Beef jangjorim is one of those Korean side dishes I always like having in the fridge. The beef is cooked until tender, then simmered in a savory soy sauce with garlic, mushrooms, and chili peppers. It’s simple, flavorful, and especially good with a bowl of warm rice.
🍚 A Simple Korean Side Dish That Goes With Everything
Jangjorim is actually quite easy to make, and most of the ingredients are simple things you can find at any grocery store. The only downside is that it takes a little time to cook the beef until tender. But I think it’s worth it. I like making a good batch, keeping it in the fridge, and having a tasty side dish ready whenever I need one.
For this version, I added mushrooms, whole garlic cloves, and a few chili peppers. I usually just use whatever mushrooms I have in the fridge, so you don’t need to buy a specific kind. I also like adding leftover onion, green onion, and garlic when I cook the beef. Even if the vegetables are starting to look a little tired, they’re still great for making a flavorful broth.
When I have jangjorim in the fridge, all I really need is a bowl of warm rice. Add a few pieces of beef and mushrooms, spoon some of the savory sauce over the rice, and that’s it. Simple, comforting, and so good.
🛒Ingredients
For the Beef
✓ 700 g beef
✓ 600 ml water, or enough to mostly cover the beef
✓ ½ onion
✓ 1 green onion
✓ 6 whole garlic cloves
✓ 3 slices ginger
For the Jangjorim
✓ 100 ml soy sauce
✓ 3 Tbsp cooking wine
✓ 2 Tbsp sugar
✓ 400 ml beef broth
✓ 8 whole garlic cloves
✓ Mushrooms, as much as you like
✓ 2 chili peppers
✓ A pinch of black pepper
🍳 How to Make Korean Beef Jangjorim
Step 1. Cook the Beef
Place 700 g of beef in a pot with 600 ml water, or enough to mostly cover the beef. Add ½ onion, 1 green onion, 6 whole garlic cloves, and 3 slices of ginger.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, skim off any foam and excess fat from the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 50–70 minutes, or until the beef is tender.
I add onion, green onion, garlic, and ginger to keep the broth fresh and flavorful and to reduce any strong beefy smell.
Step 2. Slice the Beef
Once the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and let it cool slightly. Slice it thinly against the grain, about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick.
Strain the broth and set aside 400 ml for the jangjorim sauce.
Step 3. Simmer the Beef
Add the sliced beef, 400 ml of strained beef broth, soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, whole garlic cloves, and black pepper to a pot. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beef has absorbed the flavor of the sauce.
If there are any ingredients you’d like to keep a little more firm, such as mushrooms or chili peppers, add them during the last 5–10 minutes of cooking.
🍽️ Recipe Tips & Serving Suggestions
✓ A little fat is okay. It actually makes the jangjorim more tender and flavorful. Just trim off any large pieces of fat if you prefer.
✓ Don’t skip the aromatics. Onion, green onion, garlic, and ginger help get rid of the strong beefy smell and add more flavor to the broth.
✓ Let it cool before storing. Store the jangjorim in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I think it tastes even better after the flavors have had time to soak in.
❓ FAQ
Q. Can I use a different cut of beef?
A. Yes. You can use other cuts of beef that become tender with slow cooking. I actually like using a cut with a little fat because it makes the jangjorim more tender and flavorful.
Q. Can I skip the mushrooms or chili peppers?
A. Of course. They’re completely optional, so feel free to leave them out or use whatever you have in your fridge.
Q. Can I make jangjorim ahead of time?
A. Yes. Jangjorim is great for making ahead. The beef soaks up more of the sauce as it sits, so I actually think it tastes even better the next day.
Q. How should I store jangjorim?
A. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. You can simply take out what you need and enjoy it cold with warm rice.
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Korean Beef Jangjorim
Ingredients
Method
- Add the beef, water, onion, green onion, garlic, and ginger to a pot. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then simmer for 60 minutes until tender.
- Remove the beef and let it cool slightly. Slice it against the grain, about 5 mm thick. Strain the broth and set aside 400 ml.
- Add the beef, 400 ml broth, soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, garlic, and black pepper to a pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and chili peppers during the last 5–10 minutes of cooking.
Hi, I’m Vella, a Korean home cook sharing easy Korean recipes for everyday cooking. I focus on simple recipes, practical tips, and ingredients that are easy to find outside Korea.