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KISOONDO TRADITIONAL JANG

Traditional JANG with 370 years of history

Korean Food Grand Master, KISOONDO

Master Kisoondo has preserved the Yang Jin Jae family’s 370 – year legacy through an aesthetic of patience and a belief in the foundational culinary importance of the fermented pastes and sauces collectively known as Jang. Her 50 years of dedication are symbolized by the thousands of Sun-soaked, Jang-filled ceramic pots outside the family house. Beans, water, and salt. The ingredients that go into making paste are simple, yet the process is laborious: one must soak the beans in water, shape the cooked soybeans into Meju, and repeat the process, over and over again. Each iteration evinces a tradition and sincerity unique to the family method, passed down over generations. Master Kisoondo’s Jinjang, a soy sauce aged over five years, is recognized for its taste and historical value, achieving a status beyond cooking ingredients.

370 years of tradition preserved
with care and dedication

To begin the process of making Jang, soybeans are boiled, mashed, and pressed into blocks of Meju. The Meju are hung to dry with rice straw rope, which attracts the bacteria needed for the first stage of fermentation. The blocks are then placed in clay pots for the second and third stages. Through this process, the proteins of the beans are broken down for better absorption when consumed. This long fermentation and aging process, typical of Korean slow food, creates a rich and healthy diet for households.

370 years of tradition preserved
with care and dedication

Ganjang (Soy Sauce) Story & Cooking

Soy sauce is the most fundamental ingredient in the Korean household for healthy and delicious cooking. A traditional phrase states that: “The tradition and dignity of the house can be identified through the taste of the family Jang.” Following the lunar calendar, the Kisoondo family produces, ferments, and ripens meju each November before infusing it with bamboo salt the following January. After 40-60 days, the Meju has absorbed the salt completely and becomes solid, whereupon it is broken into pieces to make Doenjang. The excess liquid is further fermented for at least a year to become Ganjang, with the color and flavor deepening with longer aging.

Cheongjang (Soy Sauce)

Ganjang (Soy Sauce)

Jinjang (Soy Sauce)

Doenjang Story

Both Doenjang and Ganjang start from the same Meju base and are produced in ceramic pots. After soaking up the bamboo salt for 40-60 days, the solid Meju is broken into pieces and fermented further in the ceramic pot. After a year, it develops a variety of flavors. The longer it is allowed to sit, the deeper the taste and the darker the color becomes. Kisoondo Doenjang is fermented organically in ceramic pots.

Doenjang Story

Both Doenjang and Ganjang start from the same Meju base and are produced in ceramic pots.
After soaking up the bamboo salt for 40-60 days, the solid Meju is broken into pieces and fermented further in the ceramic pot. After a year, it develops a variety of flavors. The longer it is allowed to sit, the deeper the taste and the darker the color becomes. Kisoondo Doenjang is fermented organically in ceramic pots.

Gochujang Story & Cooking

Gochujang features the spiciness of sun-dried chili peppers, the sweetness of rice syrup, and the richness of soy sauce. This combination is an essential part of Korean cuisine and Gochujang is used in a large variety of recipes. Kisoondo’s Gochujang goes through a long aging process and is naturally blended to offer a rich, sweet, salty, and spicy taste. Every July, the Gochujang-specific Meju is prepared and mixed with glutinous rice, Meju powder, bamboo salt, and Ganjang to ferment for 2-3 days. Afterwards it is mixed with cornstalk malt and chili powder. The mixture is matured for 6 months in a ceramic jar to become the traditional glutinous rice hot pepper paste.

Gochujang (Fermented Chili Pepper Paste)

Strawberry Gochujang

Ganjang is a fluid byproduct from the separation of Meju for the process of making Doenjang. The liquid is fermented for an additional 1 to 4 years, which adds a hint of sweetness. The scent and flavor has more depth than the young Cheongjang, making it perfeStrawberry Gochujang is made the same way as the regular Gochujang, except the rice syrup is blended with strawberries then aged prior to being added into the rice and Meju mixture. Strawberries from Jeonnam Damyangsan, well known for their sweet flavor, provide a sweet flavor that balances perfectly with the spicy notes.

Beef stir-fried Gochujang

Ssam jang (Spicy Dipping Paste)

Gochujang Story & Cooking

Gochujang (Fermented Chili Pepper Paste)

Strawberry Gochujang

Beef stir-fried Gochujang

Ssam jang (Spicy Dipping Paste)

Jukyeom Story

The two ingredients that go into producing Jukyeom are bamboo trees and hand harvested solar sea salt. Kisoondo Jukyeom uses high-quality trees from Damyang, known for its bamboo, and sea salt harvested from the west coast of Korea. Salt is packed into the bamboo and roasted for 3-4 days in a yellow clay kiin in order to rid the salt of impurities and bitterness while adding the sweetness of the bamboo. The process provides Jukyeom with a depth in flavor that cannot be found in regular table salt.

Jukyeom Story

Sikhye Story

Sikhye is always served as a light refreshment at the family’s 33 annual gatherings. Kisoondo Sikhye is made only using the quality rice from Damyang Changpyong and housemade malt. A traditional drink filled with a sweet yet fresh taste, it can be consumed cold during the summer and warm in the winter.

Sikhye Story

Sikhye is always served as a light refreshment at the family’s 33 annual gatherings.
Kisoondo Sikhye is made only using the quality rice from Damyang Changpyong and housemade malt. A traditional drink filled with a sweet yet fresh taste, it can be consumed cold during the summer and warm in the winter.

Jochung Story

Jochung is a traditional sweetener made using only rice and malt. The liquid from Sikhye is boiled down to make Jochung, which has a mild sweetness that is not overpowering. Jochung is used to make Gochujang with and is flexible enough to be used as a substitute for sugar or syrup. Another common way to enjoy Jochung is with rice cakes or with bread in place of jam