Korean Potato Beef Stew Gamja Jjim Recipe
Gamja jjim is a thick Korean stew with potatoes and tender beef, braised in an aromatic, mildly spicy sauce. It’s similar to a classic beef stew, but uses soy sauce, garlic, and sesame instead of paprika. In Korea it often appears at family dinners because it handles long braising well and is easy to portion for a crowd.
This Korean-style stew combines the comfort of classic beef stew with the depth of soy sauce, garlic, and sesame, plus a gentle heat from gochugaru. It’s hearty, easy to share, and tastes even better after slow braising.
Chef's tips
Take your time browning the meat well at the beginning – this builds a deep, rich flavor base. Adjust the amount of gochugaru to your heat tolerance, and don’t skip the sesame oil at the end, as it gives the dish its characteristic aroma.
How to serve
Serve gamja jjim family-style in the center of the table with bowls of steamed white rice, kimchi, and a light cucumber or cabbage salad. It also works well as part of a larger Korean-inspired spread with banchan (small side dishes).
Ingredients
- stewing beef e.g. shoulder or neck, cut into large cubes - 500 g
- potato medium, cut into large chunks - 4 piece
- carrot cut into thick slices - 1 piece
- onion sliced into thin wedges - 1 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 4 cloves
- soy sauce - 4 tablespoon
- brown sugar - 1 tablespoon
- gochugaru Korean chili flakes; if you prefer it milder, use 1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon
- oil for searing the meat - 2 tablespoon
- water or beef stock - 500 ml
- sesame oil for finishing - 1 tablespoon
- chives chopped, for serving - 3 tablespoon
- toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels and, if the pieces are very large, cut them into chunks about two bites in size. Lightly salt the meat on all sides.
- Heat the oil over fairly high heat in a wide pot or deep pan. Add the meat in batches and sear for 3–4 minutes on each side until browned. Do not overcrowd the pot so the meat sears instead of steams.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Pour in the water or stock, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and gochugaru. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add the potatoes and carrots to the pot. Stir, cover, and simmer for another 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is very soft.
- If the sauce is too thin, uncover the pot and cook for another 5–10 minutes over higher heat until it thickens slightly. It should have the consistency of a thick sauce that coats the potatoes.
- Stir in the sesame oil at the end and taste. If needed, adjust the seasoning with an extra tablespoon of soy sauce or a pinch of sugar.
- Serve the stew sprinkled with chives and toasted sesame seeds, ideally with a bowl of white rice on the side.
Storage
Gulasz przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Po odgrzaniu smakuje jeszcze lepiej, bo smaki się przegryzają. Możesz go też zamrozić w porcjach i rozmrażać w lodówce przez noc.
