Why It Works
- The acidity of the spicy pickled cabbage, along with the molasses and sugar, produces a sweet, tangy jam.
- Cooking down the kimchi concentrates the ferment’s flavors.
I wish I could say that this kimchi jam was a happy accident, but it was totally intentional. I wanted to make a sweet-and-savory spread that would complement a great snack, sandwich, or even my weeknight dinners of grilled chicken or pork chops. I was inspired by the many different flavors of jams and jellies I’d noticed at grocery stores and farmers markets, such as strawberry and jalapeño, chile, and huckleberry and habañero. I get excited in the kitchen when I’m cooking flavors I crave—and as someone who always has a jar of kimchi on hand, I decided to turn it into a sweet, spicy jam.
Serious Eats / Deli Studios
Kimchi frequently lends its bold flavor to a wide range of savory dishes, and people have experimented with it more and more in recent years. I wanted to know if kimchi could maintain its signature spiciness while also taking on a sweet, Korean American-style twist. Though kimchi jam might be a little controversial to a traditionalist—after all, the recipe turns a beloved national staple into a sweet jam—it’s been a massive hit with everyone I’ve shared it with, including the families I teach cooking lessons to and the guests at my book events.
Serious Eats / Deli Studios
Here, I boil the kimchi in its briny juices with brown sugar until it becomes a sweet, spicy condiment with just the right amount of heat and tang. It’s wonderful served with any cheese or charcuterie board, and makes a fun, unique Korean-American gift for anyone’s table. I opt for light brown sugar instead of granulated sugar because it has rich caramel notes from molasses, giving the jam more warmth, depth, and color. If all you have is dark brown sugar, that will work, too—your jam will just have a more robust flavor. Similarly, while white or apple cider vinegar can work here, I found that red wine vinegar’s fruitiness did a better job of enhancing the jam’s flavor.
