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Home Condiments and Sauces

How to make Gochujang at home!

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Posted:2/13/2016216 Comments
Recipe Print
My Homemade Gochujang 2017!
Korean Gochujang in glazed clay vessel (hangari/onggi)
Korean Gochujang in glazed clay vessel (hangari/onggi) – After 2 days –

If you asked me 5 years ago, whether I make my own Gochujang, my response would have been something like – “No…..I don’t do that…that’s too much work.. oh, only our mothers did that.”

But here we are, in my 6th year of blogging; I have already attended two Gochujang making classes (in Korea last February) so that I could make it at home this year. During my recent stay in Korea, I got to taste some great homemade gochujang and deonjang and I realized store bought gochujang and homemade gochujang is just not the same. In addition, I have also discovered that not all gochujang sold at stores are the same.

KNOW what’s in your Gochujang!

Did you know that often a not-so-good gochujang has corn syrup, starch syrup and even hydrolyzed vegetable protein as part of their ingredients??? A respectable gochujang should only have chili pepper powder (gochukaru), fermented soy bean powder (mejukaru), sweet rice/rice/brown rice/barley/wheat flour, rice syrup, malt barley syrup or powder and salt.

And even if it has corn syrup, at least don’t buy one that has corn syrup as it’s first ingredient. I mean..imagine.. how much corn syrup that is!! Sometimes some alcohol is added to stop the fermentation process but that’s it. So please select your gochujang carefully.

In Korea, there are many great quality gochujang in the market but sadly almost none of them are sold in the US… or outside of Korea.

You can make Gochujang only at certain times of the year!

Gochujang is typically made in the colder winter months between the end of November to February in Korea. It is because the 4~6 month fermentation needs to occur in FULL SUN but BEFORE the very hot and rainy summer starts in Korea. For California, I thought February would be a great time since by then hopefully rain is getting lighter and there are more sunny days. So when I was getting ready to move back to the US in 2014, I bought and shipped Korean gochukaru (고추가루 red chili powder), mejukaru (메주가루 fermented soybean powder) and cheonilyeom (천일염 solar sea salt) via sea with our moving stuff so I could make it in CA. And most importantly, I also purchased a Korean hangari/onggi vessel where I could ferment the gochujang in. This particular vessel was made by one of the few remaining Korean artisans who is deemed by the government to be part of Korean’s national heritage.

Korean Glazed Onggi or Hangari pot for fermentation of gochujang
Korean Glazed Onggi or Hangari pot for fermentation of gochujang

I had hoped to make it last Spring but because our shipment got stuck at sea for 3 months – due to some labor strike at the LA ports – when we got everything it was already too warm.

BTW, My husband just shook his head when I told him I had shipped these things last year so I could make gochujang this year, he said “you are just a little crazy.. ;)” HAHA…AM I?? Maybe.. I mean, I guess I have to be a little crazy about Korean food and about blogging to be doing this for over 5 years!?! Right??? 🙂 😉

Invite a friend to your Gochujang making party!!

Whenever you are planning to cook something that takes many hours, I always say –  Invite a friend! That way you have company during the wait times and you have another set of hands which is especially handy for a blogger who sometimes wishes she had 3 hands!! And in my particular case, I also had another brain with great wisdom and tips when I needed it!!

For my gochujang making day, I invited my friend Judith. Since the very beginning of my blog, Judith has been my #1 follower with always the most wonderful comments and questions. Over the years we started conversing through emails and when we found out that we both live in the SF Bay area, we had to meet. And we have become total foodie friends since then. BTW, I will write more on another post about our first meetings.

But going back to gochujang, I am so happy that she joined me for the day – I mean I never thought I would meet someone who was as excited as me about making the very uniquely aromatic but amazing gochujang at home.

Difference between fine and coarse gochugaru (Korean red chili powder):

I meant to write about this long ago but well, better late than never!

  • Coarse Korean red chili powder (Gulkeun Gochugaru 굵은 고추가루) is what is used the most in Korean cooking these days and over 90% of Gochugaru sold at markets are probably coarse. Traditionally coarse red chili powder was used in making all kinds of Kimchi except for water Kimchi (mul kimchi 물김치). Coarse gochugaru gives you brighter red color, gives you a more clean flavor with even a bit of a zing. It is also used to make jjigae, guk and namul.
  • Fine Korean red chili powder (Goun Gochugaru 고운 고추가루) is definitely needed in making gochujang and then for mul kimchi. Also used to make refined sauces and sometimes used for moosaengche when you don’t want to see the little chili flakes. Fine gochugaru produces less clean almost kind of a muddy taste and thus not usually used for fresh vegetables. But for stews and soups that is what you may want.

