A Deliciously Tasty Korean Oxtail Soup Recipe
Oxtail refers to a type of gelatin-rich meat which, as its name implies, was originally from an ox but is now farmed from beef cattle. Oxtail is used to craft a traditional stock or base for oxtail soup and is usually cooked using a stew or braising method; however, the modern landscape offers several shortcut options using a pressure cooker.
If you cross the globe, you will encounter many versions of oxtail soup, with the most popular oxtail recipes coming from the kitchens of Korea, South America, Indonesia, Spain, China, and West Africa.
Korean oxtail soup, known as “kkori gomtang”, is a traditional dish that has been served and loved for many centuries. Because it is a beef bone soup with beef that melts in your mouth, Korean oxtail soup is considered a comfort food and is popular during colder months and often sold by street food vendors.
How to Make this Deliciously Tasty Korean Oxtail Soup Recipe
This Korean oxtail soup recipe takes some time to make, but don’t let that worry you – most of the time is cooking time. Note that overnight refrigeration is highly suggested because it allows you to remove more impurities/fat from the finished soup, creating a cleaner, less greasy finished soup.
- Preparation Time – 1 hour.
- Cooking Time – 4 hours & 30 minutes.
- Serves – 6 – 8.
Ingredients For the Tasty Korean Oxtail Soup Recipe
Kkori Gomtang is a wonderful soup that is created by slow-cooking the oxtails for several hours. During this time, the meat becomes ultra-tender, and the broth picks up the delicious natural flavors of the oxtail bones and cartilage.
- 3 Lbs. of Oxtail Beef
Pro-tup – You can buy oxtails at popular Asian or Korean grocery stores. The butcher at the local grocer may be able to special order them. - 1 Onion – Peeled
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 3 Inches of Fresh Ginger – Peeled
- 1 Daikon/Large Asian Radish
- 1 Tablespoon of Whole Peppercorns
- Water To Fill The Pot
Garnish
- Scallions – just use the green portion of the scallion – sliced.
- Salt to taste
Meat/Beef Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon of Red Hot Chili Pepper Paste
- 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce – a Korean brand is preferred for this recipe.
- 1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon of Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 2 Scallions – just use the green portion of the scallion – sliced.
- 1 – 2 Chili Peppers – Sliced
- Salt – If Needed to Taste
Cooking Directions For this Korean Oxtail Soup Recipe
1 – Cooking the Oxtail Meat
- Wash the oxtail pieces thoroughly with frigid water.
- Grab a large bowl or pot and fill it with cold water.
- Put the oxtail in the water and soak it for 45 minutes to one hour.
- After the oxtail is soaked, rinse the pieces and the pot thoroughly.
- Return the oxtail to the large now-rinsed pot.
- Fill it with water and boil the oxtails for an additional 15 – 20 minutes.
- Drain the oxtail again in a colander to remove any leftover or unnecessary fat.
- Rinse the oxtail and wash the pot as well.
2 – Creating the Oxtail Soup
- Put the oxtail back in the pot and cover the oxtail with water.
- Add the whole peeled onion, ginger, garlic cloves, daikon radish, and whole peppercorns.
- Cover & cook on low for 60 to 90 minutes. If water is needed during this part of the cooking process, adding a cup at a time is best.
- Skim the soup with a large spoon each time the fat rises to the top.
- Pull the veggies and herbs from the onion, garlic, radish, and peppercorns after the soup cooks for 1.5 hours.
3 – Finishing the Oxtail Soup
The broth of this Korean oxtail soup recipe should have a whitish hue. The cooked bone marrow creates the color, creating a rich umami flavor and texture for which this soup is famous.
- Before finishing up the soup, add more water to the broth to cover the oxtails – if needed.
- Boil the soup for an hour over medium heat.
- After an hour, take the oxtail out.
- Separate the meat from the bones and set the meat aside.
- Put the bones back in the simmering soup and cover.
- Cook for an hour on low heat.
- If needed, taste and add a pinch or two of salt.
4 – Preparing the Meat & Serving the Oxtail Soup
- Pull apart the meat, which should be very tender at this point in the process.
- Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, and the red chili pepper paste that has been prepared.
- Combine these ingredients with the shredded oxtail meat.
- For the final presentation –
- Sprinkle sesame seeds, sliced scallions, and fresh red chilies on top.
- Oxtail soup is often served with rice or kimchi. Another option is to serve the kimchi or rice as separate dishes on the table. This gives everyone at the table a chance to create their own level of heat.
- Taste & add salt if needed.
FAQS
Can I freeze this tasty Korean Oxtail Soup Recipe?
If you have some leftovers, let the oxtail soup cool down, this soup will do well if the oxtail soup is stored properly in the refrigerator in an airtight container for upwards of four or five days. Just heat it up on the stove or microwave or add it as a flavoring to a meal.
Can you make this Korean Oxtail Soup ahead of time?
Yes, making it one or even two days before you intend to serve it is beneficial. This is because, when the soup is refrigerated, the fat within the broth/soup hardens, separates, and rises to the top, making it easy to remove.
What are Some Suggested Side Dishes for This Oxtail Soup?
While rice is the traditional side dish for oxtail soup as it offers a balanced and neutral base, these other accompaniments will also work well with this delicious and comforting soup –
- Sauteed collard greens or mustard greens.
- Barley provides added texture and body to this classic winter dish.
- Freshly baked bread.
- Scallion pancakes
- Korean pickled vegetables (mit banchan)
- A simple, fresh side salad, to name a few.
