Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Spam, hot dogs, kimchi, and ramen might sound like a drunk grocery list, but together they make one of Korea’s most comforting and addictive dishes: budae jjigae, or Korean army base stew.
This stew was born after the Korean War, when people living near U.S. military bases combined surplus American food with Korean ingredients to survive. What started as necessity eventually turned into a bubbling, spicy, communal comfort food that’s now eaten shoulder to shoulder around a hot pot, usually with a few bottles of soju involved.
In this episode, I’m making budae jjigae from scratch, starting with a proper anchovy stock, building a deeply savory paste, and loading it up with kimchi, spam, hot dogs, ramen, tofu, and processed cheese. It’s loud, messy, deeply comforting, and meant to be shared, especially when it’s cold out.
If you like spicy food, shared meals, and dishes with a real story behind them, you’re gonna like this one.
👕SUPPORT THE CHAN, COP SOME MERCH!: https://adamwitt.store/
🫶CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROCERY FUND! (Patreon): patreon.com/adamwitt
👾DISCORD: discord.com/invite/aFQ4h4BXg4
📝MORE RECIPES: adamwitt.co/allrecipes
🔗FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL: adamwitt.co/social-links
RECIPE: adamwitt.co/allrecipes/armybasestew
________________________________________________________
STUFF I USE…
Powerful Portable Stove - amzn.to/4a81RvX
Butane Canisters (for stove) - amzn.to/4t5PQQf
Dried Anchovies (Large) - amzn.to/45E6RH5
Korean Rice Cakes (Tteok) - amzn.to/3NIaHZL
Korean Kelp (Dashima) - amzn.to/3NYephP
Gochujang (chili paste) - amzn.to/3M2sWs7
Gochugaru (chili flakes) - amzn.to/4t879QE
Doenjang (soy bean paste) - amzn.to/4amX22Y
Shin Ramyun (my favorite) - amzn.to/3NKDSLI
Toasted Sesame Oil - amzn.to/4bpNXrh
Rice Wine Vinegar - amzn.to/3ZFZNWW
Instant Dashi Powder - amzn.to/45FfaCy
________________________________________________________
TIMESTAMPS…
00:00 How Army Base Stew Was Born
03:13 Building the Anchovy Broth (Yuksu)
07:11 The Flavor Paste That Makes It Work
9:51 The Broth Is Ready
10:47 Everything That Goes in the Pot
14:06 Assembling and Cooking the Stew
16:54 Eating It the Right Way
18:46 Outro
________________________________________________________
#Koreanfood #Cooking #recipe #asianfood #adamwitt #howto
Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.
Spam, hot dogs, kimchi, and ramen might sound like a drunk grocery list, but together they make one of Korea’s most comforting and addictive dishes: budae jjigae, or Korean army base stew.
This stew was born after the Korean War, when people living near U.S. military bases combined surplus American food with Korean ingredients to survive. What started as necessity eventually turned into a bubbling, spicy, communal comfort food that’s now eaten shoulder to shoulder around a hot pot, usually with a few bottles of soju involved.
In this episode, I’m making budae jjigae from scratch, starting with a proper anchovy stock, building a deeply savory paste, and loading it up with kimchi, spam, hot dogs, ramen, tofu, and processed cheese. It’s loud, messy, deeply comforting, and meant to be shared, especially when it’s cold out.
If you like spicy food, shared meals, and dishes with a real story behind them, you’re gonna like this one.
👕SUPPORT THE CHAN, COP SOME MERCH!: https://adamwitt.store/
🫶CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROCERY FUND! (Patreon): patreon.com/adamwitt
👾DISCORD: discord.com/invite/aFQ4h4BXg4
📝MORE RECIPES: adamwitt.co/allrecipes
🔗FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL: adamwitt.co/social-links
RECIPE: adamwitt.co/allrecipes/armybasestew
________________________________________________________
STUFF I USE…
Powerful Portable Stove - amzn.to/4a81RvX
Butane Canisters (for stove) - amzn.to/4t5PQQf
Dried Anchovies (Large) - amzn.to/45E6RH5
Korean Rice Cakes (Tteok) - amzn.to/3NIaHZL
Korean Kelp (Dashima) - amzn.to/3NYephP
Gochujang (chili paste) - amzn.to/3M2sWs7
Gochugaru (chili flakes) - amzn.to/4t879QE
Doenjang (soy bean paste) - amzn.to/4amX22Y
Shin Ramyun (my favorite) - amzn.to/3NKDSLI
Toasted Sesame Oil - amzn.to/4bpNXrh
Rice Wine Vinegar - amzn.to/3ZFZNWW
Instant Dashi Powder - amzn.to/45FfaCy
________________________________________________________
TIMESTAMPS…
00:00 How Army Base Stew Was Born
03:13 Building the Anchovy Broth (Yuksu)
07:11 The Flavor Paste That Makes It Work
9:51 The Broth Is Ready
10:47 Everything That Goes in the Pot
14:06 Assembling and Cooking the Stew
16:54 Eating It the Right Way
18:46 Outro
________________________________________________________
#Koreanfood #Cooking #recipe #asianfood #adamwitt #howto
Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.
