Janggukbap (Soy Broth Beef Rice Soup)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy pot, 6 to 8 quart capacity
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Ladle or shallow spoon for skimming
• •Deep soup bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the beef

   Put the brisket and bones in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak 30 minutes, changing the water once if it turns very red. This pulls out excess blood so the broth tastes clean instead of metallic. Drain well.

2. 2

   Blanch and rinse

   Put the beef and bones in a large pot, cover with fresh water, and bring to a hard boil for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the meat and bones under warm water, and wash the pot. This looks fussy until you see what comes off. That scum does not belong in janggukbap.

3. 3

   Start the broth

   Return the rinsed beef and bones to the clean pot with 12 cups cold water. Bring slowly to a simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat so the surface trembles gently. Add the radish, onion, garlic, scallion whites, and peppercorns. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours, skimming foam and fat whenever they rise.

   Do not boil hard. A rolling boil breaks the fat into the broth and makes it cloudy. Gentle heat gives you depth without heaviness.
4. 4

   Remove the meat

   Lift out the brisket when it is tender enough to pull apart with chopsticks, usually after about 2 hours. Wrap it loosely so it does not dry out. Keep simmering the bones and vegetables 45 to 60 minutes more, until the broth is savory and lightly beefy.

5. 5

   Strain and skim

   Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Discard the bones, aromatics, and peppercorns. Let the broth stand 10 minutes, then skim the fat from the surface. If making ahead, chill it until the fat firms on top and lift it off in one piece. This is the easiest clean corner to cut: time in the refrigerator does the skimming for you.

6. 6

   Season the broth

   Bring 8 cups strained broth back to a gentle simmer. Stir in 3 tablespoons soup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Taste before adding more. Soup soy sauce gives the old jang-guk flavor, but too much turns the bowl harsh, so adjust with 1/2 teaspoon salt or 1 teaspoon soup soy sauce at a time.

7. 7

   Slice the beef

   Slice the cooked brisket across the grain into thin bite-size pieces. The grain matters. Cut with it and the meat chews like rope; cut across it and the same piece becomes tender.

8. 8

   Assemble the bowls

   Put 1 cup warm cooked rice in each deep bowl. Lay sliced beef over the rice, then ladle 2 cups hot broth over each serving. Scatter with sliced scallion, sesame seeds if using, and a little black pepper. Serve with kkakdugi or baechu-kimchi at the side, not stirred into the bowl. Let the broth taste like itself.

Chef Tips

• •Use soup soy sauce, guk-ganjang, for the main seasoning. It is saltier and lighter in color than regular soy sauce, which keeps the broth clear and savory. Regular soy sauce alone darkens the soup too much.
• •Brisket gives slices with good chew, while shank gives more gelatin. Either works. Bones make the broth rounder, but do not chase a milky seolleongtang broth here; janggukbap should stay clear.
• •Cook the rice fresh or rewarm it well before serving. Cold rice drops the broth temperature and dulls the seasoning. A soup this restrained notices small laziness.
• •Write down your final soy sauce and salt amounts. Different guk-ganjang brands vary sharply, and 손맛 is real. I still measure it, so it can be handed on.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the broth 1 day ahead, chill it, and remove the solid fat cap before reheating. This gives the cleanest bowl and turns a long recipe into a quick supper.
• •Cooked brisket can be sliced and refrigerated separately for up to 3 days. Rewarm the slices briefly in the seasoned broth so they stay moist.
• •The finished broth freezes well for up to 2 months. Freeze it unsalted if you can, then season after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 820g)