Gochujang is a spicy, complex marvel that will amp up your recipes

Gochujang is a fermented soybean and chile pepper paste, and one of the building blocks of Korean cuisine. It has funk, salt, umami, spice and a hint of sweetness.

“It’s like hot sauce, Korean hot sauce, but it’s really not,” said Deuki Hong, a Bay Area-based chef and author of the upcoming “Koreaworld” cookbook. “Hot sauces and sriracha wishes they can do half the things that gochujang can do.”

I’ve been a fan ever since I first tried it years ago, and I often add to sauces for meats and to add flavor to stir-fries – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s what you need to know about the chile paste and how to make good use of it in your kitchen.

Gochujang, doenjang (soybean paste) and ganjang (soy sauce) are collectively referred to as jangs, the “foundations of Korean flavors and cooking,” Hong said, and they all start with meju (blocks of fermented soybeans). Most of us likely have a frame of reference for ganjang, and deonjang is commonly compared to miso – though Hong “hate[s] using the reference” because they have different flavor profiles. But there really isn’t anything out there that I know of that’s quite like gochujang, which is a mix of meju, gochugaru (dried Korean red chile pepper powder), glutinous rice and other additives that have been fermented further.

This fermentation is the key to the jangs’ flavor, and Korean cuisine’s characteristic flavor profile that Hong best describes as “depth.” “It’s a depth of flavor that brings that earthiness, that richness, but you can’t really pinpoint it out initially right when you taste it,” Hong said. “It’s so present in almost every Korean dish and eating experience that you almost don’t even recognize it.”

While gochujang is sometimes reduced to “Korean hot sauce,” the paste in its truest form is not meant to be used as a stand-alone condiment, but rather as an ingredient. Hong said “applying it in a marinade is a very low-bar way” to get familiar with what the ingredient can do. However, it’s important to note that gochujang often contains some form of sugar, which can burn easily when searing or grilling. Another easy introduction is to turn it into a sauce, and it can also be added to soups, stews, stir-fries and even desserts.

“It’s very complex,” Hong said, giving it a “malleability” to allow it to be used in a range of dishes. “You can put gochujang in a sweet application. You could also put it in a very spicy application. You can put it in a savory application.” There’s basically nothing it can’t do. But Hong cautions cooks to be judicious with its use, especially when just starting out. “A little goes a long way.”

Gochujang is sold in tubs, jars and squeeze bottles at well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets and online. Heat levels will vary. “Brands have different flavors, but [they’re] all playing within the gochujang realm,” Hong said. “Maybe some are a little spicier, some are a little sweeter. But for our purposes, home cook purposes, it’s better not to confuse yourself with any of that.”

Beware that there are premixed sauces and marinades available as well, so make sure you look for the paste if you want the real thing. Once opened, gochujang has a very long shelf life when stored properly in the refrigerator, up to two years. As long it hasn’t dried out and there are no visible signs of mold or spoilage, it is still safe to eat.

“Go play around with it, get creative with it,” Hong said. “Don’t be shy. At the end of the day, it’s just food.”