Myeolchi-jeot (Salted Anchovy)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5 to 2 liter glass jar or small onggi crock
• •Kitchen scale
• •Clean fermentation weight or small saucer
• •Tray to catch overflow

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose the anchovies

   Buy anchovies the day they are landed if you can. They should smell clean and briny, with clear eyes, bright skin, and firm bellies. If they smell sour, ammoniac, or tired, do not make jeotgal with them. Salt preserves freshness; it does not rescue fish that has already turned.

2. 2

   Clean the vessel

   Wash a 1.5 to 2 liter glass jar or small onggi crock with hot soapy water, rinse well, and dry completely. Swirl with soju if using, then let it air-dry. Water left in the jar weakens the salt at the surface, and the surface is where spoilage begins.

3. 3

   Sort and drain

   Pick through the anchovies and discard any crushed or broken ones. Do not gut them; the bones and innards help the fermentation deepen. If there is grit, rinse quickly in very cold salted water, then drain until no water drips. Wet fish dilutes the brine before the salt has done its work.

4. 4

   Salt by weight

   Weigh the anchovies after draining. Use salt equal to 25 percent of the fish weight: for 1 kg anchovies, 250g salt. Toss the fish gently with 200g of the salt until every anchovy is dusted. 손맛 is real, hand-taste is real, but I still measure it. Too little salt risks spoilage; too much stops the fermentation from becoming round.

5. 5

   Pack the jar

   Scatter 2 tablespoons of the remaining salt over the bottom of the jar. Pack in the salted anchovies in layers, pressing gently with clean fingers or a spoon to remove large air pockets. Finish with the rest of the salt as a thick cap over the top. The fish should sit below that salt cap like a roof.

6. 6

   Weight and cover

   Set a clean fermentation weight, small saucer, or food-safe glass weight on top so the anchovies stay pressed down as they release liquid. Cover with a lid set loosely for the first week, or with clean cloth and a band, so gas can escape. Put the jar on a tray because active jeotgal sometimes weeps a little.

7. 7

   Ferment patiently

   Keep the jar in a cool, shaded place, ideally 15 to 20°C, for 3 to 6 months. After 3 days, the salt should have pulled out enough liquid to make a brine. If the top looks dry after a week, press it down again and add a small 25 percent brine made from 25g salt dissolved in 100g boiled and cooled water, just enough to cover.

8. 8

   Check the surface

   Once a week for the first month, open the jar with clean hands and check that the anchovies remain under brine. Wipe salt crust from the rim with a clean cloth. A strong fish-sauce smell is normal. Fuzzy mold, rotten odor, bubbling with slime, or pink, green, or black growth is not normal; throw the batch away. Food is respect for life, and that includes knowing when not to eat.

9. 9

   Judge readiness

   At 3 months, taste a drop of the brine. It should be salty first, then deep and savory, with the anchovy flesh darkened and softening. At 6 months, the bones will be tender enough to crush between your fingers, and the brine will be stronger. For kimchi, I like 4 to 6 months. Notebook 31 says the best batch waited through the full summer shade.

10. 10

    Store and use

    When the jeot is ready, tighten the lid and refrigerate, or strain some brine for myeolchi-aekjeot, anchovy sauce. Use the brine by the tablespoon in kimchi paste, stews, or seasoned greens. Chop the softened anchovies finely if adding them to kimchi. Taste before salting anything else, because this condiment carries both salt and depth.

Chef Tips

• •Use non-iodized coarse sea salt. Fine table salt dissolves too fast and can make the surface harsh; iodized salt gives a taste that does not belong here.
• •Do not reduce the salt below 25 percent for room-temperature fermentation. A lighter modern version can be kept refrigerated from the start, but it will ferment more slowly and taste flatter.
• •For kimchi, strain only what you need and keep the rest aging. Older myeolchi-jeot is stronger, so begin with 1 tablespoon per 1 kg salted cabbage, then taste the paste before adding more.
• •Safe corner to cut: use a clean glass jar instead of onggi. Corner not to cut: freshness of fish, salt ratio, and keeping the anchovies submerged.

Advance Preparation

• •Myeolchi-jeot must be made at least 3 months before you need it. Six months gives a deeper, darker seasoning for kimchi.
• •Once fermented, refrigerate and use clean utensils each time. Properly salted and chilled, it keeps for 1 year or longer, growing stronger as it ages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 15g)