Traditional Korean chefs use a combination of both fine and coarse in jjigae and soups but if you are not a serious cook or if you are not making gochujang or mul kimchi, chances are you probably won’t need the fine gochukaru. Buy fine gochukaru ONLY if you are going to make gochujang or if you want to make pretty sauces.

GLUTEN-FREE GOCHUJANG without Malt Barley powder

Easy Homemade Gochujang Recipe
Easy Homemade Gochujang Recipe

If you need to be gluten-free and don’t want to use the malt barley (Yeotgireum Garu) or if you can’t buy malt barley powder, you may want to use my Easy Homemade Gochujang Recipe which doesn’t use malt barley but just rice syrup (Jocheong 조청).

Where can I buy ingredients online?

You can buy all the ingredients below except for the Yeotkireum Garu from my store HERE. And look under the Gochujang Ingredients list.

Traditional Homemade Gochujang Recipe

Makes: 4 quarts               Prep Time: 6 hrs     Cook Time: 6 hrs           Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

See Recipe Card below for scalable ingredients —

Will also need

  • 1 Korean gochujang hangari (항아리)/onggi (옹기) = glazed clay vessel or pot that can hold liquid but is porous for it to breathe
  • 2 large bowls (5 quart or bigger)
  • fine sieve or medium grade (#50) cheese cloth
  • 1 large pot (5 quart or larger)
  • 1 fine mosquito net or fine mesh fabric to cover top of gochujang pot
  • 1 string to tie mesh fabric
  • coals, sesame seeds, metal bowl (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions on How to make Gochujang at home

  1. 1-2 DAYS BEFORE: Sterilize your ghochujang hangari or onggi (Korean glazed clay vessels aka earthenware for fermentation) by pouring hot boiling water inside and out and drying them. OR you can use coals that have turned into white embers by putting them in a metal bowl and turning over the hangari on top so that the hangari gets filled with HOT smoke which will also sterilize the pot. I used both methods just to be sure. Here is a picture of how it was done:
Tools for sterilizing korean hangari or onggi (glazed clay vessel) for making gochujang
Tools needed for sterilizing korean hangari or onggi (glazed clay vessel) for making gochujang: tongs, metal bowl, coals and sesame seeds(optional) for extra smoky flavor!
Hot coals with sesame seeds for sterilizing gochujang hangari
Hot coals with sesame seeds for sterilizing gochujang hangari
Gochujang hangari upside down with coal inside
Gochujang hangari upside down with hot coals inside

The hangari will smell very smoky at first, but it will go away as you air it for a day or two. It is also the intention to have a little bit of sesame seed smoky flavor. If you don’t want this, just use hot water.

  • THE NIGHT BEFORE: Soak malt barley (all 750 g of it!) in 5 litre of cold water for 5 hrs or more.
  • THE NIGHT BEFORE: Soak sweet rice in water for 3-4 hrs or more.
  • ON THE DAY OF: Strain soaked sweet rice through a colander and remove all excess water. Let water drain for 5 min. Grind sweet rice with a blender or chopper as fine as you can make it. Set aside. Alternatively I think you can buy ready made sweet rice powder and use that instead.
  • Massage malt barley with your hands, by getting a handful and squeezing them in the water. Repeat many times throughout the malt mixture.
  • Strain malt barley through a fine sieve or medium grade cheesecloth to just get the liquid and some fine white sediments. We just don’t want any little bits of husks. I used my Williams-Sonoma towel and it was perfect! *** Dampen cloth/towel by wetting it with water and wringing out before to speed up straining.
    Malt barley (yeotkireum) in cheese cloth in a bowl

    Malt barley (yeotkireum) in cheesecloth

  • Straining malt barley through cheese cloth
    Judith straining malt barley through cheesecloth – so nice to have another set of hands so I can take a picture of it!!
    Strained Malt Barley liquid in stainless steel bowl

    Malt Barley liquid strained using cheesecloth

  • Add sweet rice powder to strained liquid from 7.
  • Leave mixture in the oven with a temperature of about 60°C (140°F) for 5 hrs. Stir a couple times during the 5 hrs if you can. I ended up not being able to since Judith and I went out to lunch and it turned out fine… 🙂
  • Malt Barley (YeotKireum) liquid in warm temp changes starch into sugar
    Malt Barley (YeotKireum) liquid in warm temp changes starch into sugar and is cloudy when stirred
  • Remove malt barley + sweet rice mixture from oven and cook on stove top. About medium high -> medium heat until liquid has reduced by about 20%. Stir often to prevent any burning and lumps. Let it cool.
  • Malt barley liquid with sweet rice powder - fermented and reduced for gochujang base
    Malt barley liquid with sweet rice powder – fermented and reduced for gochujang base
  • Once liquid is cooled, add fine gochugaru, mejugaru and sea salt.
  • Fine Gochukaru and Mejukaru for gochujang
    Fine Gochugaru and Mejukaru for gochujang

    It made me happy just looking at them, smelling the beautiful and familiar smells – the spicy gochukaru tickling my nose and then the very endearingly stinky deonjang smell from the mejukaru taking me back to my childhood..to the days when moms made everything at home.

