Korean oxtail soup is a comforting and soothing broth with a rich flavor that is perfect for soup season. The delectable oxtail broth seasoned to taste is the ultimate comfort dish.
This recipe will show two different ways of cooking it – the traditional way of cooking it, as well as an Instant Pot method, which makes this recipe in a fraction of the time.
Jump to:
💭 What Is Kkori Gomtang?
Kkori gomtang, or Korean-style oxtail soup, is a light-tasting soup consisting of oxtail simmered in broth. It directly translates to "tail bone soup". The simmering infuses the clear broth with all the bone marrow, connective tissue, and cartilage, creating an amazing flavor. It is served with a side of sea salt, black pepper, and scallions so that the eater can season it to his or her liking.
If you like Korean oxtail soup, check out the following:
🍏 Is Korean Oxtail Soup Healthy?
Korean oxtail soup is a very healthy dish given that it has a high amount of collagen and nutrients from the bone, has protein from the oxtail. A serving of Korean oxtail soup contains 510 calories with 55 grams of protein, 25 grams of fat, and 15 grams of carbs.
As you can see, this dish is packed with protein, and also has a chock full of nutrients from the beef bones. This dish would be a great option for anyone that wants to hit macros and lose weight while feeling satiated.
Learn more about the nutritional value of oxtail in this post.
🍎 Calories and Nutrition – How To Make It Healthy
This is a very simple recipe, so the main way to make this macro-friendly and calorie-conscious is to portion control mindfully. Here are some key tweaks I made:
- Oxtail – Used about 6 ounces of oxtail (weighed with bone). Oxtail is relatively calorie dense and has fatty meat, but I used at least 2 pieces to ensure the broth can extract an optimal amount of nutrients.
- Daikon – Used daikon, which is only about 61 calories and is essential for the flavor of the soup.
- Garlic – Simmered in the soup to give it a delicious garlic flavor. Calories are negligible, especially since the garlic itself is taken out of the soup before serving.
- Salt and Pepper – Used to season the soup. These ingredients have a negligible amount of calories.
- Green Onions (Scallions) – Used to garnish and season the soup. Also has a negligible amount of calories.
For a detailed breakdown of each ingredient, their portioning, and how they make up the nutrition profile of the oxtail soup, refer to the nutritional information below:
| Korean Oxtail Soup | Ingredient | Quantity | Calories | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Carbs (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxtail | 6 oz | 444 | 52.8 | 24.6 | 0 |
| Garlic | 1 clove | 4.5 | 0.2 | 0 | 1 |
| Daikon | 1 daikon | 61 | 2 | 0.3 | 14 |
| Total | 509.5 | 55.0 | 24.9 | 15 |
📋 Ingredient Notes
Oxtail – I used 6 ounces of oxtail. You can find oxtail at most Asian grocery stores, major grocery stores that have a butcher, or a butcher shop.
Daikon – The flavor of the radish gives the broth a slightly sweet and sour note. Korean radish is traditionally used, but daikon is a great substitute as Korean radish can be harder to find.
Garlic – Steeped in the broth and is great for adding a depth of flavor to the broth.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper – Essential for seasoning the broth and adjusting the flavor of the broth. This soup is traditionally seasoned after being served.
Scallions – A garnish that will add freshness to the soup.
Kimchi and Sesame seeds (Optional) – Great to season and garnish the soup.
Gochugaru (Optional)– Korean red pepper flakes. Gives the soup a great kick.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions (Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker)
Prepare the oxtails – In a large bowl, cover the oxtails in cold water and mix in a tablespoon of sugar. Doing this will remove the blood and impurities from the oxtail. Let set for about 1-2 hours before draining.
Parboil the oxtail – After draining the water, fill the Instant pot with water and add in the oxtails. Turn the Instant Pot onto sauté mode and bring the water to a boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the water turns cloudy with debris rising to the surface. Turn off the pot and drain the water.
Cook in Instant Pot – Fill the instant pot with about 3 cups of water and add in the oxtail pieces. Cut the daikon into small slices. Add the daikon and whole garlic cloves into the Instant Pot. Close the Instant Pot and the pressure valve and let it cook on high pressure for 1 hour, and let it release naturally for about 15 minutes.
Serve – After the soup has been simmered to a milky broth-like complexion, add to a soup bowl and serve with sea salt, pepper, and scallions. Traditionally, the eater will season the broth to their taste. You can also serve it with a side of kimchi. Some people like to add in the kimchi juice to give it a slight kick.
🍳Stovetop Instructions
Prepare the oxtails – In a large pot, cover the oxtails in cold water and mix in a tablespoon of sugar. Doing this will remove the blood and impurities from the oxtail. Let set for about 1-2 hours before draining.
