My mom came to visit me and she gave me this container of kimchi that she wasn’t going to finish. I didn’t look at the expiration date when she gave it to me, but I also know that kimchi can be used for soups if it’s been fermenting really long. I’ve just never done it before. I’m used to eating kimchi when it’s still crunchy. Can anyone please let me know this is still safe? thank you. Also, if there’s any recipes for soups, I’d love them!
by Late-Helicopter9058
24 Comments
* Can I still use this kimchi?
Sorry for the typo in the title!
I think with kimchi, expiration is just a suggestion. I’d just make a jjigae with this.
I recently made Kimchijeon with kimchi that expired in like 2023. I was perfectly fine.
It’s still good as long as it’s been kept cool/cold. Older kimchis just tend to get more sour over time. 묵은지, for example, are fermented for minimum of six months in cooler temperature.
My recommendation is make tofu kimchijiggae or other soup types with it. The more taste tend to be pretty great in getting rid of the minor meat smells, like from pork.
That kimchi looks perfect for kimchi stew.
https://www.koreanbapsang.com/kimchi-jjigae-kimchi-stew/
Or kimchi mandu filling. I Have a jar of kimchi from 2023? still in the fridge, used some of it recently for kimchi mandu.
Totally safe to eat. If you don’t like the overly fermented Kimchee, you could mellow it out by making soup with it kimchee jigae, kimchee fried rice, stir-frying it with some pork, etc.
As others have stated, Kimchi doesn’t really “expire”… it just gets more funky (in a good way). Perfect for kimchi stew or kimchi fried rice!
but you still have to check if there’s fungai!!!!!
Learn to make kimchi fried rice and jjigae and you’ll never let it get that old. As soon as it’s too sour, you’ll convert to something delicious.
This is the Costco kimchi. I have some that’s about that old as well. I think it tastes better than when it was first opened, it was pretty bland at first. I’m actually kinda sad it’s almost gone. I keep mine in the back of the fridge where it stays extra cold though.
I think the date on the package isn’t expiration date but when it’s “manufactured”, since Kimchi can’t really have expiration date and we enjoy Kimchi that’s 2-3 years old.
It gets better with age. Koreans call it shin kimchi and tend to use it to make soups and stews. I prefer kimchi at least about 4 months old and make my own. The sourness develops nicely.
As long as it’s not moldy or gone off bad-fizzy, it’s good, even better for jjigae or bokkeumbap. The expiration date is a US requirement, it’s not something you need to worry about with kimchi that’s properly made and stored in the refrigerator.
Jjigae is pretty flexible. I have a size 4 ddukbaegi and a radiant glass top stove and it works fine, I just heat it slowly, add a bit of oil (I actually use sesame oil to cook with sometimes for this, and sometimes also as a finishing oil), put in a little bit of pork (belly or butt), like half a 6mm strip cut into lardons, minced garlic, minced whites of green onion (scallion), any button mushrooms if I’m adding them, so they can cook down and the water can be cooked off. Stir fry chopped kimchi next for awhile, feel free to add your fine gochugaru and whatever condiments you want. Depending on my mood, I use nothing to any of: kelp soy sauce, soup soy sauce, fish sauce, anchovy powder, kelp powder, dashida, chicken bouillon, sugar. I simmer a bit and then add water, adjust for taste, and then add in enoki mushrooms and medium tofu or sundubu, and the greens of green onions on top, cover and cook down. It does tend to boil over because I put too much in, but that’s my fault.
For the size 4 ddukbaegi, this *may* fit: 1/2 to one 6mm strip of pork belly, maybe 3/4 cup button mushrooms cooked down so it takes up about 1/3-1/2 cup of space, 2-4 green onions in total, a Tbsp of minced garlic, ~50g enoki (half pack), 1 12oz sundubu or 1/2 pack medium tofu block, 1 cup of kimchi, up to 1.5-2 cups if you put less other stuff, like no mushrooms or less tofu/enoki.
when kimchi expires it evolves into a super kimchi
Honestly, this would be perfect for Kimchi jjigae. Throw in some tofu, get some white rice. Perfect for this cold weather!
I’ve been using it in my shin ramen. I have a year old kimchi as well. lol it’s bomb. Just make sure you don’t see any weird mold on it.
This is my go-to for kimchi jjigae. I have two containers in the fridge rn aging.. Try it with the beef shanks from Costco, too!
This looks perfect for fried rice with pork belly or stew with tuna.
If I’d toss that, my mother would murder me.
I would say yes 99% it’s fine. It’s fermented ya know? It could prob last another year
It’s fermented so unless it’s moldy, kimchi is usually edible. But that said, I find aged kimchi really sour and pungent. Not really my cup of tea. But okay in stew like kimchi jjigae or army stew.
No mold and kept in fridge, fine for cooking. Really really funky kimchi is the best for stewing. The thing about this brand, not enough juice to cover everything so it can get overfermented easily even in the store.
Yes.. Just make things like fried rice or stew with it.
Looks like not ruined yet. Fry it or make kimchi jjige.
Smells okay?
Looks okay?
Then it’s okay.
As others have said, when you have old kimchi, make jjigae.