Meju

Meju: The Foundation of Korea’s Greatest Fermented Treasures

Discover meju (메주), the fermented soybean foundation of Korean cuisine. Learn how this humble ingredient creates doenjang, gochujang, and soy sauce, plus traditional recipes using these essential Korean fermented foods.

"A scientific paper on Meju"

Table of Contents

1. What is Meju?
2. How is Traditional Meju Made?
3. What Foods Can You Make with Meju?
4. Essential Korean Dishes Using Meju-Based Ingredients
5. Why is Meju So Important in Korean Culture?
6. Health Benefits of Meju and Fermented Foods

When exploring authentic Korean cuisine, you’ll quickly encounter the deep, complex flavors that define this remarkable food culture. At the heart of these flavors lies meju (메주), a humble block of fermented soybeans that serves as the foundation for Korea’s most beloved condiments and seasonings. Without meju, there would be no authentic doenjang, gochujang, or traditional soy sauce—the holy trinity of Korean fermented foods that bring soul to every Korean meal.

What is Meju?

Meju is a brick of dried fermented soybeans that serves as the basis of several Korean condiments, such as doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce), and gochujang (chili paste). This unassuming brown block might not look like much, but it represents centuries of Korean culinary wisdom and fermentation expertise.

The word meju (메주) is derived from Middle Korean myejo (몌조), which is itself derived from myeoju (며주), showing its deep historical roots in Korean language and culture. The custom of fermenting soybeans is assumed to have begun prior to the era of the Three Kingdoms (57 BCE to 668 CE), making meju one of Korea’s oldest food preservation methods.

How is Traditional Meju Made?

The traditional process of making meju is both simple and sophisticated, relying on natural fermentation processes that have been refined over millennia.

The Traditional Method

Soybeans are soaked overnight, boiled in salt water, and then pounded in a mortar (jeolgu) or coarsely ground in a millstone. About 1.8–3.6 litres of pounded soybeans are chunked, compressed, and shaped into a cube or a sphere to form meju.

The fermentation process involves several crucial steps:

1. Cooking: Soybeans are usually boiled in a gamasot (cauldron), but can also be steamed in a siru (steamer), for at least three to four hours and usually five to eight hours
2. Shaping: Cooked beans are drained in a sokuri (bamboo basket) and pounded in a jeolgu (mortar) while still hot
3. Drying: The meju bricks are then dried in a cool shaded area until firm. When the bricks harden, they are tied with rice straws to the eaves of the house for air-drying, during which the rice stalks transfer Bacillus subtilis bacteria to meju bricks
4. Fermentation: Fungi and bacteria, mainly Bacillus subtilis and various Aspergillus strains, are responsible for the fermentation of meju

This process typically takes several months, with the meju developing beneficial molds and bacteria that create the complex flavors Korean cuisine is famous for.

What Foods Can You Make with Meju?

Meju is never eaten directly—instead, it serves as the starting point for Korea’s three fundamental fermented seasonings, collectively known as jang (장).

Doenjang (된장) – Korean Soybean Paste

After drying, the meju bricks are aged in onggi crocks (jangdok) with brine. The solid portion that results from this brining process becomes doenjang, Korea’s essential soybean paste. Doenjang is rich in flavonoids and beneficial vitamins, minerals, and plant hormones (phytoestrogens).

Ganjang (간장) – Korean Soy Sauce

The resulting liquid from this brining process turns to guk ganjang, a prized variety of Korean soy sauce used to season soups and is an integral element of Hansik, or traditional Korean cuisine. This naturally fermented soy sauce has a completely different flavor profile than commercial soy sauces.

Gochujang (고추장) – Korean Chili Paste

Gochujang is made by mixing meju powder, red pepper powder, water, and salt thoroughly, and then fermenting it in a jar for more than six months. Rice flour and malt are often added together and fermented to improve the taste of gochujang by adding sweetness and umami.

Unlike doenjang and ganjang, meju blocks are simply ground up into a fine powder called mejugaru before being added to the mixture of glutinous rice, ground chilies, and barley malt for gochujang production.

Essential Korean Dishes Using Meju-Based Ingredients

The magic of meju truly shines when these fermented ingredients are transformed into beloved Korean dishes. Here are the most popular ways to enjoy meju-derived ingredients:

Doenjang-Based Dishes

Doenjang Jjigae (된장찌개) – Soybean Paste Stew This hearty stew is a go-to dish when wanting to make a quick satisfying meal. The distinct aroma of sizzling doenjang makes mouths water every time. Doenjang jjigae is quintessential Korean comfort food and includes tofu as well as potato, zucchini, green onion, and other vegetables.

