Gamjatang (Spicy Pork Bone Stew)
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Resting time
1 hr
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Servings
3
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Course
Main Course, Soup, Others
Gamjatang (Spicy Pork Bone Stew)
Description
Gamjatang begins by soaking pork bones to remove impurities, then boiling and cleaning them before cooking in fresh water with aromatic vegetables such as small onion, garlic, ginger slices, and the white part of scallion. This long, slow simmering produces a milky and deeply flavored broth. The seasoning combines Korean chili flakes, red chili paste (gochujang), fermented soybean paste (doenjang), soup soy sauce or fish sauce, and garlic, bringing spicy, savory, and umami elements.
Vegetables including Napa cabbage, small white potatoes, perilla leaves, and scallions are added to the broth. The cabbage is blanched and cooled before combining with the seasoning to maintain texture. The stew results in tender pork falling from bones, spicy and aromatic broth, and soft vegetables that absorb the flavors well. Perilla seeds add a nutty essence.
The stew is typically served hot as a comforting, filling main dish. It combines meat, starch, and vegetables in one bowl, suited for cold weather or when a rich, spicy meal is desired. The ingredients and preparation reflect traditional Korean flavors and cooking methods.
Ingredients
For the broth
- 2 pounds pork bones spine or neck bones
- 1/2 onion small
- 5 garlic cloves
- 4 ginger about 1-inch rounds, thin slices
- 1 scallion white part
For the stew
- 5 to 6 ounces Napa cabbage young cabbage aka putbaechu (풋배추), 1 cup boiled
- 3 potato small white
- 6 to 8 perilla leaves aka kkaennip, 깻잎, roughly sliced
- 2 scallion roughly sliced
- 1 tablespoon perilla seeds Or sesame seeds, crushed, aka 들깨가루
For the seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Korean red chili pepper flakes gochugaru, use a teaspoon or 2 more for spicier stew
- 1 tablespoon gochujang Korean red chili pepper paste
- 1 tablespoon doenjang Korean fermented soybean paste
- 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce or fish sauce, gukganjang, 국간장
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the bones for an hour or longer in cold water. Change the water half way through if you can. Drain.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Drop the bones in. Let it come back to a boil. This will take about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Drain the bones. Wash the bones under running water. Clean the pot. Return the bones back to the pot. Add 8 cups of water, the onion, garlic, ginger and scallion. Bring it to a boil. Continue to boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low. Continue to boil, covered, for 50 minutes to an hour until the meat is tender and the broth is milky.
- Mix the seasoning ingredients well together.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a rapid boil. Blanch the cabbage until the white parts turn soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the pot (keep the hot water to boil the potatoes) and shock in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and squeeze out water. Cut into 2 to 3-inch lengths.
- Mix the cabbage well with 1 tablespoon of the seasoning.
- Cut the potatoes in half with the skin on. In the pot of water used to blanch the cabbage, boil the potatoes until almost cooked. Peel the potatoes.
- Remove the meat from the broth. Discard the aromatic vegetables, reserving the broth (about 5 cups). Place the bone back in the pot with the broth. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and the remaining seasoning. Boil for about 10 minutes.
- Throw in the perilla leaves and scallion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Boil for an additional couple of minutes, and then add the crushed perilla seeds.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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