Gochujang
A fermented Korean chili paste used in stews, marinades, and condiments.
Gochujang, or red chili paste, is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochugaru (red chili powder), chapssal (glutinous rice), meju (fermented soybean) powder, yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with saccharifying enzymes during fermentation. Traditionally, it was naturally fermented over years in jangdok (earthenware) on an elevated stone platform called jangdokdae in the backyard.
- Type
- Fermented condiment
- Primary ingredients
- Red chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder, salt
- Origin
- Korea
- First documented
- Mid-9th-century Chinese document Shiyi xinjian
- Spiciness measurement
- Gochujang hot-taste unit (GHU)
- Commercial production began
- Early 1970s
Lore & Background
The history of gochujang is documented as early as the mid-9th century in the Chinese text Shiyi xinjian, which recorded it as 苦椒醬 (pepper paste). Later Korean sources from 1433 and 1445 also mention pepper paste, though these predate the introduction of chili peppers to Korea. Chili peppers, native to the Americas, were brought to East Asia by Portuguese traders in the early 16th century, with a mention in the 1614 encyclopedia Collected Essays of Jibong and cultivation methods discussed in a book from around 1700.
Sunchang gochujang became a regional specialty dating back to the 14th century, at the start of the Joseon Dynasty. Founder Yi Seong-gye, after tasting barley bibimbap with gochujang during a trip to Manilsa Temple, ordered it served to the royal family. In 18th-century books Somun saseol and Revised and Augmented Farm Management, gochujang is written as gochojang, and Sunchang County was renowned for its production. China and Japan do not include gochujang in their traditional cuisines.
Historical recipes from Jeungbo sallim gyeongje and the 1809 cookbook Gyuhap chongseo specify ingredients such as powdered meju, chili powder, and glutinous rice flour. Modern recipes typically use 25% red pepper powder, 22.2% glutinous rice, 5.5% meju powder, 12.8% salt, 5% malt, and 29% water. Home production declined after commercial production entered the mass market in the early 1970s.
Reader's Guide
Gochujang is significant as a foundational ingredient in Korean cuisine, used to flavor stews (jjigae), marinate meat (as in gochujang bulgogi), and as a condiment for dishes like naengmyeon and bibimbap. It also serves as a base for other condiments such as chogochujang (with vinegar and seasonings) and ssamjang (mixed with doenjang). Its legacy includes a standardized spiciness measurement, the Gochujang hot-taste unit (GHU), which assigns products to five levels from Mild to Extreme Hot. Safety studies have noted potential contamination with Bacillus cereus and aflatoxin in traditional cottage industry products, though commercial production under standardized conditions shows lower levels. The condiment's global popularity has grown, with features in outlets such as BBC Travel. Gochujang remains a versatile element in Korean cooking, contributing spiciness, sweetness, and smokiness to a wide range of dishes.
Did You Know?
- Gochujang is made from gochugaru (red chili powder), chapssal (glutinous rice), meju (fermented soybean) powder, yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt.
- The second-oldest documentation of pepper paste is found in the 1433 Korean book Collected Prescriptions of Native Korean Medicines, before chili peppers were introduced to Korea.
- Sunchang gochujang became a regional specialty after founder Yi Seong-gye ordered it served to the royal family in the 14th century.
- A 2024 study found that 57% of traditional cottage industry gochujang products exceeded the recommended limit for Bacillus cereus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a Korean fermented condiment that delivers a complex blend of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors. It functions as a foundational ingredient in stews, marinades, and dipping sauces throughout Korean cooking.
What are Gochujang's primary ingredients?
The paste is built from gochugaru (red chili powder), glutinous rice, meju (fermented soybean) powder, yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt. Its characteristic sweetness arises when saccharifying enzymes gradually break down the rice starch during the fermentation process.
How is Gochujang traditionally fermented?
In classic Korean practice, the mixture ferments naturally over the course of years inside jangdok (earthenware jars) set on a raised stone platform called a jangdokdae in a backyard. This slow, ambient-temperature method contrasts with the commercial production that only began in the early 1970s.
When was Gochujang first documented?
The earliest surviving written reference to Gochujang comes from a mid-9th-century Chinese text titled Shiyi xinjian. That places its recorded history roughly a millennium before it became a ubiquitous kitchen staple across Korea.
How is Gochujang's spiciness measured?
Instead of relying on the generic Scoville scale, Gochujang heat is expressed in a dedicated unit called the Gochujang Hot-taste Unit (GHU). This specialized metric better captures how the paste's spice interacts with its sweetness and umami depth.
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