Korean Beef Tail Soup (Kkori Gomtang)
A deeply savory beef broth simmered with oxtail until tender, finished with fresh green onions and sesame oil. This iconic Korean comfort soup takes patience but minimal active work.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 320
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef oxtail (or beef shanks)
- 10 cups water
- 2 inch piece ginger, fresh
- 6 whole garlic cloves
- 4 stalks green onions (scallions)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- 1
Pat the oxtail pieces dry with paper towels, rubbing all sides firmly to remove surface moisture so they will brown properly.
- 2
Using a vegetable peeler or knife, remove the thin tan skin from the ginger piece, revealing the pale flesh underneath.
- 3
Smash each garlic clove by placing it on the cutting board, laying the flat side of a chef's knife on top, and pressing down hard with the heel of your hand until the clove cracks open.
- 4
Place the oxtail pieces in a large pot and cover them completely with 10 cups of cold water, then set the pot on the stove over high heat.
- 5
Bring the water to a rolling boil, watching for large bubbles breaking the surface, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 6
Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding the cloudy liquid; rinse the oxtail pieces under cold running water and scrub away any gray film with your fingers.
- 7
Rinse the pot and add the cleaned oxtail back to it along with 10 cups of fresh cold water, then place the pot over high heat.
- 8
Add the peeled ginger piece and the smashed garlic cloves to the pot, then bring the water to a boil over high heat, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 9
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot partially with the lid, leaving a gap so steam escapes slowly.
- 10
Simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours, until the meat on the oxtail is tender enough to pull away from the bone with a fork, checking at the 90-minute mark.
- 11
While the broth simmers, slice each green onion stalk crosswise into 1-inch pieces, separating the white and pale-green parts from the dark-green leafy tops into two piles.
- 12
When the oxtail is very tender, remove and discard the ginger piece and garlic cloves using a slotted spoon, leaving the broth in the pot.
- 13
Taste the broth by carefully sipping a spoonful; if it tastes mild, add salt gradually in pinches (starting with 1/2 teaspoon) and stir until it tastes savory like a light soy sauce.
- 14
Ladle the hot broth and oxtail pieces into four large bowls, filling each three-quarters full.
- 15
Scatter the white and pale-green green onion pieces evenly over the surface of each bowl, then drizzle 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil into the center of each bowl.
- 16
Top with the dark-green green onion leaves for a fresh burst of color and mild onion flavor.
Tools you’ll need
- large stockpot with lid (6-quart minimum)
- fine-mesh strainer
- large bowl
- slotted spoon
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- vegetable peeler
- measuring cups and spoons
- soup ladle
- four large bowls
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