any jam-like or paste-like food
醬 centers on thick, savory pastes and jams, especially fermented condiments like miso or soy-based sauces. The meaning extends naturally to any jam-like or paste-like food.
醬 combines 將 (which likely contributes the sound) with 酉 (a jar or vessel for fermentation), suggesting a fermented paste stored in a jar. The exact historical development of the 將 component is complex, but the phono-semantic structure is broadly accepted.
The top 將 looks like a general overseeing things, and the bottom 酉 is a jar. Imagine a general inspecting a jar of thick, savory miso paste—醬 is that jam-like fermented food.
For ショウ, picture a general showing off a jar of paste: show -> ショウ, and the general proudly displays the 醬.