감자탕 — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A hearty, brick-red stew of tender potatoes, vegetables, and perilla leaves simmered in a rich, spicy broth thickened with doenjang and gochugaru — a soul-warming Korean comfort classic.

Ingredients

500g beef short ribs or beef neck bones
4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
1 medium onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp gochugaru
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp doenjang
1 tbsp soy sauce
200g napa cabbage, chopped
10 perilla leaves (kkaennip)
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1.5L water
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1 Soak beef bones or ribs in cold water for 1 hour to draw out blood. Drain and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse.
2 Place blanched beef in a large pot with fresh water, onion, and half the garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour until meat is tender.
3 Remove onion. Add gochugaru, gochujang, doenjang, soy sauce, and remaining garlic. Stir well.
4 Add potatoes and cook for 20 minutes until nearly tender.
5 Add napa cabbage and cook for 5 more minutes.
6 Stir in perilla leaves and green onions. Simmer for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7 Serve in the pot, sprinkled with sesame seeds and additional perilla leaves.

Did You Know?

Although gamja means potato, the name may actually derive from gamja-gol, referring to the area near the neck bones traditionally used, making the name a centuries-old pun.