Hi guys!
I’m finally sharing Yukgaejang- Korean Spicy Beef Stew Recipe!!
I’ve revived a lot of requests for this recipe last couple of years. I was waiting for the perfect moment to share this recipe and today is the day! 🙂
Yukgaejang is perfect for cold weather, but it is also a very popular menu during summertime in Korea. Because we believe eating hot food when the weather is hot, actually helps the body system. 🙂
Yukgaejang is a very time-consuming stew, the total cooking time is about 5 hours. But it is definitely worth it!
Brisket is the ideal cut of meat to cook Yukgaejang, because of how long you have to cook this stew. Brisket makes the broth unbelievably flavorful and also gets super-soft yet still has the meaty bites even after being cooked for about 5 hours.
With a bowl of warm rice, it is heavenly. All the chili oil you see in the picture, top of the soup is mostly from sesame oil, not from beef. So no worries!
Yukgaejang is normally made with a bunch of authentic Korean vegetables, but don’t be hesitated because you don’t know the vegetables or you can’t get it where you live. You can make this delicious Korean spicy beef stew without those vegetables because it is not for the flavor, it is more for the texture, which is very similar to beef anyways.
The only vegetables you must put in is green onions and bean sprouts. Lots of green onion is the key to delicious Yukgaejang.
I also like to add Dangmyeon (Korean glass noodles) and egg into my Yukgaejang, because that’s the style I grew up eating and prefer that way. But it is absolutely optional! 🙂
My secret ingredient for Yukgaejang is anchovy. It gives the umami flavor, and no one knows there is anchovy in it. Don’t tell your anchovy hater! lol, I add anchovies into chili oil so anchovies can melt into the oil.
I used to season my Yukgaejang with fish sauce and that is amazing too, so it is another option for you!
Hope you give my Yukgaejang recipe a try soon! 😀
Good luck and have fun in your kitchen~!
Yukgaejang (Korean Spicy Beef Stew)
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 6 to 8 1x
Description
Ingredients
For the Beef Stock
- 1 lb. beef brisket
- 5x5 (about your palm size) Kelp, Dasima/Kombu
- 3 green onions
- 5 to 7 whole garlic cloves
- 1 Tbs. black pepper corns
- 15 cups cold water
For the Chili Oil
- 10 garlic cloves, chopped (approximately 1/4 cup)
- 2 to 4 green onions, chopped (approximately 1/3 cup)
- 4 Tbs. gochugaru
- 5 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 3 anchovies
- 3 Tbs. soy sauce
For the Vegetables
- 2 oz. gosari (dried fernbrake), optional (if you are using dried one, prepared by following directions of package)
- 2 oz. gobi (royal fern fougere), optional (if you are using dried one, prepared by following directions of package)
- 2 oz. torandae (dried taro stems), optional (if you are using dried one, prepared by following directions of package)
- 4 cups green onion (if you are not using any of 3 vegetables above, increase it to 6 cups)
- 1/2 lb. bean sprouts
To Serve (for 2)
- 5 oz. dangmyeon (Korean glass noodles), optional
- 2 eggs, beaten, optional
- 2 bowls of warm rice
Instructions
- In a large pot place all ingredients for beef stock including 15 cups cold water. If you have a tea filter bag, it will be great to use to hold garlic cloves and black pepper corns.
- Cover, bring it boil over high heat. Skim sums and fat as needed. (a skimmer would be very useful. It’s very convenient when you’re making Asian soups)
- Remove kelp, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Turn off heat, remove beef and all other solid ingredients. You can discard all vegetables, and cool beef so we can shred with hands.
- Meanwhile beef is cooling down, let’s make chili oil.
In a small sauce pan, add all ingredients for chili oil except soy sauce; on low heat, let it infuse flavors and color for 15 minutes. Mix everything with spatula and anchovy will melt down into oil.
- Increase heat to medium and add soy sauce. Let it bubble and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Shred beef in a large mixing bowl. Add prepared and cut gosari, gobi and torandae if you are using any.
- Cut green onion in halves lengthwise, then cut into 2-inches long pieces. If you are using Korean large green onions, cut into 2-inches long pieces first then cut into quarter. Add into beef mixture.
- Pour chili oil into beef and vegetable mixture and toss everything together with your hand. (make sure you are wearing kitchen glove. If you don’t have one, just use tongs or spatular to mix.)
- Add beef and vegetable mixture into beef stock we made earlier along with bean sprouts. Stir everything together with a spoon and cover, bring it to boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 hours.
Right now (when you put soup into simmer) is perfect timing to soak Korean glass noodles in warm water, if you are using any, so they will soften during soup is simmering.
- Remove from heat, yukgaejang is ready to serve with warm bowl of rice as it is right now. But if you prepared glass noodles and/or egg, follow the next steps.
Soak glass noodles in hot water for 30 minutes. Move 2 portions of yukgaejang into medium size pot, bring it to boil. Pour beaten eggs into boiling yukgaejang gently. Bring soup back to boil and cook 30 seconds to 1 minutes. Don’t stir yukgaejang, to prevent cloudy soup.
- Pace soaked noodles into serving bowl and pour boiling yukgaejang. Serve with warm bowl of rice and any Korean side dishes you’d like! Enjoy!
Notes
After add glass noodles and eggs into big batch of soup, it won’t keep as long.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
[yumprint-recipe id=’68’]
10 comments
Hi Seon kyoung! I made this recipe yesterday and it came out very bland. I usually use a different recipe but used your recipe after watching the video. It looked so delicious and flavorful but when i made it, i came out with no flavor. Can you tell me how i can add more flavor to he soup?? It’s basically one note, not very spicy… I followed it exactly how you made it too… please help thanks
Hi Juli, I’m sorry your yukgaejang turned out bland and no flavor. When I tested and filmed the recipe, it was very flavorful and delicious, so if you followed exact my recipe, I really don’t know where you went wrong. If you want more stronger flavor and spiciness, add more gochugaru and season with more salt/light soy sauce/fish sauce of your choice. Hope this helps!
the only reason my husband goes to korean restaurant was to have yukgaejang but ever since i make this recipe, he no longer want to have restaurant yukgaejang! It is absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I live in the UK, and one thing that i have never come across is soojaebi. Could you please please let me know how to cook that from scratch? Thank youuuu!!!
I made this a few times and I find your recipe the best one out of all the ones on first page of google search and as well as other Youtube recipes! It’s very delicious and has layers of flavours to it. Sometimes I don’t have anchovies and omit it and it still turns out fantastic. I’m from Toronto and we have a lot of Korean food around, I don’t even need to go to restaurants for this anymore. (Also taste better than my mother in law’s.) Keep it up!
What type of bean sprouts should I use? Mung Bean Sprouts or Soy Bean Sprouts?
You made yukgaejang quick and easy with this recipe, thank you! My partner loves yukgaejang but it’s such a long process! Sometimes I just want to cook something he loves within a few hours 😉 어니 너무 고마워 ♥️
Can I use dried anchovies instead of fresh anchovies? If so, what alterations would I need to make?
How much fish sauce do I use in place of anchovies?
I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve made it for years as is and always enjoyed it. My husband does not eat beef. Is there a meat besides beef you would recommend as a substitute?
Thank you and I so happy you are enjoying this recipe!
If you want to substitute the beef, my first suggestion would be a whole chicken.The bone will still give you a good depth of flavor. You could use boneless, skinless breast and thighs, but it might not be as flavorful. If you do use boneless, use chicken stock instead of water to give it more flavor.
I hope this helps and please let me know how it turns out when you try it 🙂