Korean Ox Bone Broth with Napa Outer Leaves
Quick answer
Sagol-ugeoji-guk is a hearty Korean soup that combines milky ox bone broth with seasoned outer napa cabbage leaves.
What makes this special
- 35+ minutes simmering lets cabbage fibers fully absorb doenjang seasoning.
- Milky ox-bone broth meets perilla-oil-stir-fried seasoned baechu for fermented depth
- 3-minute sauté of pre-seasoned baechu removes raw smell before broth
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 320 g blanched ugeoji into bite-size lengths, then squeeze out excess water firmly.
- 2 Put the ugeoji in a bowl with 1 tablespoon doenjang, 1 tablespoon gochugaru...
- 3 Heat a pot over medium heat, add the seasoned ugeoji, and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
Sagol-ugeoji-guk is a hearty Korean soup that combines milky ox bone broth with seasoned outer napa cabbage leaves. The ugeoji is pre-mixed with doenjang, gochugaru, garlic, and perilla oil, then stir-fried in the pot for three minutes to develop its aroma before the bone broth is poured in. Simmering over medium heat for thirty-five minutes softens the fibrous greens completely while the doenjang seasoning dissolves into the broth, building layers of fermented depth. The collagen-rich, white bone stock provides a heavy, lingering richness, and the fermented doenjang character of the greens layers on top of that foundation, so each spoonful coats the palate with something dense and warming. Soup soy sauce adjusts the final salt level, and sliced green onion goes in just before serving. Blanching the ugeoji before seasoning it removes any bitterness and off-odors, which keeps the finished broth cleaner and more balanced. This soup belongs to the restorative end of the Korean soup tradition, substantial enough to anchor a cold-weather meal on its own.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut 320 g blanched ugeoji into bite-size lengths, then squeeze out excess water firmly.
Trim any tough stems a little shorter so they soften evenly in the soup instead of staying stringy.
- 2Season
Put the ugeoji in a bowl with 1 tablespoon doenjang, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon perilla oil. Rub the seasoning through the leaves so the thick parts are coated too.
- 3Control
Heat a pot over medium heat, add the seasoned ugeoji, and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
When the doenjang smells nutty and the bottom looks dry, lower the heat slightly to prevent scorching.
- 4Control
Pour in 1800 ml ox bone broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release the seasoning.
Once it begins to boil, keep it at a steady medium simmer for 35 minutes until the greens turn tender.
- 5Control
When the broth looks evenly milky and the ugeoji is soft, add 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce.
Simmer for 8 more minutes, then taste for saltiness and fermented depth before adding anything else.
- 6Finish
Slice 1 green onion on the bias, add it to the pot, and simmer for just 2 minutes.
When the onion softens and its aroma spreads through the broth, ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot.
After the steps
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