Jangjorim

Name: Jangjorim
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 500 g Lean beef (eye of round, top round or shank); 1.2 L Water; 1 stalk Green onion; 1 thin slice Ginger; 120 ml Soy sauce; 2 tbsp Sugar; 15 cloves Garlic; 6 large Eggs; 80 g Kkwari-gochu (shishito) peppers

장조림

Romanization: jangjorim

Lean beef simmered in soy sauce until tender, then torn into strands and served in its savory broth, often with eggs, garlic and mild peppers.

Serves: 8
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 90 min

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Recipe

Ingredients · Serves 8

500 gLean beef (eye of round, top round or shank)cut into 5 cm chunks
1.2 LWater
1 stalkGreen onionfor the cooking water
1 thin sliceGingerfor the cooking water
120 mlSoy sauce
2 tbspSugar
15 clovesGarlicpeeled, left whole
6 largeEggshard-boiled and peeled; or about 20 quail eggs
80 gKkwari-gochu (shishito) peppersstems trimmed, pierced once with a fork

Method

Technique: Jorim: Braising in Seasoned Liquid

Step 1: Soak the beef in cold water for 20–30 minutes to draw out blood, changing the water once. Drain.
Step 2: Put the beef, 1.2 L water, green onion and ginger in a pot. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then simmer over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes, until a chopstick slides in easily.
Step 3: Remove the green onion and ginger. Add the soy sauce and sugar and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by roughly half.
Step 4: Add the garlic and peeled eggs and simmer for 10 minutes, turning the eggs so they color evenly.
Step 5: Add the peppers and simmer for 3 minutes more, then turn off the heat.
Step 6: Let the beef cool slightly, then tear it into strands along the grain. Return it to the liquid so it stays moist.
Step 7: Cool quickly, transfer to shallow airtight containers with the liquid and refrigerate. Serve the beef, eggs and vegetables with a little of the broth spooned over.

Origin & History

Jangjorim is beef braised in soy sauce (jang), a dish built for keeping as much as for eating. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture links it to old Chinese methods of preserving food in soy, and notes that the Annals of King Sejong in the fifteenth century mention damhae, finely cut beef prepared in soy sauce — a likely forerunner, though when it became the modern dish is not clear.

When the word jorim finally appears in a cookbook, it is attached to this dish: the late-Joseon Siuijeonseo describes large chunks of meat braised in soy sauce so that they would keep for a long time without spoiling, to be torn apart by hand when served.

The method has changed little. Lean beef — traditionally eye of round, today often shank or top round — is boiled until tender, then simmered in soy sauce until the liquid reduces. Eggs, whole garlic and mild peppers are popular additions, and jangjorim is now sold in cans and vacuum packs as well as made at home.

Key Ingredients

Nutrition

Estimated, per serving (⅛ of recipe: about 60 g beef, ¾ egg and vegetables with a little broth)
Calories	~155 kcal
Protein	~20.6 g
Fat	~5.2 g
Carbohydrates	~5.1 g
Fiber	~0.3 g
Sodium	~550 mg

Notable forProtein · Iron · Vitamin C

Estimated by summing USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients (beef, eye of round, lean, FDC 746760; egg, whole, raw, FDC 171287; soy sauce, FDC 174277; hot green chili, FDC 170497; garlic and sugar) and dividing by eight servings, assuming about half of the soy sauce and sugar in the braising liquid is eaten. Spooning on more broth raises the sodium considerably. Actual values vary with ingredients, portion size and preparation.

Health Benefits

Lean beef is a source of high-quality protein and of iron in a readily absorbed form; it also supplies zinc and vitamin B12.
Using a lean cut and skimming the cooking liquid keeps the fat moderate.
The peppers add vitamin C, and eggs contribute additional protein.

Considerations

Safe storage: today's jangjorim is far less salty than historical preserving recipes, so treat it like any cooked meat. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, cool it in shallow containers, keep the meat submerged in its liquid and eat it within 3–4 days; freeze portions for longer storage. Use a clean utensil each time you take some out.
Sodium: the braising liquid is very salty; drain the beef rather than pouring the broth over rice if you are limiting sodium. One serving with a little broth is roughly a quarter of the WHO's suggested daily limit of under 2,000 mg.
Allergens: contains soy, wheat (most soy sauce is brewed with wheat) and egg.
Added sugar: the sugar can be reduced without changing the character of the dish.

Informational, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your own health and diet.

Regional Variations

With eggs: hard-boiled quail eggs or chicken eggs are simmered in the braising liquid and served alongside the beef.
With garlic and peppers: whole garlic cloves and shishito-type kkwari-gochu peppers are common additions in home versions.
Other proteins: cooks also make jangjorim with abalone, or with pork in place of beef.

Pairings

Sources

Last updated October 13, 2026