# Korean Oxtail Soup

> 꼬리곰탕

By David Kim for Nosh with David. Full page: https://noshwithdavid.com/recipes/korean-oxtail-soup/

- Cuisine: Korean
- Course: Soup
- Time: prep 30 min, cook 5 hr, total 5 hr 30 min
- Serves: 4

## Ingredients

### For the Soup

- 3 lbs oxtail (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 12 cups water
- 1 large onion (quartered)
- 6 cloves garlic (smashed)
- 2- inch piece ginger (sliced)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp white pepper

### For Serving

- 4 green onions (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Steamed white rice
- Kimchi

## Instructions

1. Prepare the oxtail: Rinse oxtail pieces under cold water and soak in cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess blood. Drain and rinse again.
2. Initial blanching: Place oxtail in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the oxtail pieces thoroughly under cold water to remove impurities.
3. Start the broth: In a clean large pot or slow cooker, combine the blanched oxtail, 12 cups fresh water, quartered onion, smashed garlic, ginger slices, and bay leaves.
4. Simmer slowly: Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer partially covered for 4-5 hours. Skim foam and impurities from the surface every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours.
5. Check doneness: The soup is ready when the meat easily falls off the bones and the broth has turned a rich, milky white color.
6. Strain and season: Remove oxtail pieces and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve. Return the clear broth to the pot and season with salt and white pepper.
7. Prepare meat: Remove meat from the oxtail bones, discarding bones and excess fat. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
8. Final assembly: Return the shredded meat to the seasoned broth and heat through.
9. Serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions and minced garlic. Serve with steamed rice and kimchi.

## Notes

#### RECIPE TIPS

- Don't skip the blanching step - it removes impurities for a cleaner broth

- Simmer on the lowest heat possible to prevent the broth from becoming cloudy

- Skim foam regularly during the first two hours of cooking

- The longer you simmer, the richer and whiter the broth becomes

- For extra richness, add a few beef knuckle bones to the pot

- Season gradually - you can always add more salt but can't take it away

#### SERVING SUGGESTIONS

- Serve with steamed white rice as a complete meal

- Accompany with assorted banchan (Korean side dishes)

- Pair with aged kimchi for traditional flavor balance

- Serve with pickled radish (chicken-mu) for palate cleansing

- Add cooked rice directly to the soup for a hearty one-bowl meal

- Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and fresh garlic

#### VARIATIONS

- Add sliced rice cakes (tteok) for Korean rice cake soup variation

- Include Korean radish (mu) during the last hour of cooking

- Make it spicy by adding gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)

- Add glass noodles (dangmyeon) for extra heartiness

- Include beaten eggs stirred in at the end for egg drop style

- Try with beef short ribs instead of oxtail for galbitang

#### STORAGE

- Refrigerate leftover soup in airtight containers for up to 4 days

- The broth will gel when cold due to natural collagen - this is normal

- Reheat gently over medium heat, stirring to re-liquify the broth

- Freeze portions for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers

- Add fresh garnishes when reheating for best flavor

- The soup often tastes even better the next day as flavors meld

## Nutrition per serving

- Calories: 350
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 1910 mg