Want to cook Korean food at home while you live in Korea? Let’s make Bulgogi Jeongol, a Korean hot pot dish which is great for cold days.
About the South of Seoul ‘A Year to Learn Korean Cooking’ Series
Many of us live in South Korea for only a year. The time flies past faster than we can imagine. At South of Seoul, we decided to create a simple series that will offer 2-4 dishes to learn each month so that when you leave South Korea you have a slew of new dishes you feel comfortable making anywhere.
This series is a collaboration with Kimchi Rednecks. In 2020 they created the first blog in this series Online Resources for Learning to Cook Korean Food. These two love to have adventures in the kitchen and share the results with their community. Be sure to follow Kimchi Rednecks on YouTube for other great videos about living life in South Korea.
About Jeongols
Jeongol (전골) is a communal hot pot that typically contains a variety of main dish ingredients and is served at the table while cooking. The main difference between a stew/jjigae (찌개) and jeongol is that the jjigae usually has one main ingredient where jeongol shares the pot with many other ingredients.
Historically, jeongol was considered a dish for the upper class and royal court and jjigae was the dish of the common people. Jeongols are typically cooked in a jeongol naembi (전골냄비), which is a wide, shallow pot.
There are many types of jeongols, including some vegetarian options. It is a very customizable dish.
About Bulgogi Jeongol
Bulgogi jeongol (불고기 전골) is a hot pot that consists of many vegetables and bulgogi cooked in a broth. The great thing about a jeongol is that you can personalize it with ingredients that you prefer. This dish comes together really quickly. You arrange your vegetables in the dish and meat and then pour the broth over and cook.
You can buy bulgogi that is pre-marinated from the grocery store and use it in your jeongol. We chose to make the bulgogi marinade and marinate it ourselves.
Biggest Hurdle Making Bulgogi Jeongol
Be careful not to overfill your pot. Since the dish is so easy to adjust to your favorites, there is a tendency to add too many ingredients in the pot than what it can hold even after everything starts to cook down. Remember you can always cook it in two batches or plan to add more ingredients as it cooks.
Three Recommended Bulgogi Jeongol Videos to Watch
What we love most about this dish is how easy it is to use the ingredients and spice levels that you want. If you decide you want it spicy, you can add gochujang or gochugaru. Choose your recipe and ingredients and invite your friends over to share this delicious and easy hot pot!
Korean American Bulgogi Jeongol with Glass Noodles
Korean Bulgogi Jeongol
American in Korean Bulgogi Jeongol
Let Us Know How It Turns Out
When you make bulgogi jeongol for the first time at home, be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it turned out! Also, if you live in Pyeongtaek, you can even share your success (or failure) with us in the Pyeongtaek Food & Fun Facebook group. If you are looking for other dishes (Korean or otherwise) or reviews of restaurants, be sure to check out the KimchiRednecks channel or check out our social media accounts on Facebook or Instagram, where we often share what we are cooking or eating.
Read more in our Year to Learn Korean Cooking Series
The KimchiRednecks channel was created in September 2018 by Chuck Whittington and Melissa Edwards-Whittington. They moved to Korea in July 2017 with their three Shih Tzu daughters, Sookie, Minion, and Mayhem.
The YouTube channel started as a way to share their lives here with their friends and families back in the states. They both have a deep love for Korean culture, people, and food and love being able to share that with others.
Chuck Whittington graduated from Francis Marion University with a Bachelors in Information Systems Management. He has worked in Information Technology roles for over 20 years. Chuck has always had an interest in Korea and has traveled here many times in the past.
Melissa Edwards-Whittington graduated from Mid-Atlantic Christian University with a Bachelors in Bible and a Minor in Elementary Education. She has worked in various roles in customer service and marketing over the years.
The YouTube channel has many interests just like they do because it is an extension of their lives here in Korea. You will often find videos on their channel about daily life in Korea, cooking, foodie adventures, traveling and exploring, computer and tech pursuits, gaming, and working on the Subaru BRZ.
Over the years, many of their friends have joined them for their videos and adventures because they enjoy sharing their lives with those around them. In addition, they add new interests from time to time, like making moonshine in Korea.
Life is about growing and changing, and the longer the KimchiRednecks live in Korea, the more they learn to love this country and culture and all it has to offer.
