Doenjang

Name: Doenjang
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 40 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 3 kg Dried Soybeans; 12 l Water, Enough to soak and boil (about 6 L for soaking + 6 L for boiling); 10 l Water; 1.8 kg Coarse Sea Salt, Korean solar salt; to make ~18% brine; 150g Coarse Sea Salt, To adjust salinity after separating soy sauce; 3 1/2 Dried Red Chili Peppers; 5 Dried Jujubes, Daechu

Doenjang is a deeply savory, fermented Korean soybean paste with rich umami and a rustic, earthy aroma. Made from cooked soybeans formed into blocks, naturally fermented, and aged in a salty brine with aromatic dried fruits and chiles, it adds depth to stews, sauces, and marinades. The slow fermentation develops complex flavors that are worth the wait.

Doenjang is a deeply savory, fermented Korean soybean paste with rich umami and a rustic, earthy aroma. Made from cooked soybeans ... Show more

Traditional Korean Recipe

Health Grade

A- · Excellent

Time

3 hrs30 min

Price

0,29 €

Calories

225 kcal

vegan

budget

low calorie

meal prep

gluten free

low sugar

Method

Soak the beans

Rinse the Dried Soybeans well, then cover them with about 6 L of Water in a large bowl or pot. Let them soak overnight, until they are plump and have expanded noticeably, then drain them thoroughly before cooking.

Simmer until soft

Transfer the soaked beans to a large pot and add the remaining 6 L of water. Bring it to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the beans crush easily between your fingers with no hard center.

Mash and shape

Drain the beans well, then mash them while still warm into a thick, slightly coarse paste. Shape the paste into compact blocks or thick patties, pressing them firmly so there are no large air pockets.

Dry the meju

Set the blocks in a warm, airy, dust-free spot and leave them there until the outside is hard and the inside is dry, turning them every day or two at first. This usually takes several weeks, and the blocks should smell nutty and clean rather than sour.

Mix the brine

In a large fermentation crock, stir 10 L of water with the Coarse Sea Salt until the brine is very salty and most of the salt has dissolved. If you like, tuck in the Dried Red Chili Pepper and Dried Jujube (Daechu) for a traditional hint of warmth and sweetness.

Ferment the blocks

Add the dried meju blocks to the brine and keep them fully submerged with a clean plate or bowl if needed. Cover the crock loosely so gases can escape, then leave it in a cool, airy place for several months, skimming off any thin white film that appears.

Drain the soy sauce

When the liquid is dark and deeply savory, pour or ladle off the soy sauce into a clean container, leaving the fermented solids behind. Work gently so you do not stir sediment back into the liquid.

Season the paste

Mash the remaining solids with the extra salt until the seasoning is evenly distributed, then pack the doenjang tightly into a clean container and smooth the top flat. Press out any air pockets as you go.

Age the doenjang

Cover the container and let the paste age for weeks to months in a cool, clean place. Check it occasionally, and if a thin surface film forms, skim it off and keep the top neat.

Ingredients

Method

For 40 servings

Adjust servings

For the meju (soy blocks)

3 kg Dried Soybeans
12 l Water, Enough to soak and boil (about 6 L for soaking + 6 L for boiling)

For the brine fermentation

10 l Water
1.8 kg Coarse Sea Salt, Korean solar salt; to make ~18% brine

For mashing/aging the paste

150g Coarse Sea Salt, To adjust salinity after separating soy sauce

Optional traditional additions to the brine crock

3 1/2 Dried Red Chili Peppers
5 Dried Jujubes, Daechu

Nutrition

Per Serving.

Calories

225 kcal

11% of Daily kcal

Protein

18 g

37% RDI

Fat

10 g

1.5g sat fat

Carbs

15 g

6% RDI

Sugar

3.7 g

7% RDI

Fiber

4.7 g

16% RDI

Salt

15 g

100% RDI

Quality Profile

Scored against dietary guidelines.
Tap rows for a deeper breakdown.

Composite score - weighted by current nutrition science

A- · 8.3 / 10

Comments

Click to rate