Haejang-guk: Beef and Blood Soup

A deep, powerful broth enriched with fermented soybean paste. The meat falls off the bone, while the poached ox blood provides a firm, smooth texture.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 120 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 693
• Protein: 68 g
• Carbs: 24 g
• Fat: 29 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Beef shank ( in large chunks )
• 400 g Beef blood ( in cubes )
• 300 g Chinese cabbage ( blanched and squeezed )
• 200 g bean sprouts ( cleaned )
• 3 tbsp doenjang
• 2 tbsp gochugaru
• 4 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 1 piece Leek ( sliced )
• 2 tbsp Korean soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 2 L Mineral water
• 100 g Ugeoji (dried cabbage leaves) ( rehydrated and cut into pieces )
• 2 tbsp perilla oil

Instructions

1. Blanch the meat

   Plunge the beef shank into boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the pieces with clean water to remove all impurities and coagulated blood on the surface.

2. Start the broth

   Place the meat in clean mineral water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Skim regularly to keep a clear broth. Simmer until the meat is fork-tender.

3. Poach the blood

   In a separate saucepan, poach the beef blood cubes in simmering salted water. The blood is ready when it changes color and becomes firm like a custard.

4. Season the vegetables

   Mix the blanched napa cabbage and ugeoji with doenjang, gochugaru, minced garlic, and sesame oil. Press to let the flavors penetrate the vegetable fibers.

5. Final assembly

   Add the seasoned vegetables, bean sprouts, blood cubes, and perilla powder to the beef broth. Pour in the Korean soy sauce. Boil for an additional 15 minutes to bind everything together.

Chef's tips

• Skim carefully during the first boil to avoid a bitter broth.
• Poach the ox blood separately to keep the main soup from becoming cloudy.
• Coat the meat generously with soy sauce at the end to highlight its flavor.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. The broth develops more depth after being reheated once.