장조림 · Soy-braised beef

Soy-braised beef

장조림

What exactly is it?

Meat is simmered in soy sauce, then shredded or cut into small pieces. Eggs or quail eggs often share the pot and turn brown as they absorb the seasoning. This salty side is eaten in small amounts with rice, rather than as a bowl of meat soup.

Main ingredients

Beef or pork, soy sauce and garlic; optional eggs, quail eggs or shishito peppers

Ordering and serving

Check whether the meat is beef or pork. Picking out only the eggs does not make a meat-free serving when everything has simmered in the same liquid.

Origins and changes

The late-Joseon cookbook Siuijeonseo describes reducing meat in soy sauce and tearing it into strands. That preserving method survives as a familiar rice accompaniment and lunchbox side.

Sources checked

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Dish to compare

Braised tofu · 두부조림Braised potato · 감자조림Soy-braised beans · 콩자반

Soy-braised beef

장조림

Main ingredients: Beef or pork, soy sauce and garlic; optional eggs, quail eggs or shishito peppers
Flavor and character: Meat is simmered in soy sauce, then shredded or cut into small pieces. Eggs or quail eggs often share the pot and turn brown as they absorb the seasoning. This salty side is eaten in small amounts with rice, rather than as a bowl of meat soup.
How to eat it: Check whether the meat is beef or pork. Picking out only the eggs does not make a meat-free serving when everything has simmered in the same liquid.

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Braised tofu

두부조림

Main ingredients: Tofu, soy sauce, scallion, garlic and oil; optional chili flakes
Flavor and character: Thick tofu slices absorb a soy-based sauce as they simmer. Pan-frying first gives the slices a firmer surface; cooking them directly in the sauce leaves them softer. Chili flakes make a red version, while soy-seasoned versions can be mild.
How to eat it: For a vegetarian meal, ask whether the braising liquid contains anchovy stock. Taste a little of the surface sauce to judge the chili heat.

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