Have you ever heard of gamjatang?
Gamjatang is soup made with pork neck bones and vegetables. Sizzling hot gamjatang is hearty and savory which makes it always popular at the dinner table. The soft fatty meat picked from the gaps between the bones is especially tasty. The fully cooked cabbage and bean sprouts in the stock turn soft yet retain a crispy texture. Gamjatang makes a perfect, satisfying meal when paired with a bowl of rice.
And another selling point is that the main ingredient, pork neck bones (or spine bones) is very cheap. Combined with lots of vegetables, this soup is full of nutrients.
It’s unclear how this dish got it’s name. Some of you may know that gamja in Korean is potatoes. This soup always includes a cooked potato, so is that why it’s called gamjatang? But some people say gamja refers to the delicious meat around the pork spine bones, and that’s where it got its name. It’s still controversial and no one knows the true answer.
Some of you will remember that actually I posted the recipe long time ago, in 2009! Last month I had an event with my friend Hooni Kim at his New York restaurant. He’s also the head chef there and we made dinner and collaborated on some dishes. I entertained the readers who came to the restaurant to meet me, it was wonderful to see them.
One of my readers told me she makes gamjatang from my recipe very often and she always gets compliments from her family whenever she makes it. I realized I had forgotten about my gamjatang recipe because it was posted so long ago! I said: “The video must be blurry and low quality. Can you still learn the recipe from the video?” She said: “Yes, the recipe is still good!”
When I got home that night, I went back to watch my old gamjatang video. Oh my! I could make it better now with my HD camera and more accurate measurements. It decided to remake the video with a few changes to the original recipe.
Do you want to know what’s different? I skipped buchu (asian chives) and cooking wine this time because without them, I found it still tastes so good! And I simplified some of the process when I blanch the bones. I also soak the bones only 30 minutes instead of 2 hours. What else? Yes, I added 11 cups of water instead of 10 cups of water (my old version). So I can say that my revisiting this recipe means you can make a more delicious dish in less time now. : )
Good luck with making gamjatang. I’m looking forward to meeting you someday and hearing the story about the wonderful gamjatang you made from this recipe! : )
These are some tips for you if you make gamjatang tomorrow! : )
- Pork neck bones are found in the freezer section at a Korean grocery store. Try to choose bones with a lot of meat.
- My recipe is for 2 to 3 servings. If you want to make it for 4-6 servings, double the recipe and cook longer.
- Blanching and washing the bones is a very important step because it will remove the unpleasant smell from the bones and make a clear soup.
- You can replace perilla leaves with basil leaves and perilla seeds powder with sesame seeds powder.
The best perilla seeds powder to use is hulled and finely ground with a creamy color. You can also use toasted and ground, which is coarse and dark and kind of hard to swallow. Best to mix with water and strain and squeeze it, and use the water that is squeezed out in your gamjatang and discard the dregs. You can also grind whole toasted perilla seeds and then mix them with water, strain and squeeze out the milky liquid and use it. And if you can’t find any of these you can replace perilla seeds powder with sesame seeds powder.
From left, skinned and ground powder, coarsely ground perilla seeds, and whole toasted perilla seeds
Ingredients
Makes 2-3 servings.
- 2½ to 3 pounds of pork neck bones (or spine bones)
- 1 ounce ginger, sliced
- 2 tablespoons doenjang (Korean fermented bean paste)
- 2 dried Shiitake mushrooms
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 large dried red chili pepper (or a few red chili peppers)
- 1 pound of napa cabbage, cut off the core
- 2 or 3 medium potatoes, peeled
- 8 ounces soybean sprouts, washed and strained
- 4 green onions, washed and cut into 2 inch long
- 1 green onion, chopped for garnish
- 8 to 12 perilla leaves, washed
For seasoning paste:
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)
- 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ cup deulkkae-garu (perilla seeds powder)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup water
Directions
Cooking time: 2 hours.
