Nourishing & Flavorful Boiled Chicken (Dakbaeksuk)
Nourishing & Flavorful Boiled Chicken (Dakbaeksuk)
Baek Jong-won’s Method for Perfectly Cooked Dakbaeksuk, Delicious Dipping Sauce, and Glutinous Rice Porridge (Dakjuk)
Chicken is packed with protein and essential amino acids, making it beneficial for preventing and recovering from chronic illnesses. It’s also rich in collagen, which is great for skin health. Today, we’ll guide you through Baek Jong-won’s method for making Dakbaeksuk, focusing on how to achieve a clear, flavorful broth, along with a delicious dipping sauce and a hearty glutinous rice porridge (Dakjuk).
Ingredients for Clear & Flavorful Boiled Chicken- 1 whole chicken (young or native chicken)
- 200g chicken breast (optional, for broth or shredded)
- 2 liters rice water (for removing gamey smell and enhancing flavor)
- 1 herbal sachet (or ingredients like Astragalus root, Acanthopanax root, etc.)
- 10-15 whole garlic cloves (generous amount for flavor)
- 5 dried ginger slices (or 1 knob of fresh ginger)
- 1 large leek (cut into large pieces)
- 1/2 onion (washed thoroughly, skin on is fine)
- 4-5 bay leaves (for eliminating gamey odors)
- 10 dried jujubes (for subtle sweetness and health benefits)
- A bit of chives (for garnish and serving)
- A pinch of sea salt or regular salt (for seasoning)
Special Dakbaeksuk Dipping Sauce- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp chicken broth (adds depth of flavor!)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Jin Ganjang (Korean soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (for a sweet and sour taste)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Korean mustard (for a zesty kick!)
- A bit of chopped green onion (for color and aroma)
Hearty Glutinous Rice Porridge (Dakjuk)- 2 cups glutinous rice (soaked in water for at least 1 hour beforehand)
- A pinch of sea salt or regular salt (for seasoning)
- A bit of chopped chives (for a fragrant finish)
- 200g cooked chicken breast (shredded)
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp chicken broth (adds depth of flavor!)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Jin Ganjang (Korean soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (for a sweet and sour taste)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Korean mustard (for a zesty kick!)
- A bit of chopped green onion (for color and aroma)
Hearty Glutinous Rice Porridge (Dakjuk)- 2 cups glutinous rice (soaked in water for at least 1 hour beforehand)
- A pinch of sea salt or regular salt (for seasoning)
- A bit of chopped chives (for a fragrant finish)
- 200g cooked chicken breast (shredded)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start with the first step to making delicious Dakbaeksuk: preparing the chicken! Get your kitchen scissors ready. We’ll be trimming off excess fat from the tail and wing areas of the chicken.
Step 2
You’ll find a lot of yellow fat around the chicken’s tail (near the vent) and inside the wing joints. Cutting this off meticulously will result in a much clearer and cleaner broth, allowing you to enjoy the pure, savory taste without any gamey flavor. It’s also a good idea to trim the pointy end of the chicken wings.
Step 3
Remove the bones from the chicken’s neck and any remaining bits of internal organs from the cavity. You can cut the chicken in half with scissors, and then the organs should pull out easily with your hands. Carefully check and remove everything from the inside.
Step 4
To further eliminate any gamey smell, thoroughly scrape off any blood clots or dark membranes clinging to the inside walls of the chicken. It’s also best to remove as much visible fat as possible. After this preparation, rinse the chicken several times under cold running water to wash away any remaining blood and impurities.
Step 5
Now, get a large pot for boiling the Dakbaeksuk. Pour in 2 liters of rice water. Add the herbal sachet, dried ginger slices, the large pieces of leek, the half onion (washed well, skin on is fine), and the bay leaves. (We’ll add the whole garlic and jujubes later!) Feel free to use any leftover vegetables or herbs you have at home.
Step 6
Place the prepared chicken and chicken breast (optional) into the pot. Add a tiny pinch of salt for now, as you can adjust the seasoning later. Start boiling over high heat with the lid off. Once the broth comes to a rolling boil, maintain high heat for exactly 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, cover the pot with the lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the Dakbaeksuk simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 7
After 20 minutes, open the lid and add the whole garlic cloves and dried jujubes you set aside. (If you love garlic, add plenty now and enjoy them later! Jujubes add a subtle sweetness.) Cover the pot again and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. While it’s simmering, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. This step ensures a cleaner broth.
Step 8
After a total of about 30 minutes of simmering, turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let it rest for 10 minutes. This resting period allows the chicken juices to redistribute, making the meat tender and enhancing the overall flavor.
Step 9
Let’s make the special dipping sauce that perfectly complements the Dakbaeksuk! In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: gochugaru, chicken broth, minced garlic, Jin Ganjang, vinegar, sugar, Korean mustard, and chopped green onion. Mix them well. You can adjust the amount of Korean mustard according to your preference. Your delicious sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce is ready!
Step 10
To make the hearty and delicious Dakjuk (glutinous rice porridge), prepare the glutinous rice. Rinse the glutinous rice several times until the water runs clear, then soak it in cold water for at least 1 hour. After soaking, drain the rice thoroughly in a sieve.
Step 11
Take out the chicken breast (or any meat you’ve cooked and deboned) that was boiled in the Dakbaeksuk. Let it cool down slightly, then shred it into bite-sized pieces along the grain.
Step 12
Now, for the Dakjuk. Ladle some of the clear chicken broth from the pot into another saucepan. If you don’t have enough broth, you can add a little water. Place the saucepan with the chicken broth over the stove and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the soaked glutinous rice.
Step 13
Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the porridge constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Continue cooking until the glutinous rice is fully cooked and the porridge reaches a soft, creamy consistency.
Step 14
Once the glutinous rice has softened, add the shredded chicken breast and continue to cook. When the porridge reaches your desired consistency, season it with salt. Adjust the amount of salt to your taste.
Step 15
Finally, let’s add some freshness with chives. I’ve washed and finely chopped some chives from the refrigerator. You can also add other finely chopped vegetables you like (e.g., carrots, zucchini) for a more colorful and flavorful Dakjuk.
Step 16
After adding all the ingredients and simmering for a short while, cover the pot and let the porridge steam for about 10 minutes. This steaming process will make the glutinous rice even softer and more delicious. Your hearty and flavorful Dakjuk is now complete!
