Fermented Soybean Paste (Doenjang)

Doenjang is an essential ingredient in Korean cuisine. Salty, earthy, and hearty, it’s very versatile and used in many recipes in this book. It adds its distinctive flavor to countless soups, stews, side dishes, and marinades. It is not a “quick and easy” recipe, to say the least—the batch you start this year won’t be ready for almost a year. Traditionally Koreans start it in the winter, so the freshly made soybean blocks can dry and ferment in a cool place in the house without spoiling, as they would in warmer weather. Making doenjang in my apartment is a different story; I can control the temperature, so I can make soybean paste anytime, although starting in the winter seems most natural to me. Depending on the climate in your area and your kitchen, you will need to plan your doenjang making accordingly. When you taste homemade doenjang, you will be amazed by how delicious it is, especially compared to the commercial product. Even the simplest bean paste soup made with it is irresistible. In addition, Korean Soup Soy Sauce is a by-product of doenjang. So let’s get started!

Makes about 5 quarts

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 pounds dried yellow soybeans (meju-kong), picked over, rinsed, and soaked in cold water for 24 hours
• 3½ gallons water
• 5 quarts plus ¼ cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 dried jujubes (daechu)
• 3 large dried hot chili red peppers (any variety; about 4 inches long)
• 3 (4-x-1½-x-1-inch) pieces hardwood charcoal

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drain the beans and put them in a large heavy pot. Add water that is three times as deep as the beans, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 1 hour.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking until the beans are soft enough mash easily, 4½ to 5 hours, checking to make sure the beans remain covered with water, and replenishing as necessary. Drain the beans in a colander.
3. Mash the drained beans to a paste in batches with a large mortar andpestle or in a food processor. Divide the mashed beans into 3 portions. Knead each portion with both hands and shape into a firm rectangular block measuring 6 x 3 x 4 inches.
4. Traditionally Koreans dry the bean blocks on the heated floor of their homes, but I use an electric blanket. Line the blanket with a clean cotton cloth or waxed paper and set the blocks on top. Set the heat to low. Dry the blocks, rotating them occasionally, until they are solid enough to hang, 3 to 4 days.
5. Tie each block up in cotton twine and hang them from the ceiling with hooks—all sides of the blocks should be exposed to air. Let the blocks hang for 6 weeks.
6. Now it’s time to ferment the bean blocks. Place a layer of dried rice straw or hay in the bottom of a cardboard box that’s just big enough to hold the blocks with a little space between them; the straw will insulate the blocks and attract good bacteria like Bacillus subtilis in the air. (Don’t worry if you can’t find straw or hay; the blocks will still attract good bacteria.) Cover the box and wrap the entire box with the electric blanket. Set the heat to low and let the bean blocks ferment for 2 weeks. At this point, the well-fermented bean blocks will smell a little earthy and pungent and will be covered with white, brownish-yellow, or sometimes greenish fungi. (These fungi change the bean proteins to peptides and amino acids, which will give the bean paste its delicious nutty flavor.)
7. Tie the fermented bean blocks up in cotton twine and hang from the ceiling, as before, for 1 month.
8. Wash the blocks in cold water to remove the fungi. Place the blocks in a shallow basket or on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and let them dry in the sunlight for 1 day, turning them until every side of each block is dried.
9. Combine the 3½ gallons water and 5 quarts of the kosher salt in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until the salt is thoroughly dissolved.
10.  Set out a 4-to 5-gallon earthenware crock. Set 2 pieces of the charcoal on a gas burner; turn on the flame, and heat until they are glowing red. (If you don’t have a gas burner, use the broiler: Put the charcoal pieces under the broiler and turn it on; remove the charcoal when it is red.) Use tongs to transfer the charcoal to the earthenware crock. Drizzle the honey over the burning charcoal. Cover the crock and wait for 5 minutes. Remove the lid. You will see lots of smoke and smell a good caramel aroma. This process sterilizes the inside of the crock and will give the sauce good flavor.
11. Remove the charcoal and wipe the inside of the crock with paper towels. Add the bean blocks and salted water to the crock. Add the remaining piece of charcoal, the jujubes, and dried hot peppers; they will float on the surface of the water. (The charcoal will attract and absorb any dust. The jujubes add sweetness and the dried red peppers help prevent the blocks from going bad.) Cover the crock with flour sacking or cheesecloth and put on the lid. Let the blocks soak in the salty water until well fermented, 2 to 3 months. On clear days during the fermentation period, it’s best to remove the lid and let the crock sit in the sunlight during the day and close it at night—be sure to keep the crock covered with the cloth so bugs and dust can’t get in. As time passes, the salty water will turn brown and smell like deeply fermented soy sauce.
12. Discard the charcoal, jujubes, and peppers. Transfer the soaked bean blocks to a large bowl. The blocks may have broken up during the soak, so use a bowl to scoop the soy sauce out of the crock and into a sieve set over another large bowl. Add any pieces of bean block to the bean block bowl. Save the liquid for making Korean Soup Soy Sauce.
13. Mix the doenjang with both hands, breaking it up into a paste, and transfer it to a 5-quart earthenware crock. Pack it down and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup salt. Cover with the cotton cloth, secure it with a rubber band, and put on the lid.
14. Put the doenjang crock in a sunny spot for its final fermentation. About twice a week on sunny days, remove the lid and let the sunlight shine into the crock through the cotton cloth. When it’s well fermented, the doenjang will smell sweet and taste salty and earthy, with a deep flavor. This will take 5 to 6 months.
15. Store the doenjang in the crock at room temperature. Whenever you take some out, press the rest down with a spoon to keep out the air. Once in a while, take the lid off, cover with a cotton cloth, and let the sun hit it again.