Gochujang ferment - advice insight/help

[2BetterHlth]

Hello,

Questions regarding Gochujang.

Even if you have no experience making it...
Just state that you never made it but,
(with your insight and experience please
express your thoughts)

Check out this lovely recipe and video
http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/gochujang

So what my interest is: is substitution.
Some of the recipe due to dietary reasons
I myself can not consume.
So here is what I would like to do instead....
AND before I get started here.
What are some of the affects of very long ferment times?
IE; six months verses three months or even longer that six..

Basically,
What I would like to do is
in lieu of all the sweet stuff....
the Barley malt and the Rice Syrup...
and I think there is even Soy powder in the mix..

I thought perhaps I could use raw shredded
butternut squash. Also raw real red hot peppers
(no powders what so ever)

My questions begin with the approach.
Cuz I think it is much different.

If I could just get some suggestions
What some of you might think

Thanks, 2B

[Christopher Weeks]

I haven't made gochujang, but now that I've read that and watched that and started searching for Onggi pots, I'm going to have to! :-)

First, you asked an easy question, what about fermenting it longer. In general, that's fine. If you fermented a traditional pot of gochujang for three or four months, and then left it lidded in your basement for another six, I have no doubt that it would be fine.

As to your substitutions, I have no idea. Winter squash is sweetish, and I have replaced rice porridge in kimchi with other starches (e.g. sweet potato), so it sounds like a plausible option, but I'd hate to assure you when it's all guesswork.

I'd recommend a small batch so the losses are not great and most importantly, report back to us! :-)

[2BetterHlth]

Hello again.
And thanks for the tips...

Things I think are going well....


Summarizing:

I ended up using butternut squash...
I think any high carb squash will do...
(though flavors may differ)
I peeled and grated it. then threw it in the blender
adding whey from my cheese werkz..in the blend process......
I like using whey with ferments. It is sorta insurance....
I also used some salt as well... probable three tablespoons.
So I had on rather large butternut squash and a rather good
yield of red peppers (mostly hot ones). though some sweet
red peppers where added to the mix.
After creating the butternut squash "mush"... I seasoned it
with various spices. coriander cardamon and maybe a few
others.. It ended up sitting around for a couple of days
before I got the hot pepper "mush" ready....
When I got the two "mushes" how I liked them.....
(sorta thick but blendable and when settled doesnt
show sighs major signs of liquid separation)
They went back into the blender to be mixed together.
and when mixing them together in blender, as needed
I added more whey(just to keep a good vortex spin goin' on)

It has been a week since they have been brought together.
I witnessed some really good belching(of CO2) and now at
this time it is starting to get a gummy consistency. It is
also fuming off some really intense "sweet spice-fullness"
and is becoming difficult to not want to sample....
It is incredibly delicious!

So can this go three months???????
Just sitting out???? no white mold is growing
on it just yet.
I am thinking the longer it sits(ferments)
the more it will become fused together and
yield/offer A taste of it's own.....

Than ks, 2B

[CulturedCascadian]

Regarding substitutions, go to Maangchi's site and look for the user comments for this video and see if anybody has asked this question and had it answered. If not, submit it. Maangchi is generally pretty good about getting back with answers for such questions. She is my go-to for all things Korean and has been for many years now!

[2BetterHlth]

Aye!

Thanks for the tip about going to Maangchi's
video. And a great video it is at that!..
Here is where things are at.... Now that
it has been two months.... It has taken on
a different character. Gone is the sweet
smellin(what taste it aspect) fragrance.
It eventually grew a nice white mold on top.
I figured it would create a nice seal(gasket)
It has been ok but, now other members in the
area of the ferment a being "bothered" by it.
It now has a more fermented character to it.
perhaps even alcohol lending towards a vodka.
not really sure.... I would like to let it go for another
month but, like I said others are being bothered
by it.

Anyone have any suggestions?
I suppose the only alternative to keep everyone
happy(except for me) is to "put a lid on it".

What do you think about refrigerating it the way
it is? and not putting a lid on it......
( would probably sit and ferment? but slowly???)
Any thoughts?
Thanks, 2B

[2BetterHlth]

So after all the fussing and almost getting
kicked out of the living quarters due to the
ferment(stinking).
I decided to make peace with my ferment.
I started enjoying it for what it is worth....
And let me tell you, this is really incredible.
I can't really describe it.... but, I will say this
It has a subtle sweetness and then I get smacked
with a sledge hammer of spice/hot/heat.
What actually got me interested in Gochujang
was the lack of having (that dash of red) in my
kimchi. I learned from the dish recipe as having
Hence Gochujang in it. I myself always seeking
alternatives, decided to ferment the hot red peppers
with squash. This has worked out well. I will consider
making hot pepper pastes this way in the future as
well.... I think for me at this point being, that I really
don't have anything to compare to would like to
purchase some authentic Gochujang, just to compare
to my adapted version and then to strive towards authenticity.
As I mentioned, It was Kimchi that brought me to this
venture(and my love of freakin' hot spicy stuff) SOOOOO,
I will be out to the store for some nice OG Napa Cabbage ASAP.

A NOTE and question looking for a response:::::::

So the ferment sat for two months. It became rather
white on top. Which is white mold????

WHen we talk of Lacto-bacillus fermentation???
Can we visually Identify it?
is it invisible?

Why do I ask these questions?

Well, I have had the recent experience of having
some Natto at a Japanese household and when pulling
the Natto apart, there was a glue-ish-ness to it..... and
when I scraped the top of "this white mold" on my Gochujang-mod
It too had that glue-ish-ness as well.

I threw out the white on top..... but, perhaps,
it was loaded with Nattokinase? maybe, the "scary"
parts I should have thrown away.... and just mixed
in the gluey stuff?
Please --- very interested in some insight here
THanks! Happy New YeaR
2B

[Christopher Weeks]

I don't know how proper this is, but when I talk about mold, I'm talking about fuzzy stuff. If it isn't fuzzy, my default assumption is that it's something else. Lacto fermentation does give off white detritus. If you swirl a jar of pickles you'll universally see the white fluffy/slimy stuff move around the bottom of the jar and you'll see it deposited atop the cukes. I can't know if that's what you had, but maybe. Even while I have every reason to believe it's harmless, I sort of wipe it off if it's thick.