Gamja Jjageuri (Thick Potato and Pork Stew) with Mashed Canned Ham
A super simple stew simmered down thick with mashed canned ham and potatoes.
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 gamja jjageuri is made by roughly crushing Spam by hand rather than cutting it with a knife, drawing out deep flavor quickly. Simmered until the broth is thick and reduced, it is not too salty and makes a wonderful side dish spooned over rice with plenty of hearty chunks.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Cook time
- 5 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Spam200 g (small can)
- Potato1 (large)
- Onion1/2
- Shiitake mushrooms2
- Large green onion (daepa)1/3 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Anchovy broth (or water)2 1/2 cups
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- You can also substitute seasoned pork for the Spam, and it will still be delicious.
- Potatoes and onions are essential for jjageuri to taste good, but the rest of the ingredients can be adjusted based on whatever you have in the fridge.
Steps
Prepare a small can of Spam. Potatoes and onions are essential for jjageuri to taste delicious.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients depending on what you have in your fridge,
and cut them into bite-sized, thick pieces.
Put all the sliced ingredients into a shallow hot pot pan,
and roughly mash the Spam by hand.
It seems to draw out flavor into the broth much faster than cutting it with a knife.
Add all the seasonings except for the black pepper, and pour in the broth (or water).
Place over high heat, and once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer.
Stir once so the seasonings and ingredients blend well,
then simmer for about 4–5 minutes until the ingredients are fully cooked and the broth becomes thick and reduced.
Finally, sprinkle with ground black pepper and stir together to finish.
Ppunwife's tips
- Roughly mashing the Spam by hand draws out flavor into the broth much faster than cutting it with a knife.
FAQ
Can I use other meat instead of Spam?
You can make it deliciously by using seasoned pork instead of Spam.
Why do you mash the Spam instead of slicing it?
Mashing it draws out rich, savory flavors into the broth much faster in a short amount of time than cutting it with a knife.
What should I do if I don't have anchovy broth?
It is completely fine to cook it with an equal amount of plain water instead of anchovy broth.
