Rich and Deep Korean Beef Marrow Soup (Seolleongtang)
Mom’s Heartfelt Recipe: How to Boil Beef Marrow Soup, Seolleongtang Recipe
Hello everyone, this is Kim Jin-ok. Today, I’m sharing my mom’s heartfelt recipe for a deeply flavorful and nourishing beef marrow soup, perfect for the winter season! When making this soup, don’t just use beef marrow bones; adding Korean beef kneecaps (jappbyeo) is a great way to make the soup more affordable and even richer in flavor. The meat attached to the kneecaps can be detached and served alongside the soup later. Furthermore, purchasing a block of Korean beef shank (satae) to boil with the marrow bones will result in an even more robust broth and a more substantial meal.
**Ingredients:**
– 2kg Korean Beef Marrow Bones (Ujok)
– 2kg Korean Beef Kneecaps (Jappbyeo)
– 1kg Korean Beef Shank (Satae)
**For Serving:**
– Soaked glass noodles
– Minced green onions
– Salt
– Black pepper
– Soy sauce or fish sauce
**Measuring the soup is not critical!** Add about 3 to 4 times the amount of water to the marrow bones and kneecaps, and repeat the process of boiling for 5 hours three times. After each boiling session, cool it down, skim off the fat, and then mix the broth from all three sessions. The beef shank should be boiled along with the marrow bones for about 3 hours.
Ingredients
- 2kg Korean beef marrow bones
- 2kg Korean beef kneecaps
- 1kg beef shank
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. **Soaking to remove blood:** Soak the marrow bones and kneecaps in cold water for about 5 hours, changing the water 3-4 times to thoroughly remove the blood. Also, soak the beef shank in cold water for about 1 hour to remove its blood. This step is crucial for a clean-tasting broth and to eliminate any gamey odors.
Step 2
2. **First blanching (to remove impurities):** Place the blood-removed marrow bones and kneecaps into a large stockpot. Cover them with enough water to fully submerge the bones. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes. This initial blanching step helps remove residual blood and impurities that can cause cloudiness and off-flavors. Discard the blanching water and thoroughly rinse the bones. You’ll see solidified blood clots on the bones; wash these off carefully for a clear broth. Return the cleaned bones to the stockpot.
Step 3
3. **First boil (with beef shank):** Add about 10 liters of cold water to the stockpot with the cleaned bones (this is about 3-4 times the volume of the bones). Add the beef shank. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 hours. The beef shank should be removed about 3 hours into the cooking time; set it aside to cool. Skim off any foam or fat that rises to the surface during simmering. As you remove the shank, use tongs and kitchen shears to carefully detach any meat clinging to the kneecaps. These pieces of meat can be saved for serving later. Return the de-boned kneecaps to the pot to continue simmering. The liquid level may decrease as it cooks; you can top it up with hot water if needed. After removing the shank, continue simmering the bones for another 2 hours, for a total of 5 hours.
Step 4
4. **First broth completion and cooling:** This is the first batch of bone broth, simmered for a total of 5 hours. Strain the broth through a sieve into a separate container, discarding the bones. Let this first broth cool completely in the refrigerator.
Step 5
5. **Second and third boils:** Place the bones from the first boil back into the stockpot. Add fresh cold water to cover and simmer for another 5 hours. Do not add the beef shank during these subsequent boils; just bones and water. Repeat this process one more time for a third boil. Strain each batch of broth and let it cool completely.
Step 6
6. **Fat removal and mixing broths:** After cooling in the refrigerator overnight (or for several hours), a layer of fat will form on top of the broth. Skim off this fat and discard it. Combine the fat-skimmed broths from all three boiling sessions. This concentrated broth can be stored in milk cartons or water bottles and frozen for up to 3 months. This rich marrow broth is incredibly versatile and can be used to enhance the flavor of dishes like tteokguk (rice cake soup), miyeokguk (seaweed soup), manduguk (dumpling soup), muguk (radish soup), and various stews.
Step 7
7. **Preparing the meat:** Slice the cooled beef shank into bite-sized pieces. Also, cut up the meat you detached from the kneecaps, and any collagen-rich parts like sinew (seji) or tendon (dogani) that were attached to the marrow bones. Place all the prepared meats into a container. It’s helpful to cut off and prepare these tender parts during the step where you remove the beef shank.
