# Go Chu Jang - "Korean Ketchup" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2017, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-chu-jang-korean-ketchup/779284 "2017-02-07T22:44:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2017, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-chu-jang-korean-ketchup/779284/1 "2017-02-07T22:44:13Z")
Does anyone have a recipe for this stuff? I’ve developed a taste for the sauce that comes in a bottle (Annie Chun brand) but is kind of pricey as compared to other condiments and it can be difficult to find where I live. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-chu-jang-korean-ketchup/779284/2 "2017-02-07T23:04:35Z")
The kind I’m familiar with is a paste. [Here’s a recipe](http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/gochujang), but you’ll need access to a bunch of Korean ingredients, so if you don’t have a Korean grocery nearby, it’ll be tough to find (or just order via Amazon.) Plus it takes a couple months to ferment. How expensive is your stuff? I have a 500g tub here from the Asian market and it’s $1.99. It’s a standard ingredient in Korean cooking. I don’t know about this sauce version, though. The stuff I’ve always used is the consistency of something like a peanut butter. I’m assuming Annie’s is a more watery version of this stuff, looking at the ingredients. I also see that it contains vinegar, so there’s a chance it’s not fermented and the acidity comes from the vinegar. For it to taste right, though, I would definitely recommend getting gochugaru, crushed Korean red peppers, as other types of peppers just don’t taste correct to me. (Which, coincidentally, I picked up at the market yesterday afternoon, too.) Still, I think you’re better off just buying it. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-chu-jang-korean-ketchup/779284/3 "2017-02-09T17:43:50Z")
I think its something like $3.49 for a ten oz bottle. I can find it cheaper ($2.50) and more expensive ($12.95?! - although I think the ad is incorrect and its a six pack) Its the consistency of a thick ketchup. I like to to mix it with mayo for a dip for raw veggies. That recipe is waaaay too involved for me so maybe I’ll try some other brands or the local Asian market. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-chu-jang-korean-ketchup/779284/4 "2017-02-09T17:50:36Z")
Interesting article on making it; > **[Hot pepper paste (Gochujang)](https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/gochujang)** > > I'm thrilled to introduce you to my homemade Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang) recipe today. Yes, eventually! Over the years so many of my readers and viewers have requested the recipe for gochujang, but I thought I couldn't make it until I visited... \*"Besides this, gochujang should not be made in the heat of summer or it will ferment too fast and explode. One of my Korean friends studying in the USA brought a container filled with his mother’s homemade gochujang on the airplane. He took it in his carry on. A long time ago, it was possible for people to bring gooey stuff like hot pepper paste, soybean paste, and even kimchi on an airplane. We have so many funny stories about this. So my friend’s gochujang exploded on the airplane. Store bought gochujang is processed to stop fermenting, but homemade gochujang never stops, just like kimchi. The gas from the fermentation process kept pushing the lid of the container until it blew up. My friend’s mother must have packed it tightly with plastic bags and tape."\*