Watch: The ‘Trash Dish’ That Came Out of the Korean War

Eater ^ | April 5, 2018

[2ndDivisionVet]

As one of the most iconic Korean dishes, army base stew, or budae jjigae, has a colorful history. In the aftermath of the war, American servicemen and troops were stationed in South Korea to prevent invasion. Resourceful Koreans had heard that these bases had a surplus of canned meats that often ended up in the garbage. These meats, like ground beef, Spam, hot dogs, and ham, were picked up and put into a spicy stew.

In this episode of K-Town, host Matthew Kang tries an exemplary version of this now-classic stew at Dallas’s Dan Sung Sa. Today, budae jjigae shows up on Korean bar menus and restaurant menus around the world, but its unique history as a “trash” dish is a reminder that Korea, despite its current prosperity and place in the world, was once ravaged by war, and remains in an uneasy political situation to this day.

[luvbach1]

The Mess Hall served SOS when I served at 6th Army HQ at the Presidio of San Franciso (1961-63.)

[2ndDivisionVet]

I had chipped beef several times in the Army and I entered in 1978. Of course, I’ve also had steamship round, lobster, steak and prime rib.

[left that other site]

Love it!

But my favorite is bibimbop.

[2ndDivisionVet]

In some ways South Korea is ahead of us now. Amazing.

[COBOL2Java]

[ThunderSleeps]

I like spam too. Not as an every day or even every week type thing. But once in a while, sure, when I need a little more fat and salt in my diet. ;-)

[2ndDivisionVet]

I love bulgogi with all the banchan side dishes, but I don’t mind bibimbop.

[left that other site]

Ooooh yeah...the more side dishes the better!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Those thin little strips of fish and the kimchi especially.

[j.havenfarm]

A fried spam panini, on flat bread with fried egg and American cheese to glue the whole thing together, is sublime

[elcid1970]

My Dad was infantry in WWII and stayed in afterward. His favorite breakfast was SOS; years later I learned what that meant. At the time I didn’t think it tasted like a steel wool scouring pad. It was good and `stuck to your ribs’.

His favorite dinner was ham hock & navy beans with homemade chili sauce.

Times were hard sometimes. If there wasn’t hamburger or chipped beef for SOS, he would stir up the remaining ingredients and called it `kite paste’.

This was in the days when liver & brussel sprouts were delicacies.

[left that other site]

mmm mmm mmm!

[JohnnyP]

When I was in, we called SOS “foreskins on toast”.

[Big Red Badger]

Rediscovering SPAM!

IT Stops Globull Warming!

[Big Red Badger]

SPAM with BACON!?!

are you Kidding Me?

I’m in Heaven.

[Larry Lucido]

[eldoradude]

Wonder what they would have come up with using these...

Chicken ala king, turkey chunks, little pink baby dicks with powdered ketchup. Yumbo.

[Songcraft]

Lets' not forget "Vegan Spam"...

Vegan Spam
(youtube video link)

[Songcraft]

"His favorite dinner was ham hock & navy beans with homemade chili sauce."

(Cadence time...)

Navy beans and Navy gravy
Aren't you glad you're not in the Navy
Sound off -- One Two...

[ApplegateRanch]

Naval Station Treasure Island, summer 1964: chipped beef. That was when I also learned I liked grits; first time I saw them in the chow line, I thought it was cream of wheat.