Spicy Budae Jjigae (Army Stew) with Sour Kimchi and Sausages
A rich, hearty stew made by simmering ham and sausages with aged sour kimchi and beef bone broth.
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 →
This stew combines ham and sausages with soybean sprouts and aged sour kimchi for a refreshing yet deeply savory flavor. Crushing half of the Spam enriches the broth even further, and adding ramen noodles and cheese makes it a hearty meal. Spicy and warm, it is wonderful for dinner or as a snack with drinks.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Aged sour kimchi1 cup
- Spam200 g
- Sausage2, 120 g
- Soybean sprouts100 g
- Tofu1/4 block
- Onion1/4
- Enoki mushrooms1/2 pack
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalks
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Ramen noodles1
- Cheddar cheese1 slice
- Beef bone broth (or anchovy broth)4 cups
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Instead of ramen noodles, soaked glass noodles or rice cakes also work well.
- Keep the saltiness of store-bought beef bone broth in mind when adjusting the soup soy sauce, or use anchovy broth instead.
- You can reduce the amount of Spam and add finely diced pork.
- Cut half of the Spam into bite-sized pieces and mash the other half to help flavor the broth.
Steps
Instead of ramen noodles, soaked glass noodles or rice cakes are also great.
For store-bought beef bone broth, adjust the amount of soup soy sauce in the seasoning to account for its saltiness, or you can substitute anchovy broth.
Chop the aged sour kimchi a bit finely to make one cup, and prepare the soybean sprouts for a refreshing taste.
Cut the tofu, Spam, and sausages into bite-sized pieces.
I cut half of the Spam into bite-sized pieces and mashed the other half so the flavor would infuse well into the broth.
(I borrowed this tip from Baek Jong-won.)
You can also reduce the amount of Spam and add finely diced pork.
Thickly slice the onion, large green onion, and chili peppers on a bias.
Arrange all the ingredients in a shallow hot pot, pour in the broth,
add all of the seasoning, and bring it to a rolling boil.
Once it comes to a boil, stir well with a spoon so the seasoning blends evenly,
taste it and add soup soy sauce or salt if it is too bland,
then add the ramen noodles in the center and cook just until the noodles are done.
Finish by topping with the cheddar cheese.
Ppunwife's tips
- Mashing half of the Spam helps infuse rich flavor into the broth.
- If using store-bought beef bone broth, adjust the amount of soup soy sauce in the seasoning to account for its salt content.
FAQ
What broth can I use if I do not have beef bone broth?
You can use anchovy broth instead of beef bone broth to make the soup.
Why do you mash some of the Spam?
Mashing half of the Spam releases its savory flavor much more deeply into the broth.
Are there other additions I can use instead of ramen noodles?
Pre-soaked sweet potato glass noodles or rice cakes work wonderfully instead of ramen noodles.
How do I season the stew when using store-bought beef bone broth?
Consider the saltiness of the store-bought broth and adjust the soup soy sauce in the seasoning accordingly, then adjust with salt or soup soy sauce after boiling if needed.