    Korean gochujang in the making - gochukaru, mejukaru and sea salt added to fermented malt barley liquid
    Korean gochujang in the making – gochukaru, mejukaru and sea salt added to fermented malt barley liquid
  • Finally add rice syrup (jocheong 조청) – add more or less to your taste.
  • Mix everything well, you won’t need to go the gym today (at least for your arms anyway).  Wow.. My arms are kind of sore from mixing!! Make sure everything is all mixed thoroughly. It is OK if you see little granules of sea salt because they will dissolve eventually. Your gochujang mixture should look something like this –
  • Freshly made gochujang ready for 6 month fermentation - close up
    Freshly made gochujang ready for 6 month fermentation – close up
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the bowl overnight. Taste it next day and it should taste pretty good already. Add more syrup or salt to your taste. Mix everything well one last time.
  • Transfer gochujang into the prepared, sanitized clay pot (hangari 항아리). Wipe the top and side edges clean. Sprinkle top with sea salt to help keep any bad bacteria from growing on the surface.
  • Home made gochujang ready for 6 month fermentation in full sun!!
    Home made gochujang ready for 6 month fermentation in full sun!!
  • Leave in full sun for 6 months. The sun helps to kill any fungus from forming on top. Cover the top with a fine mosquito net or mesh that will keep the bugs away but let the sun in. Tie the net with a string so it stays put. For me, I was lucky enough to buy a glass lid for my onngi/hangari (clay jar) in Korea that lets the sun in, keeps the rain out and allows air to circulate through meshed sides. A great invention!
  • Gochujang in clay pot with glass top
    Gochujang in clay pot (onggi) with glass top

    And I hope to share with you how my gochujang turns out under the California sun in the next 6 months.

    Gochujang is all made and ready for 6 month fermentation!
    Gochujang is all made and ready for 6 month fermentation!

    The salt crystals are like little diamonds~~ love love love..♥♥♥

    Well, I know this is probably not something you can make easily and you need various special ingredients and vessels but I thought I would share it with you so that at least you get to experience and know what is involved in making the amazing gochujang the traditional and authentic way.

    • You can also buy Korean Traditional Earthenware for fermentation on Amazon.com. The size is not very big so you may need more than one but it should work. I have selected a few below.
    • If you REALLY want to buy the Korean Hangari/Onggi in the US, try visiting a larger Korean grocery market or I do have one online HERE in my Amazon shop.

    Have a great weekend and Happy Valentine’s!!

    Here’s my new Video on how to make Gochujang at home!

    How to make Gochujang at home

    JinJoo

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    4.84 from 43 votes
    gochujang in korean clay jar on grass

    How to make Gochujang at home

    How to make gochujang at home the traditional and authentic way. It is a lot of work but will be nothing like the ones you buy at the stores. Makes about 1 gallon (4 quarts).
    Prep: 6 hours
    Cook: 6 hours
    Total Time: 12 hours
    serves: 4 quarts

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 kg Fine Red Chili powder (Goun Gochukaru 고운 고추가루) (1.5kg = 3.3 lb)
    • 500 g Fermented Soy Bean powder (Meju Karu 메주가루) (500g = 1.1 lb)
    • 1 kg Sweet Rice powder (Chapsal Karu 찹쌀가루) (1 kg = 2.2 lb)
    • 750 g Milled Malt Barley (Yeotkireum Karu 엿기름가루) (750g = 1.65 lb)
    • 750 g Sea Salt with bittern removed (Cheonilyeom 천일염) (750g = 1.65 lb)
    • 1 kg Rice Syrup (Jocheong 조청) (1 kg = 2.2 lb)
    • 5 L water (5 litre = 5.2 quart)
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • THE NIGHT BEFORE: Soak malt barley (all 750 g of it!) in 5 litre of cold water for 5 hrs or more.
    • THE NIGHT BEFORE: Soak sweet rice in water for 3-4 hrs or more.
    • NEXT MORNING: Strain soaked sweet rice through a colander and remove all excess water.
    • Grind sweet rice with a blender or chopper as fine as you can make it. Set aside.
    • Strain malt barley through a fine sieve or medium grade cheese cloth to just get the liquid and some fine white sediments.
    • Add sweet rice powder to strained liquid from above.
    • Leave mixture in the oven with a temperature of about 60°C (140°F) for 5 hrs.
    • Remove malt barley + sweet rice mixture from oven and cook on stove top.
    • Start at medium high -> medium heat until liquid has reduced by about 20%. Let it cool.
    • Once liquid is cooled, add fine gochukaru, meju karu and sea salt.
    • Add rice syrup (jocheong 조청) – add more or less to your taste.
    • Mix everything well.
    • Transfer gochujang into the prepared, sanitized clay pot (hangari 항아리).
    • Sprinkle top with handful of sea salt.
    • Leave in full sun for 6 months.

