hi Young mi – Jangjorim is mitbanchan (basic side dish), so it’s good with anything – jjigae, guk, vegetable sides, etc. Enjoy!

        Reply
    20. Dalila says

      June 25, 2014 at 10:17 pm

      I am very happy and thankful for your website, I am a Portuguese married with a korean man who loves korean food, I am learning a lot thanks to you.
      Our baby boy will be one year in November hopefully by then I will be able to cook delicious food for his birthday.

      Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        June 26, 2014 at 12:34 am

        Hi Dalila – So happy to hear my recipes are helping you. I’m sure you’ll be able to make delicious food for his birthday. Cheers!

        Reply
    21. Tina Min says

      May 17, 2014 at 8:07 am

      What brand soy sauce do you use?

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        May 17, 2014 at 6:42 pm

        I have a photo of it under the ingredients tab above. Thanks.

        Reply
    22. Miss Kim says

      April 02, 2014 at 6:57 am

      Ohh mouthwatering! I haven’t made this dish in a long time. But now I gotta make it again. So yummy! Totally going to go pick up some meat for it.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        April 04, 2014 at 2:51 am

        Thank you, Miss Kim! Hope you make it soon and enjoy.

        Reply
    23. Kimbo says

      March 31, 2014 at 12:21 pm

      Sounds delicious! What exactly is “soup soy sauce”?

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        April 04, 2014 at 2:57 am

        It’s traditional Korean soy sauce that’s made from fermented soybeans. It’s lighter and saltier than regular soy sauce with a deeper flavor. If you don’t have soup soy sauce, just use more regular soy sauce for this recipe.

        Reply

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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