Soups & Stews

Kimchi-jjim (Braised Kimchi with Pork)

Name: Kimchi-jjim (Braised Kimchi with Pork)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: well-fermented (sour) kimchi 300 g; pork (collar or shoulder) 250 g; Korean leek (daepa) or scallions 1/2 stalk; Cheongyang chili (or any hot green chili) 1; onion 1/4; minced garlic 1 Tbsp; gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp; guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce) 1 Tbsp; water 300 ml; toasted sesame oil 1 tsp

Brown the pork first, stir-fry it with the sour kimchi and onion, then add water and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes. When the pork is cooked through and the kimchi is tender, top with leek and chili and serve.

Prep 10 min · Cook 35 min · Total 45 min · 2 servings · Medium

한국어로 보기 (Korean version)

Steps

1
Cut the pork into bite-thick slices and the kimchi into bite-size pieces; cut the onion, leek, and chili on the diagonal.
2
Heat the sesame oil in a pot over medium heat and stir-fry the pork for 5 minutes to sear the outside.
It doesn't need to cook through now — it will finish cooking as it simmers.
3
Add the kimchi, onion, minced garlic, and gochugaru and stir-fry for 3 minutes to combine.
4
Add the water and guk-ganjang and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes. If the liquid runs low, add a little more.
If the pork is thick, give it 5 more minutes.
5
Top with the leek and chili, simmer 2 minutes more, and serve.

Substitutions

Instead of	Use	How
pork collar	250 g pork belly	Pork belly is fatty, so use less oil for the initial stir-fry.
water	300 ml anchovy stock	If using stock, cut back a little on the guk-ganjang.

Storing leftovers

As it cools, the kimchi absorbs the broth and the flavor gets stronger. Store airtight in the fridge and eat within 2 days; if the broth has reduced, add a little water and bring to a boil so the pork is hot all the way through. To keep it longer, freeze single portions with the broth and use within 2 weeks.

Serve with

Rice, dubu-buchim (pan-fried tofu), and gyeran-mari (rolled omelette). The braising liquid is also good spooned over rice.

Making more or less

If your kimchi is extra sour, you can add 1/2 tsp sugar.

Before you cook

Cook the pork completely, with no pink left in the center.

Questions

What's the difference between kimchi-jjim and kimchi jjigae?

Kimchi jjigae cuts the kimchi and pork small with plenty of broth to eat by the spoonful; kimchi-jjim uses just a little liquid and cooks longer, so the kimchi and pork are eaten like a side dish. This recipe is a home-style shortcut that cuts everything bite-size to shorten the cooking time; if you use whole kimchi leaves, simmer 15–20 minutes longer.