Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Servings
4
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Korean
Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)
Description
Budae Jjigae (Army Stew) is a Korean stew combining fermented kimchi with assorted processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and canned SPAM alongside tofu, onion, mushrooms, and scallions. The stew is assembled by cutting ingredients into bite-sized pieces arranged in a shallow pot, then simmered in a flavorful anchovy or other broth enriched with Korean chili powder (gochugaru), chili paste (gochujang), soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper.
Cooking until the bacon is fully done and kimchi softens creates a rich, spicy broth base. Optional instant ramen noodles can be briefly pre-boiled and added toward the end to absorb flavors without becoming overly mushy. The stew offers a satisfying mix of spicy, smoky, sour, and savory notes with varied textures from tender broth-soaked vegetables and meats.
This dish is often cooked and served at the table on a portable burner, allowing diners to add ingredients and adjust broth levels as they eat. Leftover processed meats can be frozen for future stews. Serving the noodles while they retain some chewiness improves enjoyment and prevents excessive thickening of the broth.
Ingredients
- 2 cups kimchi baechu (napa cabbage) variety
- 2 hot dogs or sausages
- 3 Bacon strips, or about 3 ounces fatty pork
- ⅓ SPAM about 4 ounces, canned
- 4 ounces tofu sliced, about 1/2-inch thick
- 1/2 onion medium, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4 mushrooms caps, sliced
- 2 scallions cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1/4 red bell pepper sliced, optional
- 4 cups anchovy broth More if you want extra broth. You can also use water, or beef or chicken stock
Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Korean red chili pepper flakes Use more for a spicier stew, gochugaru
- 1 teaspoon gochujang Korean red chili pepper paste
- 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce or salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 to 2 tablespoons broth or water
- black pepper to taste
Optional
- 1 instant ramyeon noodles Pre-boil right before adding to the stew to keep them from absorbing too much liquid from the stew, package
Instructions
- Cut the ingredients into bite size pieces, and arrange them in a medium size shallow pot. Mix all the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.
- Add the broth, and stir in the seasoning.
- Cook over medium high heat until the bacon is cooked through and the kimchi has softened. Add the optional ramyeon noodles and more broth or water if necessary. (The noodles soak up a lot of the liquid, so I briefly cook the ramyeon noodles in a separate pot of water before adding to the stew.)
Notes
- Use anchovy broth or good-quality beef or chicken broth for depth of flavor.
- Keep extra broth on hand to add while eating to maintain stew consistency.
- Pre-boil instant ramen noodles before adding to prevent them from absorbing too much liquid.
- Cooking over a portable burner at the table enriches the dining experience and allows additions during the meal.
- Leftover processed meats can be frozen for later use in this or similar stews.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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