Korean Ox Bone Soup (Seollangtang)

Name: Korean Ox Bone Soup (Seollangtang)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 lbs ox bones and any attached meat (leg and knuckle bones); 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/2 inch ginger, thinly sliced; Korean Sweet Potato Noodles or Korean thin Wheat Noodles (dangmyun, cellophane, gooksu); 1 large Korean radish, peeled, halved and sliced (optional); brisket meat, cooked and thinly sliced (optional); For serving: chopped scallions, sea salt, freshly ground pepper

Seollangtang is a Korean ox bone soup with a distinctive milky white broth made by simmering leg and knuckle bones for 8–10 hours until thick and deeply flavored. The long cooking time extracts collagen and marrow into a rich, meaty broth traditionally served simply with rice and kimchi.

Korean Ox Bone Soup (Seollangtang) Recipe

Total

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Justapinch · by koreanfood.about.com

Ingredients

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2 lbs ox bones and any attached meat (leg and knuckle bones)
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 inch ginger, thinly sliced
Korean Sweet Potato Noodles or Korean thin Wheat Noodles (dangmyun, cellophane, gooksu)
1 large Korean radish, peeled, halved and sliced (optional)optional
brisket meat, cooked and thinly sliced (optional)optional
For serving: chopped scallions, sea salt, freshly ground pepper

7 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Rinse and soak the bones for two hours in cold water. Discard the water.
2
Bring a large pot half-full of water to boil. Boil the bones for five minutes, remove from pot, and discard water again.
3
Put ox bones in the large pot and cover with a lot of water (~30 cups, 1.5 gallons, 8 qts).
4
Bring to a boil.
5
Reduce heat to a hard simmer, and cook for 1 hour.
6
Reduce heat to medium and a lower simmer and cook for 4-6 hours, skimming fat, foam, and anything else off the surface.
7
Add ginger and garlic (and radish, if using) and simmer for another 1-2 hours.
8
Remove bones and seasonings (and radish, if using) and skim fats again before serving.
9
For a perfectly smooth broth, cool soup and skim fats when they rise.
10
Serve with rice (and noodles and meat, if using) and small bowls of sea salt, pepper, and chopped scallions for seasoning.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Parboil bones for 5 minutes, discard water, and rinse thoroughly before starting the long simmer; this removes impurities and ensures a clear, milky broth rather than a gray one.
Maintain a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil) to keep the broth clear and allow collagen to emulsify evenly into the milky texture.
Skim the surface regularly in the first hour to remove foam and fat particles; fat can be skimmed again midway through cooking if desired.
Taste only near the end of cooking; seollangtang is intentionally underseasoned so diners add salt, pepper, and scallions to taste at the table.

Substitutions

Ox leg bones → beef knuckle bones or marrow bones (result will be less gelatinous)
Korean radish → daikon or turnip (flavor profile similar, texture slightly firmer)
Brisket meat → beef chuck or short ribs (cook separately or with bones from the start)
Korean sweet potato noodles → thin wheat noodles or ramen (texture less chewy but acceptable)

Storage & make-ahead

Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days; broth will gel when cold due to collagen. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding water if too thick. Freeze up to 3 months.

Equipment

Large stockpot (8–12 quarts minimum) · Fine-mesh strainer

Common Questions

How long do I need to simmer seollangtang?

Minimum 8 hours, but 10 hours produces the thickest, richest broth. The longer simmer time allows collagen to break down into gelatin and creates the signature milky appearance.

Can I use a pressure cooker or instant pot instead?

Yes. Cook ox bones at high pressure for 90–120 minutes, then release pressure naturally. The result will be less thick than traditional simmering but still flavorful.

Why is my broth not turning milky white?

Ensure bones are parboiled first to remove impurities, then start fresh water. The milky color comes from emulsified collagen and bone marrow; low heat and long cooking time are essential.

Can I make this ahead or freeze it?

Yes. Cool completely and refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop; the broth will solidify when cold due to gelatin from the bones.