    Tips & Notes:

    The sun helps to kill any fungus from forming on top. Cover the top with a fine mosquito net or mesh that will keep the bugs away but let the sun in. Tie the net with a string so it stays put. Cover with a lid when it rains and at night time to keep moisture out.
    Please check out my blog post for more details on how to sterilize the pot 1-2 days before.
    Author: JinJoo Lee
    Course:Main Course
    Cuisine:Korean
    Keyword:chili paste, fermentation, korean chili paste
    KoreanCategory:Yangnyeom (양념)
    Did You Make This?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @Kimchimari or #kimchimari and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below!

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    216 Comments
    1. Maria says

      Posted on 15 January 2023 at 8:37 am

      How many servings is it in the video?

      Reply
      • JinJoo says

        Posted on 18 January 2023 at 8:14 pm

        Honestly, I can’t remember exactly, but I think it was probably the double amount of the recipe I posted. So it would be around 8 quarts. I can’t say how many servings since you don’t eat Gochujang like a meal.. haha.. Let me know if you have more questions thank you.

        Reply
    2. Dawn says

      Posted on 14 November 2022 at 8:23 am

      Thanks so much for sharing this! Even though I will likely never make this the fully traditional way, it’s so great to know the accurate traditional ingredients and process as a starting point to whatever shortcuts we may choose.

      Reply
      • JinJoo says

        Posted on 14 November 2022 at 9:00 pm

        Thank you for your appreciation!

        Reply
    3. Cam says

      Posted on 11 October 2022 at 1:53 am

      Hi JinJoo
      Thank you for this recipe.
      I messed up my timing and put the malt to soak overnight. But I can’t complete the process this morning (unexpected event). Would like to know how long I can let the malt soak in water, and should I change water maybe ?
      Thank you !

      Reply
      • JinJoo says

        Posted on 11 October 2022 at 9:55 am

        Hi Cam, no it should be fine as is. Don’t change the water because all that’s in the water is what you will need. Soaking longer shouldn’t be a problem as long as it wasn’t too warm for too long. Just continue the process and it should work out. Good luck!

        Reply
        • Cam says

          Posted on 13 October 2022 at 9:48 pm

          Thank you for answering so fast !
          You were right, no issue with the malt soaking longer. Your recipe were easy to follow, thanks to your very detailed instructions !
          Now, the most difficult part starts : the 6-month wait.

        • JinJoo says

          Posted on 14 October 2022 at 9:06 pm

          Of course! I knew you were probably worried – and yes, 6 month wait is hard but that day will come! Just make sure no rain gets into it and stir it every now and then. If you ever get mold on top, just remove it, sprinkle a little salt and continue on. Good luck!

    4. Trish says

      Posted on 24 September 2022 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing!!! We made it in February and just pulled it today. How do you store it when you’re finished? I want to make doenjang as well, and will need my Hangari for that. Thank you

      Reply
      • JinJoo says

        Posted on 24 September 2022 at 4:00 pm

        Wow – so happy to hear that you made it!! You can store it at room temp for months if you added the full amount of salt. But you can also keep it in the fridge for longer storage. I usually leave out a jar to use everyday and store the rest in the fridge until I need more. I need to make a Doenjang recipe as well. Hopefully next year. Good luck and enjoy!!

        Reply
    5. Kali says

      Posted on 15 May 2022 at 7:08 am

      Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe and the detailed description and video. So helpful. I’ve been looking for all natural gochujang here in Europe for so long without any success and finally decided to make my own after studying your recipe^^ I bought an onggi from South Korea via etsy (along with a lovely glass lid) and made my very first batch yesterday. The thing is, we have unusually high temperatures for May this year – it gets easily up to 26-29 degrees celsius, so I was wondering, do I still leave it outside in full sun or should I find a different solution? Can the higher temperatures spoil the whole batch or does it “just” ferment faster? Thanks so much for all your insights!

      Reply
      • JinJoo says

        Posted on 20 May 2022 at 10:30 am

        Yes, you can still leave it out in full sun. Higher temperature will be fine but you may want to watch to see if it’s evaporating too fast before it’s fully fermented. Normally, in Korea, we will have finished the fermentation by early summer. What you have to make sure is that it doesn’t get rained on. It should not get wet. Hope that helps!

        Reply
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