Korean Gochujang Glaze
A glossy, five-way-balanced Korean glaze — funky gochujang and soy, warm bloomed gochugaru, bright rice vinegar, round pear and honey, finished with raw garlic and toasted sesame oil for that alive-at-the-end pungency. Reduced to a spoon-coating nappe.
- low sodium soy sauce⅓ cup
- brown sugar, packed2 tbsp
- honey1 tbsp
- mirin1 tbsp
- rice vinegar1 tbsp
- gochujang1 tbsp
- gochugaru1 tsp
- toasted sesame oil, divided1 tsp
- garlic, finely minced or microplaned, divided4 cloves
- fresh ginger, grated1 tbsp
- pear or apple, finely grated1 tbsp
- unsalted butter, cold1 tsp
- toasted sesame seeds, for finishing(optional)1 tsp
- 1
In your smallest saucepan, warm 1/2 tsp of the sesame oil over medium-low heat and add the gochugaru. Stir for about 30 seconds until it smells toasty and the oil stains deep red — don't let it scorch.
medium-low - 2
Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, gochujang, grated ginger, grated pear, and HALF the minced garlic. Whisk until the sugar and gochujang dissolve smoothly.
medium-low - 3
Bring to a bare simmer over medium and reduce, stirring occasionally, until the glaze coats the back of a spoon and holds a clean line when you draw a finger through it, 6–8 minutes.
medium - 4
Off the heat, stir in the rice vinegar, the remaining raw garlic, and the last 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Then swirl in the cold butter until melted and glossy. Taste and adjust — more vinegar for brightness, a pinch of salt or splash of soy for depth. Finish with sesame seeds.
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