Prepare the bones and broth
- Rinse the pork bones a couple of times and soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the cabbage for 1 minute and then take it out with tongs.
- Keep the hot water boiling, we’ll use it later for blanching pork bones.
- Rinse the cabbage in cold water and strain. Tear the leaves in lengthwise once or twice to make it long bite sized pieces.
- Put the bones into the boiling water and cover. Let them cook for 7 minutes over medium high heat. The water will turn dark and some foam will come to the surface.
- Strain the bones and wash each one in cold running water to remove any extra fat, dark foamy stuff, and bone fragments. Put the cleaned bones into a large pot.
- Add ginger, soy bean paste, dried shiitake mushrooms, onion, dried red pepper, and 11 cups of water. Cover and cook for 90 minutes over medium high heat.
While it cooks, make the seasoning paste
- Combine garlic, hot pepper flakes, hot pepper paste, fish sauce, perilla seeds powder, ground black pepper, and ¼ cup water in a bowl.
- Mix well until creamy.
Finish
- 90 minutes later, open the pot. Take out the 2 shiitake mushrooms and put them on your cutting board. Add the cabbage, soy bean sprouts, 3 green onions, and the peeled potatoes.
- Slice the mushrooms thinly and put them back to the pot. Add the seasoning paste. Add ¼ cup water and cover.
- Cook for 30 to 40 minutes over medium high heat until the potatoes are fully cooked. Test them by poking one with a chopstick or a bamboo skewer. If the chopstick goes through easily, it’s fully cooked.
- Add the perilla leaves and stir. You can serve right away with rice and a few more side dishes.
Serve
There are a few ways to serve, depending on how you like it:
- Ladle the soup into individual bowls and sprinkle each with some chopped green onion. You can also reheat the soup in earthenware bowls and then serve them to the table bubbling hot.
- Put all the soup in a large shallow pot, and sprinkle some chopped green onion over top. Put the pot in the center of the table along with the rice and some other side dishes. You can share it all together. I recommend giving out small individual bowls and a ladle so that people can put some soup in their bowl and enjoy it that way, instead of eating from the pot in the middle of the table.
Maangchi's Amazon picks for this recipe
It's always best to buy Korean items at your local Korean grocery store, but I know that's not always possible so I chose these products on Amazon that are good quality. See more about how these items were chosen.
Was excited to serve this to my husband. Thank you for all the great recipes. Everyday I make things
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Wow, now you can make delicious gamjatang anytime you want! Happy cooking!
Hi Maangchi!!! I’m a long time subscriber and haven’t really posted a lot, but I wanted to let you know that I love your recipes!! I made your gamjatang yesterday and it was delicious! My 9 year old even ate it and he doesn’t even like spicy food :)
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I’m so impressed with how your gamjatang turned out! Vegetables look so soft yet crispy and the broth looks full of umami! Your 9 year old was also impressed by your delicious homemade gamjatang! Bravo! : )
Can I still add the buchu like in old Recipe? When would be best time to add It? I like how it seasons the broth
Yes, of course you can add buchu. Add it with perilla leaves together and cook a few more minutes before serving.
Hi Maanchi, I love your recipes, every one I have tried has been amazing. I really want to try this one but I can’t find fermented bean paste, is there something I could substitute it with? TIA :D
You can most certainly find miso?
That’s very similar.
Bye, Sanne.
Hi Maangchi! I’m a big fan of gamjatang and have made your recipe years back to great success when you first posted it! I am wondering if there is a similar stew using lamb instead of pork? I no longer eat pork but, still very much love korean food and have been looking for good substitutes for pork in korean recipes. Some dishes I just leave the pork out but some others I think it adds a lot of meaty depth that I’d like to recreate using another meat. Any advice?
Hi Maangchi!
I m from Singapore & I love Korean food!!!!
I made Gamjatang with ur old recipe & I love it soooo much!
But I cannot find Perilla leaves
I love the fresh Perilla leaves when I was in Korea for holidays!!!!
