Korean Oxtail Soup

Growing up, the rich aroma of my grandmother's kkori gomtang would fill her entire kitchen on cold winter mornings. She'd start the broth before dawn, letting the oxtails simmer for hours until the bones released their deep, nourishing essence. The first spoonful of that milky white Korean oxtail soup was pure comfort - tender meat falling off the bone, surrounded by a broth so rich it felt like a warm embrace. Even now, whenever I make this traditional recipe, I'm transported back to her kitchen table, watching steam rise from my bowl while she'd tell me stories of her childhood in Korea.

Korean oxtail soup represents the pinnacle of Korean comfort food, where time and patience transform humble ingredients into liquid gold. This deeply nourishing kkori gomtang showcases the Korean mastery of extracting maximum flavor and nutrition from bones, creating a milky white broth that's both visually stunning and incredibly satisfying. The long, slow cooking process breaks down collagen into gelatin, resulting in a soup that's not just delicious but also packed with nutrients that Korean families have cherished for generations.

What makes Korean oxtail soup particularly special is its remarkable transformation during the cooking process. The initially clear water slowly turns into an opaque, creamy broth as the oxtail bones release their essence over hours of gentle simmering. Unlike Western oxtail preparations that often rely on heavy seasonings, this traditional Korean approach celebrates the pure, clean flavor of the beef bones themselves, seasoned simply with salt, garlic, and green onions to let the natural richness shine through.

In modern Korean dining culture, kkori gomtang continues to hold its place as the ultimate comfort food, often served at specialized soup restaurants and cherished as a hangover cure or immunity booster. This versatile soup appears on tables during cold winter months, family gatherings, and whenever someone needs deep nourishment. The clean, restorative qualities of the broth make it particularly popular among health-conscious diners who appreciate its natural collagen content and bone-strengthening properties.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Rich, milky white broth from hours of slow simmering

• Tender, fall-off-the-bone oxtail meat

• Natural source of collagen and nutrients

• Perfect comfort food for cold weather

• Authentic Korean flavors with simple ingredients

• Makes excellent use of economical oxtail cuts

What is Kkori Gomtang?

Korean oxtail soup (kkori gomtang) is a traditional Korean soup made by simmering oxtail bones for several hours until they release a rich, milky white broth. The word "kkori" means tail, while "gomtang" refers to the slow-simmered bone broth cooking method that creates the characteristic opaque appearance and deep flavor.

My Essential Korean Pantry contains several of these ingredients, specifically:

• Sempio Soy Sauce
• Kadoya Sesame Oil
• Shirakiku Roasted Sesame Seeds

Need help with what ingredients to stock? Check out My Essential Korean Pantry article. This article describes each essential ingredient with links to where you can buy them easily!