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Pork and Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae)

Pork and Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae)

By Laura RussellMarch 15, 2017

  • Makes
    5 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour 15 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    25 minutes active

Bone-in baby back ribs provided meaty flavor and, when cut into individual ribs, tenderized quickly in the simmering broth. We gave the stew layers of heat by combining the Korean chili paste gochujang with the juice from the drained kimchi. If you can find sliced dried shiitake mushrooms, use them in place of whole to skip slicing. We liked this soup as a starter, but with a bowl of steamed white rice, it becomes a complete meal.

Tip

Don’t use extra-firm or soft tofu. Soft or silken tofu was too fragile, and extra-firm added too much chew. Textures vary from brand to brand, but we preferred medium-firm and firm.

Ingredients
  • 1

    cup boiling water, plus 5 cups cold water

  • ½

    ounce dried shiitake mushrooms

  • 6

    scallions, white parts finely chopped, green parts thinly sliced on a bias, reserved separately

  • 3

    garlic cloves, smashed

  • 1

    tablespoon toasted sesame oil

  • 1

    tablespoon soy sauce

  • 16

    -ounce container napa cabbage kimchi, drained (¼ cup liquid reserved) and coarsely chopped

  • 4

    teaspoons gochujang

  • 1

    pound baby back ribs, separated into individual ribs

  • 12

    ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into ¾-inch cubes

  • 2

    teaspoons white sugar

Step 1

In a bowl, combine the boiling water and mushrooms. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Discard the stems and slice the caps. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, combine the scallion whites, garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in half of the kimchi, the mushroom caps and the gochujang. Add the cold water, the mushroom's soaking liquid, the ribs and ¼ cup kimchi juice and bring to a boil. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 50 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a lively simmer.

Step 3

Remove the pot from the heat. Using tongs, transfer the ribs to a plate and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

Step 4

Shred the meat into bite-size pieces, discarding the bones and cartilage, and add back to the stew along with the tofu, scallion greens, sugar and remaining kimchi. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.

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