My not very clear photo because we are most of it already! Haaaa!
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My favorite Kamjatang restaurants in Seoul and many other places in Gyeonggi-do (Bundang, Migeum, and others) all used 시래기. That is the name of a dehydrated leafy green (rehydrated when cooking). How do I prepare this? I know it is very very common in South Korea — at least in Seoul and surrounding areas. 시래기 is my favorite!!!! I can’t eat kamjatang without it. https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%8B%9C%EB%9E%98%EA%B8%B0
Well – judging from the pictures I’ve found, it’s just radish leaves. i. e. the green from radishes.
Bye, Sanne.
Yes and no. Maangchi will know what I am talking about. I don’t know what proportions to use — how to prepare them, etc..
ok… nevermind. Found the preparation instructions. http://bburikitchen.com/shiraegi-dried-radish-greens
Hi Maangchi-shi!
I want to make this for my dad’s birthday tonight but I have a bigger family so I’m using 6lbs. Should I double the recipe? 20 cups of water sounded like a lot…. Or am I supposed to leave everything and just add extra meat? Please let me know! Thank You!
Hi, in your directions you have two different amounts of water when making the paste; one place indicates 1/4 cup, another spot indicates 1/2 cup. I know it won’t matter in the end, but if 1/2 cup water is used for the paste, it’s not “creamy”…..
Nothing is better than this in a fall/winter time. Obsessed with Manngchi’s recipes.
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Made my first Maangchi recipe tonight, the spicy pork neck stew. It was a big hit with my parents. And considering that my mom is one of the best cooks on earth (in my opinion), that is high praise indeed. Can’t wait to try some of the other recipes. Thanks!
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This is such a great looking gamjatang photo! It looks very delicious. I’m happy to hear that it was a big hit!
Hi Maangchi,
Can you suggest any non-spicy version of this recipe? Thanks!
Hi stranger! I would say leave out the gochujang and gochu garu and it will still taste quite delicious and complex. The combo of ginger/shitaake/pork in the beginning smells and tastes really good to begin with and I don’t think too much flavour is lost in omitting the spicy ingredients. Happy cooking!
Hello again Maangchi! from Toronto,
Today i took a quick trip to Galleria to pick up some Perilla seed powder and made this soup. SO DELISH!, outstanding recipe. I used up all my Nappa in my 2nd batch of Kimchi and only had regular cabbage but it still was amazing! Today I will not eat it with rice but with thick noodles because my Taiwanese step daughter is with us and she likes those thick noodles used in the noodles with black bean sauce. Its a big mix and match around here…not 100% authentic, but very suiting to eveyones taste buds. ALSO: readers might be interested in this. If you are not in a hurry and can make your pork bone soup one day ahead. Its very good to make the broth and put it in the fridge, then you can “skim” off all the hard fat! Reheat when you are ready to season it and its a much leaner soup, without worrying bout too much fat! This is a great recipe. Thanks Maangchi. I am always looking for your new posted recipes.
Faye
Hi Maangchi,
I did it again! ;-D
This time with veal (spine and ribs) and pickled perilla because it’s not the season for fresh one. But this time, I had fresh baechu.
Do I have to mention that it turned out delicious – again? ;-D
Bye, Sanne.
Of course you can mention it! I’m always happy to hear that. haha! Baechu (napa cabbage) is so delicious when it’s cooked. I love the texture.
i indeed cooked it for 2 hours.the wait was too long but it was worth it. i’m happy with what i made especially the soup. the meat became so tender but it was quite tasteless. is that okay? so i dipped the meat in soy sauce with sesame oil, then it got a better taste. thanks for the recipe maangchi… ^^
hi maangchi-shi I’ve received your e-mail, thanks for your reply and i’m so happy that you replied me. now I can eat pork without fear.
maangchi-shi can you make a video about how to make sundae
[Korean blood sausage and sausage soup].
