Product Code Database
Gochujang or red chili paste
is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochugaru (red chili powder), glutinous rice, meju (fermented soybean) powder, yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with Saccharification enzymes during the fermentation process. Traditionally, it would be naturally fermented over years in jangdok (earthenware) on an elevated stone platform called jangdokdae in the backyard.
Chili peppers, which originated in the Americas, were introduced to East Asia by Portuguese traders in the early 16th century. (2025). 9788973755714, Korean Culture and Information Service, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. . ISBN 9788973755714 There is mention of a type of chili pepper brought to Korea found in Collected Essays of Jibong, an encyclopedia published in 1614. Sallim gyeongje, a book from , discussed the cultivation methods of chili peppers.
The history of Sunchang gochujang's becoming a regional speciality dates back to the 14th century at the start of the Joseon Dynasty era (1392–1910) when the founder Yi Seong-gye made gochujang from the Sunchang region a part of Korean palace cuisine.
When Yi Seong-gye, who went on to become the founder and first king of Joseon as King Taejo, was on a trip to Manilsa Temple to pray to the mountain god, he is said to have eaten a bowl of barley bibimbab (spicy mixed rice with vegetables) with gochujang that he found unforgettably delicious. He loved it so much that he ordered it served to the royal family when he became king. Thus Sunchang gochujang gained fame as a regional specialty.In the 18th-century books, Somun saseol () and Revised and Augmented Farm Management, gochujang is written as , using hanja characters 苦椒醬 and 古椒醬. It is also mentioned that Sunchang County was renowned for its gochujang production. China and Japan, the countries with which Korea has historically shared the most culture and trade, do not include gochujang in their traditional cuisines.
Other recipes use glutinous rice (), normal short-grain rice (), or barley. Less common additions include whole wheat kernels, , pumpkin, and sweet potato. A small amount of sweetener, such as sugar, syrup, or honey, is also sometimes added. The finished product is a dark red paste, with a rich, piquant flavor.
The making of gochujang at home began tapering off when commercial production came into the mass market in the early 1970s. Now, most Koreans purchase gochujang at grocery stores or markets. It is still used extensively in Korean cooking to flavor stews ( jjigae), such as in gochujang jjigae; to marinate meat, such as in gochujang bulgogi; and as a condiment for naengmyeon and bibimbap.
Gochujang is also used as a base for making other condiments, such as chogochujang () and ssamjang (). Chogochujang is a variant of gochujang made by adding vinegar and other seasonings, such as sugar and sesame seeds. It is usually used as a sauce for hoe and hoedeopbap. Similarly, ssamjang is a mixture of mainly gochujang and doenjang, with chopped onions and other spicy seasonings, and it is popular with sangchussam ().
Gochujang products are assigned to one of the five levels of spiciness: Mild, Slight Hot, Medium Hot, Very Hot, and Extreme Hot.
| Extreme Hot | > 100 |
| Very Hot | 75–100 |
| Medium Hot | 45–75 |
| Slight Hot | 30–45 |
| Mild | < 30 |
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