Seolleongtang is a traditional Korean beef bone broth simmered for hours until the bones release a rich, milky cream. The result is a deeply savory, meaty broth that serves as the foundation for noodle soups and stews.
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Soak beef bones in cold water for 30 min or so.
In a stock pot, add bones and 4 qt of water. Cover with lid and bring to boil then let it boil for 15 min.
Turn off heat and discard the liquid and save the bones. Quickly rinse the bones under water to clean off any brownish, foamy impurities.
Rinse the pot and put the rinsed bones back in the pot. Add about 4 quarts of water to the bones and bring to full rolling boil (covered).
Continue to boil high for 30 min. Add 4 more cups of water. Keep boiling at medium or a little above medium heat for 1 hr and then add another 4 cups of water (if the bones are too exposed in the air - water level should be just above the bones at this point ) and continue to boil for another 1 hr or so. The bones need to be boiling vigorously during this first part for the broth to develop into a cloudy and milky color.
Once the broth is opaque and milky, add about 8 quarts of water and then lower heat to medium low and keep it at full simmer. Continue the full simmer for 3 hrs. Add another 7 quarts of water and full simmer for 4 1/2 hrs until the broth is overall completely opaque, milky and wonderful. You may need to skim fat - see below.
In another pot (3-4qt or bigger) and add Brisket or Flank Steak, water, onion, green onion and a piece of radish if you have some and bring to boil then simmer for about an hour or until a fork goes in easily. For a more detailed and exact recipe, you can follow my Gogiguk recipe.
Optionally, you can boil the bones a 2nd or even a 3rd time. Some even say the 2nd boil is even better.. basically, you can save the broth and add fresh water to the bones and boil again for another 5 hrs or so until the broth turns milky. Some like to do this altogether and combine the broth from the 1st and 2nd boil together. This is especially helpful if you have a small pot and can't boil a lot of water at the same time.
Depending on the amount of fat you have on your bones, you may end up with a lot of fat on top of your soup or not very much. If you have a lot of fat on top of your soup, you should skim the fat. Easiest way is to cool the whole pot so that the fat solidifies and you can remove it with a spoon. But if cooling the whole pot is not easy, you can just ladle the top part of the soup to skim the fat.
If you are too lazy to skim the fat or there isn't a lot of fat, you can swirl the bottom of your ladle around the surface of the soup before you ladle it. See my video.
Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop; the fat layer on top can be removed or left for richness.
Large stockpot (8+ quart capacity) ยท Skimmer or fine-mesh strainer
Simmer for at least 6-8 hours, though 12+ hours yields a richer, creamier broth. The longer cooking time allows the bones to fully release collagen and marrow.
Yes. Use high pressure for 2-3 hours, then allow natural release. This significantly reduces cooking time while still developing deep flavor.
Marrow bones, femur bones, and knuckle bones are ideal. They contain high collagen and marrow content, which creates the characteristic milky, creamy texture.
Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. The fat will solidify on top when chilled; remove before reheating or leave it for added richness.
Yes, broth can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop before serving or adding noodles and meat.