I’ve watched in many Korean dramas they’ll eat Korean blood sausage soup and after I watched it I was excited and want to eat it sooooo much.
can you please make a video about this recipe maangchi-shi.
thanks for reading my comment maangchi-shi.
What if I don’t have fish sauce? Can I make it without it?
Hi Maangchi,
Wow. Just Wow.
We’ve eaten other Korean Gamjatang before, and it was delicious, but this one …
I had organic spareribs and Kimchi made from shin young Napa-cabbage, washed and squeezed, skipped soaking and pre-cooking (neither bone nor much fat), used less water and put all the ginger to the soup from the beginning.
After 1/2 hour in the pressure-cooker, I took out the meat, pulled out the bones and cut it in pieces and the mushrooms, put the soup through a collander and added all the ingredients. I had to substitute some; no puchu, more green onions and extra garlic instead; roasted sesame seeds – and it took 20 minutes in the pressure-cooker to get the potatoes right (because of the sour Kimchi).
We ate a lot (with rice only), but there’s still more, still delicious. Tomorrow, I will cook beef-ribs in the left-over broth, add the vegetables and reheat them.
Bye, Sanne.
Hi Maangchi. I am new to Korean cooking and have just started stocking my pantry with the basic ingredients I need. Can you tell me how to properly store the perilla seeds powder? Also, how long can I keep soybean paste in the fridge after I’ve opened it? Thank you so much, I look forward to seeing more of your wonderful videos!
maang chi i’m going to try this tomorrow & if it turns OK i’ll send u the photo :) remember me Jinjoo i did the bread ppang last few wks ago? your recipes look v appetizing & yummy! i’ll try my best to make it look n taste like yours here :) kam sa hab ni da for sharing all wonderful recipes!
yes, I remember you. How can I forget your name because jinjoo means pearl in Korean. : ) good luck with your Korean cooking!
Hello, I just made the soup and I feel like it’s a little bland. I’m half korean and black and love all types of korean food. I didn’t add the perilla powder instead toasted sesame seed. What can I add to give it more flavor?
Hi Michin,
What kind of bland?
Maybe the Soybean Paste you use isn’t salty enough? Is it Doenjang or Miso?
You may also add a little bit of Gochujang or more hot Peppers or some black Pepper or just a pinch of salt (preferably seasalt) or even just a little bit of vinegar or lemonjuice. Or you may add some well-fermented Kimchi for some sour taste, Kimchi-Jigae-wise. Or just less water …
Do you use Korean Perilla-Leaves or Japanese Shiso?
Did you put the dried Shiitake directly into the pot? That’s important; they add a lot of flavor that way! Use some more.
Bye, Sanne.
Hi, Maangchi Unnie, I just joining your cooking web today as I love to try all of your recipe.Unnie, for this Gamjatang recipe, can i sub the cooking wain with something else ???😁😁😁
oh, you can skip cooking wine. It will still turn out delicious!
Maangchi ssi,
Each time i make this dish, the better it tasted. However, I can never finished it within 2-3 days, so I make a large amount of the soup, seasoned it and freeze it. Then whenever I want to make the dish, i just defrosted 5 portions worth of the soup and just add the vegetables. I only put in my very fermented kimchi (made with your recipe), kongnamul, chives, potatoes and kaenip if i can find some in my local korean store. Otherwise, no kaenip in my gamjatang.
However, I think the serving part of your recipe is inaccurate. It says 2-3 servings but i always ended up with 10 servings.
Kamsahamnida Maangchi ssi,
Ima
Oh Ima, Ima! : )
“It says 2-3 servings but i always ended up with 10 servings.” That’s good, you can feed 10 people with this recipe. Everybody needs a different portion to satisfy their stomach. I eat a huge bowl of gamjatang.
Wow one of my favorite 감자탕 i need to cook this for my husband…i learned to much maangchi…please make a lot of korean foods..
Dear Maangchi Shi,
I absolutely love your website! It’s my go to for almost all the korean dishes we as a family enjoy.
Could I use beef ribs/bones as we do not eat pork?
