Korean Oxtail Soup — Sweet & Savorhie

Kkori gomtang is by far my favorite of all Korean soups. When I was younger, my mom would make a giant, stock pot of Kkori Gomtang and I could literally eat it for days. Not only is this dish delicious and hearty, it boasts a great number of incredible health benefits. When I was recovering from childbirth, one of my staple postpartum foods, second to seaweed soup, was Kkori Gomtang because it is chock full of calcium, that helps strengthen a woman’s brittle bones after labor. Many Koreans will even go as far as saying that the secret to radiant and youthful skin can be found in the collagen boosting soup.

The dish itself is quite simple, but it does take some time for the oxtails to simmer, but it’s the key to attaining the rich, milky broth. For those looking for the same goodness in a fraction of the time, you can always use a pressure cooker or crockpot. Whatever method you choose, make sure to add a handful of fresh scallions & have some tangy kimchi on hand!

Ingredients:

4 lbs Oxtails
15-20 cups of Water
1 whole onion
8 cloves of garlic
Scallions (green onions) diced
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Soak oxtails in cold water for about 1 hour to drain blood (discard and change water about half way through).

Rinse the oxtails making sure to wash away any bone fragments and excess fat. Place oxtails in a large stock pot and cover with water and bring to a boil for 5-7 minutes.

Drain all the water and rinse oxtails to remove any scum. Preboiling the oxtails removes any impurities and prevents any unpleasant, gamey smell.

Return oxtails to the pot and fill the pot with cold water (about 14 cups). Add the whole onion and garlic cloves. Place on medium heat and bring to a rolling boil. Simmer for 4 hours making sure to skim off any impurities and oil that rises to the surface. Add more water if water volume has decreased.

Let simmer for another 4-5 hours until broth is milky and meat is tender. Discard onion.