Did You Think Gosari Was Just an Ordinary Wild Green?
packed with bracken fern
Travel around Jeju long enough, and among famous local dishes like heukdwaeji or momguk, there's one that quietly holds its own ground: gosari-yukgaejang, a beef and bracken fern stew. At a glance it looks similar to the yukgaejang eaten across the mainland, but the Jeju version is said to be different, starting with how much fern goes into the broth and how that fern is prepared. Jeju has long been known as a region rich in bracken fern, though how that fern actually makes its way into a bowl of rich stew is something surprisingly few people know. Today, let's take a slow look at Jeju's relationship with bracken fern, and the story behind how it ends up in a bowl of yukgaejang.
Why Jeju Became Known for Bracken Fern
Jeju's reputation as a fern-growing region is said to owe a lot to the island's terrain and soil. Being a volcanic island, Jeju is dotted with oreum and gotjawal, shaded, moisture-holding landscapes that are said to create ideal conditions for bracken fern to grow. The well-draining volcanic ash soil is also often credited with helping the fern take root. As a result, fern is said to have been easy to find not only in the mountains but also around oreum near villages, and this geography is part of why Jeju became known for fern that's both more abundant and higher quality than in other parts of the country.
Come spring, it's said that Jeju villagers, practically everyone, headed out to the mountains and oreum to pick bracken fern, a custom known as 'gosari kkeokgi,' or fern picking. Exactly when the picking is best is said to shift slightly year to year depending on the weather, so it's hard to pin down a precise window. Still, various accounts describe how, once spring fern began to sprout, it was common to see entire families climbing the mountains together. Fern picked that day was said to need boiling and preparing right away to keep well, which made fern picking a labor-intensive spring household task in its own right.
They used to say picking fern in the mountains took less care than preparing it once you got home.
— 🍊 GYULIBoiled, Dried, Soaked: What It Takes to Get One Handful of Fern
Freshly picked fern can't be eaten as is. It's said that the tough stems have to be trimmed, the fern boiled to draw out its bitterness, then laid out to dry in the sun over several days before it's finally ready to be stored. Every step of this process is said to take real skill, since even a slightly short boil leaves the fern tough, while boiling too long makes it mushy and strips away its texture, which is why it's long been considered work best left to experienced hands. If the weather turned bad while the fern was drying, mold could set in, so people are said to have kept flipping and checking the fern laid out in the yard.
Once thoroughly dried, the fern is soaked in water whenever it's needed. Dried fern is said to swell noticeably in volume after soaking for about a day, which means even a small handful of dried fern can go a long way toward a hearty pot of soup. Soak it too little and a hard core remains inside; soak it too long and the flavor fades, so this step too is said to call for its own bit of know-how. Only after going through boiling, drying, and soaking again does the fern become ready to go into the pot, which is part of why preparing fern is seen as an act of care in itself.
Where Fern Meets Yukgaejang, in One Rich Bowl
Prepared this way, fern is simmered together with beef into a spicy stew to become Jeju-style gosari-yukgaejang. The dish is said to be made by adding a generous amount of soaked fern to a beef broth, then seasoning it with red chili powder and other spices for a spicy kick, with the fern responsible for both the aroma and the texture of the broth. The subtle fragrance that builds the more you chew, paired with a texture that's tender yet has some bite, is often cited as what sets gosari-yukgaejang apart from other versions of the stew. On Jeju, it's said this stew was traditionally simmered in large batches for holidays or big family occasions and shared among many people, though exactly where the custom first began isn't documented with any certainty.
These days, gosari-yukgaejang can be found at local eateries across Jeju regardless of season. Still, many say a stew made with fern picked and prepared in spring carries a certain something that only that season can bring. The spiciness of the broth and the amount of fern added are said to vary a bit from kitchen to kitchen, so no single bowl can really claim to capture all of gosari-yukgaejang. If you come across a place serving it while traveling in Jeju, it's worth enjoying that particular broth and fern texture just as it is.
GYULI's Tip · Gosari-yukgaejang is said to taste best served hot, when the spicy broth and the fern's distinct aroma come through most clearly. Mixing in a bowl of rice is said to bring the broth and fern together evenly, making for a hearty, filling meal.