Korean Ox Bone Soup (Milky Slow-Simmered Beef Bone Broth)
Seolleongtang is one of Korea's oldest and most revered soups, made by boiling ox bones and beef brisket for six to eight hours until the broth turns opaque, milky white. The bones are soaked for at least two hours and blanched once to purge impurities before the real simmering begins. Over the course of half a day at a gentle boil, marrow and collagen dissolve into the water, creating a broth with a heavy, almost creamy mouthfeel and a deep, bovine savoriness that no shortcut can replicate. The brisket is pulled out after two hours, sliced thin, and placed on top of the soup as garnish. By tradition, the broth arrives at the table unseasoned - each diner adds salt, pepper, and sliced green onion to taste, a custom that underscores how the flavor of the broth itself is expected to carry the bowl. Rice or thin wheat noodles are added directly to the soup, soaking up the rich liquid.
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Instructions
- 1
Soak 1.5kg ox bones in cold water for 2+ hours to remove blood, then blanch in boiling water for 10 minutes to clean.
- 2
Place bones and 300g brisket in 4L fresh water and bring to a boil on high heat.
- 3
Skim foam, reduce to medium-low, and simmer 6-8 hours. Add water as it evaporates.
- 4
Remove brisket after 2 hours and slice thin. Continue simmering bones until broth turns milky white.
- 5
Strain broth through cheesecloth and skim fat for a clean milky broth.
- 6
Place rice or noodles in a bowl, pour hot broth over, and top with sliced brisket, green onion, salt, and pepper.
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