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Yukgaejang

육개장 (yukgaejang): fiery shredded beef soup with bracken, bean sprouts and leeks

Yukgaejang is the red, chilli-slicked beef soup Koreans eat on the hottest days of summer to sweat out the heat, and it is also the soup served to mourners at funerals all over the country. Beef brisket is simmered for a couple of hours, shredded by hand and tossed with chilli flakes, garlic and soy, then returned to the broth with soaked bracken (gosari), bean sprouts and armfuls of leek. The flavour is deep and beefy with a slow chilli burn. Serve with a bowl of rice and kimchi. The usual mistake is adding the chilli flakes straight to the soup, where they taste raw and dusty; cooking them first in oil turns them sweet and red. A pressure cooker gets the brisket tender in 40 minutes. Chef's tip: shred the beef along the grain with your fingers rather than slicing it, so every strand soaks up the seasoning.
Total time
180 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the broth

For the soup

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (6)

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Method

0/8 done
  1. Step 1: Soak the 1 ⅓ lb beef brisket or flank in cold water for 20 minutes to draw out blood, then drain.

    20 min
  2. Step 2: Put the brisket, 10 ½ cups water, 1 onion, 6 cloves garlic and ¾ in fresh ginger in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim, and simmer partly covered for 2 hours until a chopstick slides easily into the beef. (Pressure cooker: 40 minutes on high.)

    120 min
  3. Step 3: Lift out the beef and let it cool for a few minutes. Strain the broth; you need about 1.8 litres. Shred the beef along the grain into thin strands.

    10 min
  4. Step 4: Blanch the 7 oz soaked or ready-cooked bracken (gosari) in boiling water for 5 minutes to make sure it is fully tender, then drain. Bracken must always be well cooked.

    5 min
  5. Step 5: In the empty pot heat the 3 tbsp sesame oil plus neutral oil, mixed over a low heat, add the 3 tbsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru) and 4 cloves garlic and stir for 1 minute until the oil turns red and smells toasty, not burnt.

    1 min
  6. Step 6: Toss the shredded beef, gosari and 2 leeks or thick spring onions in the chilli oil with 3 tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) and 1 tbsp fish sauce for 2 minutes, then pour in the broth.

    2 min
  7. Step 7: Add the 9 oz soybean sprouts and simmer for 15 minutes until the leeks are silky and the sprouts lose their raw, beany smell. Season with ½ tsp black pepper and taste; add a little salt if needed.

    15 min
  8. Step 8: If using 2 eggs, drizzle it in a thin stream over the simmering soup and leave 30 seconds before stirring, so it sets in ribbons. Serve very hot with rice.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
360 kcal
Protein
38 g
Carbs
12 g
Fat
17 g
Fibre
5 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does yukgaejang take?
About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it very spicy?
It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
What can I use instead of onion?
2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of garlic?
½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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