Gochujang-Infused Ghee With Toasted Sesame Seeds and Bourbon Recipe

The unlikely combination of spicy gochujang, toasted sesame seeds, and bourbon is shocking delicious.

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Ideas in Food
Ideas in Food
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Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot are the voices behind the website Ideas in Food and the bakery Curiosity Doughnuts. They are chefs, food writers, photographers, educators, and culinary consultants, and they are here to make your food better.
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Updated February 27, 2025
20140703-ideas-in-food-clam-sauce-MakingGochujangGhee

Serious Eats / Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot

Infused with gochujang (Korean chile paste), toasted sesame seeds, and bourbon, this unlikely flavored ghee (clarified butter) is shocking delicious. It was created as part of a larger clam recipe, but the butter can also be used to sauté fish, or as a poaching liquid and dipping sauce for clams and other seafood. The reserved sesame seeds and nori are reserved and used in the original clam recipe along with the butter, but can also be reserved as a flavorful topping for the cooked fish or seafood.

Recipe Details

Gochujang-Infused Ghee With Toasted Sesame Seeds and Bourbon Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 25 mins
Active 20 mins
Total 30 mins
Makes 1/2 cup
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 3/4 tablespoon (125 grams) unsalted butter

  • 5 3/4 tablespoons (50 grams) white sesame seeds

  • 4 1/4 tablespoons (60 grams) bourbon

  • 3 tablespoons (50 grams) gochujang (Korean red chile paste; see note)

  • 1/4 ounce (7 grams) teriyaki-flavored nori sheets (see note)

  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) toasted sesame oil

Directions

  1. In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring, until seeds and butter have both browned and become nutty and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully pour in bourbon; it will sizzle and foam. Return pan to medium heat and cook until alcohol burns off, about 2-3 minutes.

  2. Stir in gochujang and nori. Cook until all the water evaporates and the butter looks like clear red fat with the seeds and nori at the bottom, about 5 minutes. Strain gochujang ghee through a fine mesh sieve, reserving sesame seeds and nori in the refrigerator. Stir sesame oil into gochujang ghee and refrigerate in a covered container until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Gochujang and teriyaki-flavored nori sheets can be found at Asian markets and many specialty food stores.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1633Calories
141gFat
54gCarbs
12gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories1633
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 141g181%
Saturated Fat 69g344%
Cholesterol 269mg90%
Sodium 2707mg118%
Total Carbohydrate 54g20%
Dietary Fiber 8g27%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 11mg57%
Calcium 542mg42%
Iron 8mg44%
Potassium 341mg7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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