Kettle Brand is taking inspiration from Korean cuisine for its newest flavor.
On Wednesday the iconic chip brand unveiled Sweet & Spicy Gochujang, a limited-time offering that celebrates the flavor of the Korean condiment. To get the flavor just right, Kettle collaborated with Chef Eric Choi of New York City's C as in Charlie, which is a 2023 Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient.
Gochujang is a fermented chile pepper paste. And while recipes differ and there are many variations of the popular condiment, most versions of Gochujang include gochugara (Korean red chili peppers), yeotgireum (barley malt), chaphsal (sweet rice) menu guru (fermented soybean powder), and salt. The fermentation process gives the paste a subtle sweet flavor that balances the spiciness of the peppers and salt. It typically isn’t consumed on its own, and is instead added to things like marinades for meat dishes — like Korean bulgogi or broths. It’s also often added to other dipping sauces.
The paste’s origin can be traced back as far as the 16th century when it was originally consumed for medicinal purposes. The chili paste is considered one of the mother sauces that serve as the basis for Korean cooking, and was first commercially packaged back in the 1970s but has gained popularity worldwide, especially in recent years.
Kettle’s interpretation of the paste doesn’t mention the inclusion of many of the traditional ingredients; however, it highlights a number of spices to create that iconic gochujang flavor with peppers, cayenne, garlic, and onion.
The result is a flavor that Kettle says makes the chips both sweet and spicy at the same time, similar to the flavor imparted by its namesake.
Kettle chips are a bit different than regular potato chips, primarily due to a difference in how they’re cooked. While regular potato chips are cooked through a process called “continuous fry” where chips travel via a conveyor belt through hot oil to be cooked, Kettle chips use a more old-fashioned cooking technique where cold potatoes are stirred in a kettle filled with oil. Potatoes are gradually added to the kettle during the cooking process, cooling down the oil and lengthening the cooking process. That process is why your average bag of kettle chips might have chips that are different colors and different levels of crispiness, as well as occasionally usual shapes.
Kettle Brand Gochujang Chips will be available nationwide for a limited time starting this spring for a suggested retail price of $5.29 for a 6.5-ounce bag. And if you happen to be in New York City and can't find the flavor in your local supermarket or bodega,
Kettle also offers Sirracha and Korean Barbeque flavored chips as part of its core lineup.
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