Doenjang, ganjang and gochujang: Korean jang on the menu

Get to know doenjang, ganjang and gochujang through soybean paste stew, soy sauce-seasoned bulgogi and bibimbap. Explore the meju blocks, earthenware jars and household traditions behind Korean jang-making.

Doenjang, ganjang and gochujang: Korean jang on the menu

A bowl and a wooden spoon hold doenjang.

You encounter Korean jang when you choose doenjang-jjigae, order ganjang bulgogi or add gochujang to bibimbap.

Jang are the fermented seasonings that form the basis of Korean cooking.

Recognizing them in dish names makes it easier to choose the flavors you want, whether a savory soybean-paste broth, a soy sauce seasoning or a spicy sauce.

The savory flavor of doenjang in stew and soup

Doenjang is a soybean paste with a deep, savory flavor, used in doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) and doenjangguk (soybean paste soup).

Both are made by stirring doenjang into broth and simmering it, so a bowl is a good way to get to know its taste over a meal.

If you prefer to avoid spicy food, ask when ordering, "Is this doenjang-jjigae spicy?" The heat can vary with the other seasonings added.

A black bowl holds doenjangguk, soybean paste soup.

Ganjang in bulgogi and jangjorim

Ganjang is soy sauce, a liquid seasoning whose salty base combines sweetness, umami and a distinctive aroma.

It seasons food while adding its own flavor and aroma.

Ganjang bulgogi (soy sauce-seasoned bulgogi), galbijjim (braised ribs) and jangjorim (a soy sauce braise) are familiar examples of how it is used.

Ganjang goes into marinades and braising liquids, so you can taste it in a dish even when there is no separate dipping bowl on the table.

If a menu offers both ganjang and gochujang seasonings, look at which jang gives each dish its main flavor. If you need to avoid chili, ask whether the soy sauce seasoning contains it too.

Gochujang with bibimbap

Gochujang combines the heat of chili powder with saltiness and umami, along with sweetness from its grain ingredients.

Adding it to bibimbap mixes these flavors through the rice and the other ingredients.

When the sauce comes on the side, add a little at a time to suit your taste. You can also ask for it separately when you order.

Some bibimbap dishes use doenjang or ganjang instead of gochujang.

Looking at the sauce as well as the dish name can help you choose a different flavor even when you are ordering bibimbap.

Gochujang is made by mixing meju powder, chili powder, grains, salt and other ingredients.

Glutinous rice is one option; barley and sorghum gochujang are among the varieties made with different ingredients and methods.

How meju becomes doenjang and ganjang

Meju blocks tied with straw are displayed at a market.

Meju is a base for making jang, prepared by boiling soybeans, shaping them into blocks and allowing them to ferment.

In the traditional method of making jang by soaking meju in salt water, the liquid and solids are separated in a step called janggareugi.

The liquid becomes ganjang, while the meju lifted out is mashed to make doenjang.

This is why doenjang and ganjang can look so different yet share the same starting point.

Gochujang is made separately by mixing meju powder with grains, chili powder, salt and other ingredients.

It does not come out of the same jar when doenjang and ganjang are separated.

Today, jang is made using newer production methods as well as traditional ones.

If you are curious about how it was made, look beyond the menu name to the information for the product the restaurant uses.

Jang-making culture around the jangdokdae

Onggi jars of different sizes stand together on a jangdokdae in a courtyard.

Onggi are earthenware vessels; those used to make and store jang are called jangdok.

Seeing jars gathered on a jangdokdae, the household area where they are kept, brings to mind the care given to jang at home before it reaches the table.

The flavors passed down in each household carry the family's history and traditions.

Knowledge of jang-making has been handed down within families, with communities and schools also helping to pass it on.

Customs such as using amulets or performing rituals in the hope that jang would ferment and mature well are part of this culture too.

In 2024, the knowledge, beliefs and practices related to jang-making in the Republic of Korea were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This includes preparing the ingredients, making and caring for jang, and eating it as part of daily life.

Behind the short seasoning names on a menu are these household practices and traditions.

If you need to avoid ingredients such as soybeans or wheat, ask about the ingredients in the jang as well as the dish's broth and other seasonings. You can find specific phrases in the guide to allergy and vegetarian requests.

For how dishes seasoned with jang fit into a meal, read understanding a table of banchan; for ordering and paying at your table, see the guide to eating at Korean restaurants.

Photo credits

• Doenjang · National Institute of Korean Language · CC BY-SA 2.0 KR · Cropped at the top and bottom

• Meju · hwayoungjung · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Unchanged

• Jangdokdae · Bernard Gagnon · CC0 1.0 · Resized

• Doenjangguk · Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Unchanged

Doenjang, ganjang and gochujang: Korean jang on the menu