Spicy Dweji Deungppyeo Jjim (Braised Pork Backbones)
A hearty main braised dish of well-boiled pork backbones simmered with crunchy soybean sprouts and a spicy sauce, then thickened with starch slurry.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
A hearty main dish made by braising tender, boiled pork backbones with crunchy soybean sprouts and a spicy seasoning in a shallow broth. A starch slurry is swirled in to thicken the sauce, and its spicy kick makes it perfect as a drinking snack or for entertaining guests.
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pork backbone1 kg
- Soybean sprouts3 handfuls, 300 g
- Onion1
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)3
- Red chili pepper1
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalks
- Pork backbone broth2.5 cups (2 1/2 cups)
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)6 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)3 tbsp
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Cheongju (Korean rice wine) (or mirin (cooking rice wine))2 tbsp
- Minced ginger1/2 tbsp (1/2 tsp)
- Ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- Salta little
Starch slurry
- Potato starch (or potato starch)3 tbsp
- Water3 tbsp (mix the water and potato starch together)
- You need to clean the pork backbones and simmer them for about 2 to 3 hours so the meat falls easily from the bone and the broth turns milky white.
- Preparing perilla leaves or water dropwort (minari) to add makes the braised dish even more delicious.
- Rice cakes also go well with spicy seasoning, so you can add a few.
Steps
To make dweji deungppyeo jjim, first clean the pork backbones and boil them for about 2 to 3 hours until the meat separates easily from the bones and the broth turns a milky white.
For the soybean sprouts, I prepared two large handfuls of thick sprouts for braising. Slice the remaining vegetables roughly on the diagonal. Adding perilla leaves or water dropwort (minari) makes the dish even tastier.
Combine all the seasoning ingredients except the salt. Adding 2 to 3 tbsp of water or broth helps the sauce mix smoothly.
Place the well-boiled backbones into a large shallow pan and spread the seasoning evenly over them.
Pile the soybean sprouts on top of the backbones and pour in the pork backbone broth.
Cover with a lid and cook until the soybean sprouts wilt down.
Once the soybean sprouts wilt, open the lid, add all the remaining vegetables, stir together, taste the broth, and adjust with salt if it is too bland.
Rather than pouring the starch slurry in one spot, drizzle it evenly around, then stir over high heat so the ingredients come together and the sauce turns thick. You can also pour in more broth and add sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) at the end to cook and enjoy.
Ppunwife's tips
- Adding 2 to 3 tbsp of water or broth makes the seasoning easier to mix.
- Rather than pouring the starch slurry in one spot, drizzle it evenly all over, then stir over high heat so the ingredients come together and the sauce thickens nicely.
- You can also pour in more broth and add sweet potato glass noodles at the end to cook and enjoy.
- It is spicy enough to enjoy as a drinking snack, and if you fry rice in the leftover sauce, you will not be able to put your spoon down even when you are full.
FAQ
How long should I boil the pork backbones?
Boil them thoroughly for about 2 to 3 hours until the meat separates tenderly from the bone and the broth turns a milky white.
Are there other ingredients that are good to add besides the basic vegetables?
Adding fragrant water dropwort (minari) or perilla leaves enhances the flavor, and depending on your preference, adding rice cakes or soaked sweet potato glass noodles also works very well.
What should I be careful of when adding the starch slurry?
Pour it evenly so it does not clump in one spot, then stir well over high heat with the ingredients to achieve a thick consistency.
How do I use the leftover seasoned broth after cooking?
After eating the backbones and soybean sprouts, adding rice to the leftover spicy sauce to make fried rice is a real treat.
