Korean Braised Pork Backbone
Quick answer
Deungppyeo-jjim is pork backbone braised with potato and green onion in a sauce built from doenjang, gochugaru, and soy sauce.
What makes this special
- Deungppyeo-jjim mixes doenjang and gochugaru to season tender pork backbone and potatoes.
- Doenjang base layered with gochugaru heat creates a two-tone depth
- 80-minute cook lets bone-end cartilage separate cleanly from the meat
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Soak 1.2 kg pork backbone in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out blood.
- 2 Bring a large pot of water to a strong boil, then blanch the bones for 5 minutes.
- 3 Wash the pot, return the pork bones, and add 1200 ml water.
Deungppyeo-jjim is pork backbone braised with potato and green onion in a sauce built from doenjang, gochugaru, and soy sauce. After a long, slow simmer the meat tucked between the vertebrae and the cartilage separates from the bone without effort. Doenjang lays a deep, fermented underpinning to the broth while gochugaru brings a sharp, clean heat on top. The potatoes cook until they soften enough to fall apart at the press of a spoon, absorbing the thick, dark cooking liquid around them. Digging out the meat lodged between the bones is part of the pleasure, which is why the dish has long been a favourite pairing with soju. The rich, dense broth also makes it an easy choice for eating over a bowl of steamed rice.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Soak 1.2 kg pork backbone in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out blood.
If the water turns red, change it once so the finished broth tastes cleaner and less gamey.
- 2Heat
Bring a large pot of water to a strong boil, then blanch the bones for 5 minutes.
Rinse under cold water, rubbing away bone dust, gray foam, and clinging impurities from the surfaces.
- 3Heat
Wash the pot, return the pork bones, and add 1200 ml water.
Dissolve 1 tablespoon doenjang into the liquid before boiling so it spreads evenly and builds the base flavor without lumps.
- 4Control
Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoons minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons gochugaru, then bring to a boil over high heat.
Once it boils, skim the foam so the broth stays clear.
- 5Control
Lower to medium-low heat and simmer for 60 minutes with the lid slightly ajar.
The liquid should bubble gently, and the meat between the bones should begin to loosen without drying out.
- 6Heat
Add 300 g potato in large chunks and cook for 15 minutes, then add diagonally sliced green onion.
Braise 10 minutes more until the broth thickens and the potato yields to a spoon.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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