Spicy beef and vegetable soup

Yukgaejang 육개장

I’m re-introducing the delicious and nutritious yukgaejang to you today: spicy beef and vegetable soup. This soup is smoky, spicy, and rich, with healthy hunks of sliced beef and plenty of vegetables that are soft, but not mushy—they’re full of earthy mountain flavor from gosari (fernbrake). Served with rice, it’s a satisfying, warming meal.

I made a video for this recipe years ago. It was on my first low-def camera, and eventually the music was removed in a copyright claim. Even though the video was rough, the recipe was very good and many people used it to make delicious yukgaejang. I thought the time was right to remake the video in HD and rewrite the recipe.

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When Koreans make yukagejang, they always make it in large batches to make it worth the effort. Extra yukagaejang is full of good stuff and never goes to waste: you can bring some to your friend’s house, or a close neighbor may get a knock at the door and find you there with some yukgaejang to share!

It’s also common for Korean moms to make a big pot of yukagaejang to keep their family sustained while goes away for an extended time. That way she can visit her own mom and not worry about her children and husband starving at home. It can keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or up to 1 week if you reheat it every other day. One of my readers told me he divides it into portions and then freezes them, and then takes out a portion whenever he wants some for a meal. Good tip!

Homemade yukgaejang is always better than yukgaejang at a restaurant, because you can take care to add a lot of the best ingredients, perfectly prepared. Some restaurants might not include gosari, either. It’s an essential ingredient!

Enjoy my updated yukgaejang recipe and let me know how yours turns out!

Korean spicy beef and vegetable soup (Yukgaejang:(육개장)yukgaejang (Korean spicy beef and vegetable soup: 육개장)

Ingredients
Serves 4

  • 1 pound beef brisket, cut into several pieces along the grain 3 inch long, soaked in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes, washed, and drained
  • 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 medium onion, cut in half
  • 12 ounces (about 3 cups) mung bean sprouts (you can grow your own!), washed and strained
  • 3-4 large green onions (dae-pa) or 14-16 green onions, cut into 2½ inch long pieces
  • 6 ounces of soaked (or fresh) gosari (about 2 cups), cut into 2½ inch long pieces
  • 8 cloves of garlic, minced

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Sauce

On the side

Directions

Start cooking the beef, mushrooms, and onion:

  1. In a large pot, bring 3 quarts (12 cups) of water to a boil. Add the beef along with the dried shiitake mushrooms and the onion.yukgaejang making (육개장 만들기)
  2. Cook for 1 hour over medium high heat.

While it boils, make the seasoning sauce and prepare the vegetables:

  1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix it well.
    yukgaejang-sauce
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
  3. Put the mung bean sprouts, green onions, gosari, and garlic in a large bowl.Yukgaejang (육개장)

Make the soup:

  1. 1 hour later, check the beef. Take a sample chunk and split it with your fingers or fork. If it splits nicely, it’s done. If it’s a little tough to split, let it cook for 10 more minutes. As stock boils off, you want to maintain about 10 cups’ worth, so add some water.
  2. When it’s done, remove the beef, onion, and mushrooms with a slotted strainer.
  3. Let the beef and mushrooms cool down and discard the cooked onion.
  4. Mix the vegetables with the seasoning sauce by hand until well incorporated. Add to the boiling stock.Yukgaejang (육개장)
  5. Cover and cook 20 minutes over medium high heat until the vegetables are cooked through and tender, but not mushy.
  6. Slice the mushrooms and pull the beef apart into strips. Add to the boiling soup and cook another 10 minutes.
    yukgaejang-mushroomsyukgaejang-beef

Serve:

  1. Remove from the heat, ladle and serve. Prepare a small bowl of salt on the table, for anyone who wants to add some. Serve with rice and side dishes. Before eating, people can add a pinch of salt to their taste if they like.
    Korean spicy beef and vegetable soup (Yukgaejang:(육개장)

Posted on Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 at 11:25 pm. Last updated on November 5, 2021.
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154 Comments:

  1. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted March 29th, 2008 at 5:52 am | or create a profile.

    hi, anonymous,
    The soup base for gamjatang is made from pork bones.
    Ok, your request gamjatang is included in the list of my cooking videos in the future.Thank you!

  2. Anonymous
    Posted March 29th, 2008 at 2:42 am | or create a profile.

    Hello Maangchi,

    Thanks for this recipe. I was wondering if you know how to make gamjatang? I had it in a restaurant the other day and really liked the soup base. the soup was really red and spicy which was pretty good. Is the soup base the same as this soup base?

  3. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted February 11th, 2008 at 8:25 am | or create a profile.

    Hi, someone left a comment regarding Yuk Gae Jang. for some reason, I tried to approve her comment, but failed, so I’m copying and pasting her question with my answer.

