Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup)
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Korean
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 (makes ~10 cups)
 
Ingredients
Soup:
  • 1½ lbs beef brisket
  • 1 large green onion, sliced whites and greens
  • 6 cloves of garlic, whole
  • 1 4-6" piece of dashima (seaweed)
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
  • 1 yellow onion, quartered
  • 12 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons soju
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil, reserve for later
Sauce:
  • 12 cloves of garlic
  • 7 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
  • 5 tablespoons gukganjang (Korean soup seasoning soy sauce, which is lighter in color and more heavily seasoned than regular soy sauce. If you don't have gukganjang, use whatever you have and then taste and season the soup at the end)
  • 1 tablespoon doengjang (Korean fermented soy paste)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
Late Add-Ins
  • 2 cups shredded napa cabbage leaves (about 4 leaves)
  • 2 cups mung bean sprouts
  • 1 large green onion, sliced whites only
  • 3-5 small green onions (aka scallions; or substitute chives), sliced whites, greens cut into 1-2" batons
Instructions
Get the Soup Started
  1. Wash and dry all fresh produce.
  2. In a large stockpot, combine all soup ingredients, except the sesame seed oil, over high heat and bring to a boil (takes about 15-20 minutes)
  3. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, Prep the Sauce and Late Add-Ins
  1. Peel and rough chop the garlic, then salt to help mascerate. Continue to crush or mince garlic. Move to a medium bowl.
  2. To the medium bowl, add remaining sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside.
  3. Thinly slice the cabbage leaves lengthwise.
  4. Pick through the mung bean sprouts, discarding any damaged pieces.
Return to the Soup
  1. When the 45 minutes of simmering is up, remove meat from broth and let cool on a cutting board, resting about 15 minutes.
  2. Strain broth into a large pot and set aside somewhere warm. Rinse out the stock pot and return it to the stove.
  3. When meat is cool enough to handle, shred by hand, tearing with the grain of the meat to make long thin strips.
  4. In a large bowl, combine shredded meat and sauce until thoroughly coated (plastic gloves are helpful)
  5. In the stock pot, heat reserved tablespoon of sesame seed oil over medium heat until hot.
  6. Add marinated beef and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add spoonfuls of broth if the pot seems dry.
  7. Add cabbage and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Add spoonfuls of broth if the pot seems dry.
  8. Finally add sprouts, large green onion whites, small green onion batons, and return broth to the stock pot. Stir all ingredients.
  9. Bring back to a boil (takes about 10-15 minutes).
  10. Serve immediately (makes 8-10 cups).
Recipe by Kimchi Curious at https://kimchicurious.com/recipes/yukgaejang-spicy-beef-soup/