Budae Jjigae: A Hearty Korean Stew from the Army

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) can fully cooked luncheon meat (such as SPAM®), sliced
• 14 ounces smoked sausage (such as Eckrich®), sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 ounces kimchi
• ¼ cup Korean red pepper powder
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 (32 ounce) containers chicken broth
• 7 ¾ ounces ramen noodles (such as Ottogi Ramyonsari®)
• 1 slice American cheese (Optional)

Step 1

Divid the luncheon meat into two piles on opposite sides of a large stockpot. Then, layer the sausage, onion, and kimchi on top, leaving a space in the middle of the pot. In a small bowl, mix together the red pepper powder, soy sauce, gochujang, garlic, and black pepper. Pour this mixture into the empty space in the pot, and sprinkle the green onions over everything. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it all to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the flavors blend nicely.

Step 2

While the stew is simmering, bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles for about 2 minutes, just until they start to soften. Drain the noodles and add them to the stew. Let everything cook together for another 5 minutes or so, until the noodles are tender but still have a bit of bite. Just before serving, top the stew with slices of American cheese and let it melt into the hot broth. Enjoy!