    “Hi, Maangchi
    I tried cooking Yuk Gae Jang last night but the soup was too blend.
    For the amount of hot pepper sauce you have indicated, how much water should I use? I used only about 250grams of beef. Please kindly advise.
    Thank you! “

    My answer:
    Please check the recipe and watch the video. I said you need 1 pound of beef brisket, but you used 250 grams. 1 pound (LB) is 453 grams.
    Start with 16 cups of water, then you may have to place more water.

    hope it’s helpful

  4. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted January 26th, 2008 at 9:21 am | or create a profile.

    rovingbubs,
    smoky flavor? I think you had “Yuk gae jang” made with “gochoo kierum(hot pepper oil)” which is more traditional way. Heat some oil in a pan and add hot pepper flakes and stir it quickly and turn off the heat before it is burnt. That’s it!
    I just mixed oil and hot pepper flakes instead of making the “gochoo kierum” to save time and effort. Taste is not very different.

    No hot pepper paste for this dish!
    The soup will be thick and not tasty.

    You can use hot pepper flakes, that’s what I am using.

    Thank you!

  5. rovingbubs
    Posted January 25th, 2008 at 11:09 pm | or create a profile.

    maangchi,

    a few questions:

    what gives the yuk gae jang the smoky flavor?

    can you use the hot pepper paste instead of the hot pepper powder?

    what’s the difference between the hot pepper powder that’s coarse vs fine besides the obvious? i’ve only been able to find the coarse kind in the stores over here.

    thanks.

  6. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted January 24th, 2008 at 1:26 pm | or create a profile.

    rovingbubs,
    Yes, you can add the noodles and eggs. You will be able to see what kind of noodles they are in my Stir-fried noodles with vegetables(Job chae)video.
    And also check it out Agasuka’s comment:
    “I added Dang Myun and egg at the end like the restaurants do.”

  7. rovingbubs
    Posted January 24th, 2008 at 12:46 pm | or create a profile.

    hi maangchi,
    i really like your videos. they’re very easy to follow. when we order yuk gae jang at our local korean hot pot restaurant, they include some clear noodles. is this traditional?

  8. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted December 9th, 2007 at 11:26 am | or create a profile.

    agasuka,
    Wow, it looks gooood!
    Kosari is delicious, right? People usually dry the vegetable to preserve to eat for a long time, so its color is dark brown. Whenever they need to use it, they soak and cook it to make it soft before using. The kosari you bought is fresh one.

  9. Agasuka
    Posted December 9th, 2007 at 3:25 am | or create a profile.

    Maangchi,

    Whenever I go to restaurant I always order Yuk Gae Jang.
    I love it even though it burns my tongue, and leaves me a runny nose.

    The kosari I bought has a purplish color which is very different than the brown kosari you use. (I am afriad if my kosari is the wrong kind)

    I forgot to buy bean sprout, so I add more green onions.

    I added Dang Myun and egg at the end like the restaurants do.

    I follow a comment on your Youtube channel to use 20 cups of water, but round up the taste was not strong, so I poured >half cup of soy sauce & 3 teaspoon of salt, and a lot of sesame oil.

    This big pot fed 2 people for 2 days (=2meals) in my house. It warms me up in this cold weather. What a great dish for winter!

    update http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/5k6QGsJ605Q

  10. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted November 26th, 2007 at 9:39 pm | or create a profile.

    goblinlord,
    You seems to like spicy food.
    Buldak and dakgalbi are made with chicken and hot spicy marinade. ok, I will include ddak galbi in my list of upcoming cooking videos.
    I have never tasted “Buldak” because it was created by someone after I left korea. I should try to taste it someday.

  11. Goblinlord
    Posted November 26th, 2007 at 9:15 am | or create a profile.

    Wow… I love your videos. I miss Korean food so much T-T. I lived in Korea for 3 years while in the military and now I am back in the US trying to get a job back in Korea.
    Anyways… I was wondering… although I feel kind of greedy asking for a bunch of recipes. Do you have a good recipe for Buldak and Dakkalbi? I loved the “Hong Cho” Buldak chain. I used to go get Buldak almost every week. I have now been trying to find a recipe that comes close to the same flavor but so far I have failed. Also, Dakkalbi was another favorite of mine.

  12. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted November 13th, 2007 at 5:06 pm | or create a profile.

    Lorraine,
    I will keep your request in mind. Thank you

  13. lorraine
    Posted November 13th, 2007 at 8:58 am | or create a profile.

    maangchi

    please teach us how to make Gamjatang. My dad loves it and i want to make it for him

  14. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,049 comments
    Posted November 12th, 2007 at 9:25 pm | or create a profile.

    Deborah,
    Yes, I eat it all. The green leaves have lots of good nutrients. Some people cut it bite size before eating, but I love to eat leaves and radish part together.

    About 2 or 3 weeks ago, I visited a korean farm that is about 2 hours from Toronto.The farmer grows so many kinds of korean vegetables: cabbages, radish, green onions, korean green-hotpeppers and mustard greens.
    He gave us a garbage bag and said, “I’m going to charge $10.00 for each bag, so fill it out as much as you can!” We pulled radish out from the ground directly. My friends gave me a job to pack the vegetables tightly.

    I was almost sick next day when I woke up due to muscle pain. I must have been too greedy.

  15. Deborah Toronto, ON joined 4/09 & has 47 comments
    Posted November 12th, 2007 at 8:00 pm | or create a profile.

    i’ve never seen “pony tail kimchi”. it looks really good. i am addicted to kimchi now. i was wondering though, if you can eat the entire of the pony tail kimchi?

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