Parboil the oxtail – After draining the water, fill a pot with 3 cups of water and add in the oxtails. Bring the water to a rolling boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the water turns cloudy with debris rising to the surface. Skim off the debris.
Simmer the broth – Cut the daikon into small slices. Add the daikon and whole garlic cloves to the soup. Make sure there is enough water to cover the oxtail. Turn the stove to high heat to bring the soup to a boil. Then turn the stove to low heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for about 2-3 hours.
Serve – After the soup has been simmered to a milky broth-like complexion, add to a soup bowl and serve with sea salt, pepper, and scallions. Traditionally, the eater will season the broth to their taste. You can also serve it with a side of kimchi. Some people like to add the kimchi juice into the broth to give it a slight kick.
💡Expert Tips
Season for success
The soup is traditionally seasoned after serving. The eater usually has sea salt, black pepper, and scallions that they have the option to season and adjust the soup with.
Parboil the bones
Parboiling the bones will remove any impurities from the bones and help achieve a more nutritious broth. Not doing so will result in an unappetizing broth with all kinds of floating debris. Don't skip this step!
Make it the night before
Making the soup a night before and storing will give the soup more time to soak in the flavor and allow the fat to rise to the top. You can then remove the fat to have a healthier and cleaner broth.
📖 Substitutions and Variations
With Somen Noodles (Korean wheat noodles) – Adding noodles gives this dish a delicious touch – these chewy noodles soak up the delectable bone broth to make a delicious combo.
Add Kimchi Juice – Add kimchi juice for a slightly spicy and sour flavor. It will give the soup a beautiful fiery color.
Add Korean red pepper flakes (Gochugaru) – For a stronger level of heat, add some gochugaru to the soup.
With short ribs – If you can't find oxtails, you can make this same soup with short ribs, creating a delicious Galbi Tang (short rib soup).
With dipping sauce – You can also dip the meat with a side of soy sauce or sesame oil.
🥡 Storage
This dish is even better made ahead and served the next day. To store, cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
After being stored for about 4 hours, fat floats will begin to solidify at the top of the soup. You can remove the excess fat and heat up the soup on the stove before serving.
The soup will last for up to 2-3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
🍳 Recipe
Korean Oxtail Soup (Kkori Gomtang) Instant Pot and Stovetop
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot (Optional)
Ingredients
- 6 oz Oxtail
- 1 Daikon
- 2 cloves Garlic
- Salt and Pepper (Season to taste)
- Scallions
- Kimchi (Optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Prepare the oxtails – In a large bowl, cover the oxtails in cold water and mix in a tablespoon of sugar. Doing this will remove the blood and impurities from the oxtail. Let set for about 1-2 hours before draining.
- Parboil the oxtail – After draining the water, fill the Instant pot with water and add in the oxtails. Turn the Instant Pot onto sauté mode and bring the water to a boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the water turns cloudy with debris rising to the surface. Turn off the pot and drain the water.
- Cook in Instant Pot – Fill the instant pot with about 3 cups of water and add in the oxtail pieces. Cut the daikon into small slices. Add the daikon and whole garlic cloves into the Instant Pot. Close the Instant Pot and the pressure valve and let it cook on high pressure for 1 hour, and let it release naturally for about 15 minutes.
- Serve – After the soup has been simmered to a milky broth-like complexion, add to a soup bowl and serve with sea salt, pepper, and scallions. Traditionally, the eater will season the broth to their taste. You can also serve it with a side of kimchi. Some people like to add in the kimchi juice to give it a slight kick.
Stovetop Instructions
- Prepare the oxtails – In a large pot, cover the oxtails in cold water and mix in a tablespoon of sugar. Doing this will remove the blood and impurities from the oxtail. Let set for about 1-2 hours before draining.
- Parboil the oxtail – After draining the water, fill a pot with 3 cups of water and add in the oxtails. Bring the water to a rolling boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the water turns cloudy with debris rising to the surface. Skim off the debris.
- Simmer the broth – Cut the daikon into small slices. Add the daikon and whole garlic cloves to the soup. Make sure there is enough water to cover the oxtail. Turn the stove to high heat to bring the soup to a boil. Then turn the stove to low heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for about 2-3 hours.
- Serve – After the soup has been simmered to a milky broth-like complexion, add to a soup bowl and serve with sea salt, pepper, and scallions. Traditionally, the eater will season the broth to their taste. You can also serve it with a side of kimchi. Some people like to add in the kimchi juice to give it a slight kick.
BLiu
This was an amazing recipe! So easy to make.