Seolleongtang (Ox bone soup)

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Soak the bones in enough cold water to cover for about 1 hour, or longer if time permits. Rinse well and drain.

   Soak bones for about 1 hour or longer · 60 minUses 3–4 lb beef marrow bones, cut up (or cow knuckles/feet) · Cold water, enough to soak bones · Water, as needed to rinse bones and clean the pot

   
2. 2

   Step 2: In another bowl, soak the brisket or shank in cold water for about 1 hour. Drain and refrigerate until needed.

   Soak meat for about 1 hour · 60 minUses 1–2 lb beef brisket or shank · Cold water, enough to soak meat

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Add the soaked bones to a large stockpot, preferably at least 8 quarts, with enough fresh cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium and boil for 5 minutes.

   Parboil bones · 5 minUses Soaked and drained beef bones · Cold water, enough to cover bones for parboiling

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Drain and discard the parboiling water. Rinse the bones and clean the pot to remove brown bits. Return the bones to the pot.

   Uses Parboiled bones · Water, as needed to rinse bones and clean the pot

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Add fresh cold water to the pot, leaving room to boil without overflowing. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to medium.

   Uses Rinsed parboiled bones · Cold water, enough for the first stock extraction

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Cover and maintain a medium boil until the broth is rich and milky, about 5 hours or longer if time permits. Adjust the heat as needed and add boiling-hot water once or twice, or as needed, to keep the bones covered.

   Extract milky broth for about 5 hours or longer · 300 minUses Bones and stock water · Boiling-hot water, as needed

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Add the soaked meat from step 2, topping up with boiling-hot water if needed to submerge it. Boil for 1 1/2–2 hours until tender. Remove the meat; when cool enough to handle, thinly slice it for serving. Refrigerate the sliced meat promptly if it will wait through further stock extraction or broth chilling. Strain the first broth through a colander into another pot or heatproof bowl, retaining the bones in the stockpot for the optional next extraction.

   Cook meat until tender · 120 minUses First milky bone broth and bones · Soaked refrigerated beef brisket or shank · Boiling-hot water, only if needed to submerge meat

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Optional additional extraction: cover the same bones with fresh water again, leaving room to boil. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium, cover and maintain a moderate boil for 3–5 hours until milky, topping up with boiling-hot water if needed. Strain this broth into the first batch. If desired, repeat once more with fresh water, then mix all the extracted broth together.

   Optional additional stock extraction · 300 minUses Same retained beef bones and first strained broth · Fresh water, for optional additional stock extraction · Boiling-hot water, as needed during optional extraction

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Remove the fat with a fat separator, or promptly cool the broth in smaller shallow containers and refrigerate until the fat solidifies, then spoon it off. Combine the first broth and any optional additional broth before serving.

   Uses First strained broth · Optional additional strained broth, if made

   
10. 10

    Step 10: To serve, reheat the defatted broth until piping hot. Put cooked rice and, if desired, cooked somyeon or glass noodles in each bowl, add the sliced meat from step 7 and ladle over the hot broth. Serve chopped scallions (to taste), salt (to taste) and black pepper (to taste) separately to season to taste, with kimchi if desired. Freeze leftover cooled broth in freezer bags.

    Uses Defatted broth · Cooked sliced brisket or shank · cooked rice · Cooked somyeon or glass noodles, for serving (optional) · Chopped scallions, generously to taste · Salt, to taste · Black pepper, to taste · Prepared kimchi, for serving (optional)