I just bought a packet of perilla powder from the local korean mart here in Kuala Lumpur.
Hope to her from you soon.
Kamsa hamnida!
Yes, you can use beef ribs and bones. I’m sure it will turn out delicious.
Hi, Maangchi ssi!
I just made this yesterday to share with my friends. I now have tried all of your recipe except for bungeoppang because I can’t find the mold anywhere here in Indonesia. I have requested my boyfriend in Korea to bring 2 with him when he’s coming to see me next month.
As always, your recipes are awesome. Thanks to you and your recipes, I manage to lose 3% belly fat and 7% total body fat and 6kg in 3 months. Since I’ve been making more and more kimchi, I ended up selling kimchi and kimchi products such as jinpang mandu with kimchi & pork filling ( we call them bakpao around here) and kimchi mandu.
I use my fresh kimchi in my Gamjatang in place of the blanched cabbage and omitted the fish sauce in the sauce. Let me tell you that I got endless compliments and more kimchi orders.
Thank you Maangchi ssi for turning this international home cook into a korean home cook. I cook korean food for my daily meals 4x a week. The other times when I don’t feel like cooking, I just eat rice with kimchi or kaenip jangaji. Thanks so much for your extensive website, easy to follow and accurate recipes. It helps me lose weight and eat well even when the heat kick me out of my own kitchen.
Kamsahamida,
Ima
Hi Ima,
wow, you have made all of my recipes except for bungeoppang! I’m so happy to hear that you lost 6 kilograms in 3 months. “when I don’t feel like cooking, I just eat rice with kimchi or kaenip jangaji.” That’s right!
Hi Maangchi! I am trying to make your pork bone soup but have not been able to find perilla leaves or perilla seed powder in any Asian shops in my city. Can I substitute them with mint leaves and just leave out the seed powder? Is there something else I can substitute them with? Thanks Maangchi, I love your website!!
Yes, mint or basil leaves will be a good substitute. And use roasted sesame seed powder if perilla seed powder is not available. Good luck! : )
Maangchi, I love you. I think you’re awesome.
1. I’m trying this recipe for the first time (though I’ve been wanting to try it for years!). To save time for tomorrow, I did a few things tonight: the pork is cooked, the sauce is made, the veggies are chopped, the nappa cabbage is blanched. Is this okay?
2. Also, I bought perilla seeds and ground them myself. I made a kind of chunky dry paste rather than a powder. Is that okay? It tastes fine, but I’m not sure.
3. I don’t have cooking wine, so I have to leave it out. Is that okay?
Thanks, Maangchi. Keep on cookin’!
How did your gamjatang (pork bone soup) turn out? All you said is very ok to me!
I’m not going to lie to you, Maangchi. IT WAS AWESOME! I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Doing all the prep work the day before worked really well. The next day, I just had to heat up the soup, add the veggies and sauce, then wait 25 minutes for everything to cook together.
I’ve tried the gamjatang in about 20 different Korean restaurants all over Toronto, mostly the Yonge and Finch area, where there are a million and one Korean restaurants (Note: I’m on the lookout for a new favourite Korean restaurant. Sadly, Todamgol on Yonge & Cummer closed. Sad face!). Some places have better gamjatang than others, that’s for sure. It’s all in the broth; if it’s tasteless and watery, I never go back! Anyhow, I’d like to think I know what good gamjatang is. In my humble opinion, it would be impossible for your recipe to disappoint anyone. The pork was cooked to perfection and the broth was rich and spicy – the way it should be. Thanks again!
“I’ve tried the gamjatang in about 20 different Korean restaurants all over Toronto,..” Check out Eomji Bunsik (엄지분식) in Koreatown Yonge & Bathurst. That’s the best gamjatang place. I was inspired to make this recipe after trying theirs.
The address: 615 Bloor St W.
Toronto , ON
Thank you for sharing your story. You are so passionate about food and cooking! Cheers!
