Spicy and Sweet Summer Delicacy: Making Gochujang Pickles
Spicy and Sweet Summer Delicacy: Making Gochujang Pickles
Crispy and Delicious Every Time! The Perfect Gochujang Pickle Recipe for Summer
On hot summer days, a salty and savory pickle is a fantastic side dish that requires minimal effort! This summer, I’ve made a variety of pickles, including pickled cucumbers (oi-jangajji), cucumber pickles, onion pickles, and perilla leaf pickles. Today, I’m sharing my recipe for gochujang pickles, which are refreshingly appetizing. I found these photos from when I made them in early summer while organizing my pictures. Let’s make these incredibly crispy and flavorful gochujang pickles together!
Main Ingredients- 30 green chili peppers (putgochu)
- 20 Cheongyang peppers (add more if you like it spicier)
Pickling Brine- 2 cups soy sauce (400ml)
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt (100g)
- 2 cups rice vinegar (400ml)
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 2 cups water (400ml)
- 2 cups soy sauce (400ml)
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt (100g)
- 2 cups rice vinegar (400ml)
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 2 cups water (400ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the chili peppers thoroughly and prepare them. It’s crucial to dry them completely with paper towels or a clean cloth to remove all moisture. Any remaining water can cause the pickles to become mushy or spoil.
Step 2
Trim the stems off the chili peppers using scissors. Then, use a fork to prick each pepper 2-3 times. This allows the salty pickling brine to penetrate the peppers deeply, resulting in a richer flavor.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the delicious pickling brine! (For 30 green chili peppers and 20 Cheongyang peppers) In a pot, combine 2 cups of soy sauce, 1/2 cup of coarse sea salt, 2 cups of rice vinegar, 1 cup of sugar, and 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for another 2-3 minutes to completely dissolve the sugar and salt. (Tip: If you have leftover pickling brine, you can adjust the taste by adding a little more coarse salt, sugar, and vinegar, then boil and use it.)
Step 4
Pour the hot, freshly boiled pickling brine directly over the prepared chili peppers. Ensure the peppers are fully submerged in the brine. After pouring the brine, cover the container immediately to trap the heat. After half a day (about 6-8 hours), uncover and flip the peppers so the ones at the bottom are now on top. After a full day (24 hours), transfer the container to your kimchi refrigerator for storage. After one week, carefully drain only the brine back into a pot, bring it to a rolling boil, let it cool completely, and then pour it back over the peppers. Repeat this process of boiling and re-pouring twice. This will result in perfectly crisp and flavorful gochujang pickles! (The flavors will start to really meld after the second re-pouring.)
