Seolleongtang is a traditional Korean soup made by slow-boiling beef leg bones and brisket for hours until the broth turns milky-white and deeply savory. Its signature nutty, collagen-rich flavor and tender brisket make it a classic comfort dish served over rice with noodles and scallions.
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Rinse the bones in a large bowl, removing any bone fragments. Drain and refill the bowl with cold water. Set aside for 30 minutes. Do the same for the brisket in a separate bowl.
Drain both bowls again, put the bones and brisket in a large pot, and fill with 2 liters of water with the ginger. Bring the pot to a boil, turn down the flame, and leave it on a steady boil for 3 hours, covered. Skim off any foam while boiling. Add more water to the stock if the water level has decreased noticeably below 2 liters.
After 3 hours, pour out the stock into a bowl. Remove the brisket, but keep the bones in the pot. Discard the ginger. Set aside the brisket to cool and afterwards, seal it in a container and refrigerate. Fill the pot back up with the remaining 2 liters of water and keep a steady boil for another 3 hours, covered.
Turn off the flame, discard the bones, and cool the soup. Take a fat separator to remove the fat, or set the liquid in the refrigerator and wait for the fat to solidify before scooping it out, about 3-4 hours, or overnight.
When ready to eat: boil the noodles until slightly under-cooked, rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside. Thinly slice the brisket. Bring the soup back to a boil, and add the meat. Once heated through, divide the noodles into serving bowls and ladle in the hot seolleongtang. Top with chopped scallions, and serve with the condiments on the side. Pair it with a bowl of rice to make a complete meal.
Store broth and cooked brisket separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze up to 2 months; reheat gently on stovetop and cook fresh noodles at serving time.
Typically 4–6 hours of simmering to achieve the characteristic milky-white broth and tender meat. The longer simmer extracts maximum collagen and flavor from the bones.
Yes, a pressure cooker reduces cooking time to 45–60 minutes while still producing a rich broth, though traditional long simmering develops deeper flavor.
Seolleongtang uses leg bones as the primary ingredient for broth, creating a milky color and nutty taste. Other Korean beef soups like gomtang may use different cuts or have clearer broths.
Refrigerate broth and meat separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months. Fat will solidify on top when chilled and can be reheated or removed.
Yes, marrow bones or a mix of leg bones and marrow bones work well and will create an equally rich, creamy broth.