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve seen Um Ji Bun Sik on Bloor. I’ve only been to Ka Chi across the street (great gamjatang, terrible service!) I’ll give it a try the next time I’m in the “other” Koreatown (I still think the Korean food around Yonge & Finch is better – sorry!)
ok, think about me when you taste their gamjatang. : )
Hello!! I have a question about the perilla seed powder, mine is almost expired is it still okay to use?
” mine is almost expired is it still okay to use?” I’d like to ask you if it was stored in the freezer or not. If you bought it long time ago and kept it in the freezer, you still can use it. Smell it and taste it and if it tastes ok, you can use it. But you bought it recently and found it passed expiration date, throw it away.
Hi Maangchi!! I made this soup using some pork spare ribs I had! It’s raining a lot in CA and I didn’t want to BBQ outside, so I decided to make this soup instead. Wow…just simply amazing flavor using the fish sauce instead of soy sauce. Also, I added a ton of veggies as you suggested, and it was great. Thanks again!!! Hope all is well.
I’m glad you made this stew and loved it! Cheers!
I’m still eating the stew today! You know what this tastes like? Mexican Pozole! I ate a huge bowl of it for lunch!!!
I can’t get enough of Gamjatang and this by far is the best recipe on the internet. I just have a quick question regarding the cooking method.
Is there a reason why you wait until the last 30 mins of cooking before adding the sauce (hot pepper flakes, hot pepper paste..etc)? Wouldn’t adding the sauce in the first stage (when you add the soy bean paste) of cooking gives the pork more flavor?
Hi, hope I can answer your question. I personally wait till the last ten to twenty minutes before adding the pepper flakes and garlic because they don’t taste as good when over cooked.
Hi Maangchi,
Just want to thank you for the wonderful recipe.
My wife has been craving for gamjatang ever since we came back from Korea last year. I followed your recipe and she was very satisfied with the results. I invited a friend over as well and needless to say, we finished everything. Thanks again :)
Your message makes me very happy today! I’m sure all of those who read your message will also be happy. Thank you for sharing your story!
Hello, Manngchi.
Thanks for you cooking.
I always cook for my mother with your recipe.
She’s very satisfied with my cooking.
It’s all your help.
I’m in Korea…and I am in difficulty in finding your ‘fish sause’
In Korea how can I replace your fish sause-umami?
What is the most similar taste to umami?
I am very impressed you cook for your mother! Good luck with your Korean cooking!
Aekjeot (액젓) is fish sauce in Korean. You will be able to find it easily in any grocery stores in Korea. I recommend you get Kkanari aekjeot or myeolchi aekjeot there.
It’s unbelievable how delicious this turned out to be! I couldn’t find any perilla leaves or powder (all the Asian groceries in my area are Hmong, Cambodian, or Vietnamese), but I compensated with a bit more cabbage and soy paste. This is my first time trying Korean cooking, and it sure won’t be my last!
Wonderful! If you make it again next time, add some basil leaves if perilla leaves are not available. Good luck with your Korean cooking!
Oh, I forgot. I didn’t have napa, either😣, so I used kimchi. It still came out delicious!
awesome!
I’m in Lehigh county, PA. There are NO Korean restaurants here, so I’ve been pining! I tried your recipe, but had to make do without the perilla leaves (I had the seeds, so, yay!) and the sprouts, so I added winter bamboo shoots to add some more veggies to it. It was ridiculously awesome! Thank you for your recipes; they are my go-to source!
I had this last month when I was in S. Korea. It’s DELICIOUS! I’ve been craving 감자탕 ever since. I’m going to try your recipe this weekend so I can share this wonderful soup with my family. :)
Good luck with making delicious gamjatang!
안녕하세요?
I want to say you “THANKS A LOT”!!
I love Korean cooking but I didn’t know how to make it well. I just prepared it without any presicion and it’s not the same. But, by miracle, I found you on the web and now I can prepare it very well.
Hi from Argentina!!
Thank you very much for your interest in my recipes! Happy cooking!