Ssamjang (쌈장) – Korean BBQ Dipping Sauce Ssamjang is a condiment mainly used in Korean barbecue made by combining doenjang and gochujang, which then gets smeared inside a lettuce wrap with bulgogi (marinated, thin-sliced beef).

Doenjang Muchim (된장무침) – Seasoned Vegetables Korean cooks mix doenjang with Korean chili pepper flakes, garlic, and corn syrup to create flavorful seasoned vegetable dishes, adding ground sesame seeds and sesame oil for extra richness.

Gochujang-Based Dishes

Tteokbokki (떡볶이) – Spicy Rice Cakes A spicy stir-fried dish made with rice cakes (tteokbokki tteok), green cabbage, sweet potato, and other vegetables, seasoned with gochujang.

Korean Fried Chicken Wings Chicken wings with a sticky, sweet, and spicy marinade where gochujang is the key ingredient, creating finger-licking delicious wings.

Bibimbap Sauce Gochujang mixed with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a touch of sugar creates the signature sauce for Korea’s famous mixed rice bowl.

Ganjang-Based Dishes

Bulgogi (불고기) – Marinated Beef Traditional soy sauce-based marinades using homemade ganjang create the signature sweet-savory flavor of Korean barbecue.

Japchae (잡채) – Stir-Fried Glass Noodles Ganjang provides the essential umami base for seasoning these sweet potato starch noodles with vegetables.

Galbi Jjim (갈비찜) – Braised Short Ribs Traditional braising liquid incorporates ganjang for deep, complex flavors in this special occasion dish.

Why is Meju So Important in Korean Culture?

Historical Significance

In the historical text Samguk sagi, meju was reported to be one of the wedding presents offered by King Sinmun in February 683. This demonstrates how deeply embedded meju production was in Korean society, even among royalty.

The Treatise on Food and Money recorded that ganjang and doenjang were included in relief supplies in 1018, after a Khitan invasion, and in 1052, when a famine occurred, showing these fermented foods’ importance for survival and nutrition.

Cultural Traditions

The making of meju was traditionally a community activity, much like kimjang (kimchi-making season). Meju bricks are made around ipdong in early November, and families would work together to prepare enough fermented ingredients to last through the winter months.

The sight of jangdokdae (장독대)—courtyards filled with traditional earthenware crocks containing fermenting sauces—remains an iconic symbol of Korean heritage and traditional food culture.

Health Benefits of Meju and Fermented Foods

Nutritional Powerhouse

Doenjang, which is made of soybeans, has a great deal of lysine, an essential amino acid that rice lacks. Linoleic acid (53% of the fatty acids) and linolenic acid (8% of the fatty acids) have an important role in normal growth of blood vessels and prevention of blood vessel-related illness.

Probiotic Benefits

The complex microbial community present in meju plays a crucial role in the fermentation process and contributes to the unique flavor and texture of Korean fermented soybean products. These beneficial bacteria support digestive health and overall wellness.

Longevity Connection

The health benefits of doenjang are rumored to extend longevity, illustrated by the fact that out of the 32,000 people in Sunchang County (where most Korean soy sauce is produced), eight are over 100 years old, and many are over 90.

Research-Backed Benefits

Clinical studies show that these fermented products have many health benefits, such as their ability to fight cancer and diabetes, and to prevent obesity and constipation.

Modern Meju: Tradition Meets Convenience

While most Koreans who still make their own gochujang at home skip the meju-making process entirely since mejugaru powder is commercially available, there’s growing interest in traditional fermentation methods among food enthusiasts worldwide.

Making meju indoors, in apartments, proves that any time can be a good time to start making traditional Korean fermented foods, bringing this ancient practice into modern kitchens.

Conclusion: The Soul of Korean Cuisine

Meju represents far more than just fermented soybeans—it embodies thousands of years of Korean culinary wisdom, patience, and respect for natural processes. Every spoonful of doenjang jjigae, every bite of bulgogi, and every dab of gochujang carries the essence of meju within it.

From its humble origins as a method of food preservation to its current status as the foundation of Korea’s most beloved flavors, meju continues to connect modern Korean cooks with their ancestral traditions. Whether you’re enjoying a comforting bowl of soybean paste stew on a cold winter day or savoring the complex heat of gochujang in your favorite Korean dish, you’re experiencing the remarkable transformation that begins with simple meju.

Ready to explore authentic Korean flavors? Start by seeking out high-quality doenjang, gochujang, and traditional soy sauce made from meju—your taste buds will thank you for this delicious journey into Korea’s fermented food heritage.