Seolleongtang: Seoul Milky Ox Bone Soup Simmered All Day

Steps

1. 1Soak the bones, gristle and tongue

   Rinse the knee bones, gristle and tongue under cold water. Put them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Soak for 5 to 6 hours to draw out the blood, keeping the bowl in the refrigerator or in cold water; never leave it out at room temperature on a warm day. The water turns pink as the blood comes out.

2. 2Wipe the beef and prepare the vegetables

   Pat the brisket and shank with a clean cotton cloth to wipe off surface blood; these cuts skip the soak. Wash and trim the green onion, garlic, ginger and onion. Chop all the green onion and set the 1½ oz (40 g) for the table aside in a covered dish in the refrigerator.

3. 3Parboil and discard the water

   Pour the parboiling water into the stockpot and bring it to a boil over high heat, about 10 minutes. Drain the soaked bones, gristle and tongue, add them to the boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Grey foam rises fast and the surface of the meat turns grey-brown. Pour everything into a colander and throw the water away.

   Handling the pot

   A stockpot of boiling water is heavy and spills easily. Lift it with two hands and dry oven mitts, or ladle out some water first, and keep the sink clear before you drain.

4. 4Start the broth on high heat

   Put the simmering water, the knee bones and the gristle into the clean pot. Set the tongue aside in the refrigerator; it goes back in later. Bring the pot to a boil and keep it on high heat for 1 hour. Skim off the foam each time it gathers at the edges.

5. 5Boil on medium for five hours

   Lower the heat to medium and let it boil for 5 hours. Keep the boil steady, with bubbles breaking across the surface; this movement is what turns the broth white. Skim scum and fat from time to time, and if the water drops well below the bones, top it up with boiling water. By the end, the broth is cloudy and milky.

   Keep it bubbling

   If the broth stays thin and see-through after a few hours, the heat is too low. Turn it up until the surface rolls; a gentle simmer makes a clear broth.

6. 6Add the tongue and beef

   Add the tongue, brisket and shank to the pot alongside the bones. Let the broth come back to a boil and cook for 1 hour. Push the meat under the surface with a ladle if it floats.

7. 7Add the aromatics and finish on low

   Add the green onion for the pot with the garlic, ginger and onion. Cook for 1 hour, then turn the heat to low for 30 minutes. The raw sharpness of the garlic and ginger fades and the broth smells round and sweet.

8. 8Lift out and cut the meat

   When the tongue, brisket and shank are tender, lift them out onto a cutting board. Cut the meat into pieces of about 1¼ by 1½ inches (3 × 4 cm). The pieces should be tender enough to cut cleanly without shredding.

9. 9Cool, skim the fat and bring back to a boil

   Strain the broth away from the bones and cool it quickly; dividing it into smaller containers helps. Once cool, spoon off the fat that has risen and set on the surface. Pour the broth back into the pot and boil it on high heat for 10 minutes.

   Fat off, flavor stays

   Cooling makes the fat set into a pale layer you can lift off in pieces. The broth underneath often thickens to a jelly when cold, a sign of plenty of gelatin.

10. 10Serve and season at the table

    Put a portion of meat into each bowl and ladle the hot broth over it. Set out the salt, pepper, chili pepper and the chopped green onion for the table, with rice on the side. Each person seasons their own bowl. The broth should steam and look opaque white around the meat.