Did my kimchi go bad?

There are ways that your kimchi will go bad. As I mentioned the temperature, air, and sunlight are very important to consider. There are other factors though that can cause your kimchi to grow mold and that is water.

You need to make sure the container and your hands are NOT at all wet. If your container or hands are wet when you place the kimchi inside then the kimchi can go bad.

So, let’s say that you followed all the prime fermentation condition directions but your kimchi is either smelling, tasting, or looking odd. 

How can you tell if you kimchi is actually bad or still good?

The tell-tale sign that your kimchi went bad is not by the smell or the taste. It is actually by the appearance. If there is any white small specks or mold on your kimchi it has gone bad. You may be able to save the under section of the kimchi in the container if it does not have mold so I would recommend checking. You can take out the top layer of the kimchi and if the bottom layer doesn’t have white specks, then you may be able to save it.

Now, what if there is no mold but DAMN, your kimchi is smelling and tasting rancid.

Well, let me tell you, kimchi can go crazy… It’s called “Michin kimchi” (미친 김치). This kimchi honestly smells pretty rancid and tastes rancid. But do not throw it away! This kimchi if left to sit longer will chill out and the flavor will be perfect. You just need to wait a few days to a week.

You may make a large batch of kimchi and split it into two container and one may ferment “regularly” and the other may turn into Michin kimchi (미친 김치). Again, do not be scared and do not throw it away. As long as the kimchi doesn’t have mold it is safe! Even if it smells and tastes horrible, it should be fine when left to ferment longer. If you want to attempt to avoid Michin kimchi (미친 김치), then make sure that your kimchi is fully submerged in the juices. Exposure to air can contribute to your kimchi going temporarily crazy!

If you have a container of kimchi that seems to have turned into Michin Kimchi but you wanted to eat that kimchi right away then try this method.

If the top section of kimchi seems to have turned into Michin Kimchi, than check the lower section of kimchi. The bottom section may smell and seem to be fermenting “regularly”. If this is the case, then you can separate these two sections into different containers. Take the top Michin kimchi out and place it into a new sanitized container. You need to be careful doing this though because if your Michin kimchi is exposed to air and not submerged in the natural juice in its new container, it can go bad quickly. Now you have two containers, one that contains Michin Kimchi that you can let ferment for a longer period of time until the flavor improves, and one container of kimchi that you can use right away for your recipes.