A hearty soup with juicy oxtail meat that has been spiced with red pepper flakes. Easy to prepare and wonderful on a cold day.
Korean oxtail soup is most commonly served as bowls of broth and bones with the meat intact. Diners pick the bones up with their hands and gnaw on them, slurping soup and grease to wash it all down. It is both simple and delicious.
In the preparation presented here, the meat is lifted from the bones and mixed with a spicy sauce of sesame oil, scallion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. While it lacks a certain finger-licking goodness, it makes up for it with a lip-smacking spiciness.
Serves 4 people
2
lb oxtail pieces, about 1 inch thick1
qt water3
cloves garlic, sliced1/2
medium daikon, about 8 oz- salt
- ground black pepper
1
tbsp sesame oil4-5
cloves garlic, minced into a paste4
scallions, diced1
tbsp Korean red pepper flakes, or to taste- Salt
Wash the oxtail pieces thoroughly in water to remove any blood.
In a large stock pot, add the oxtail, water and garlic. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a bare simmer and cook for about three hours until the broth is milky white and the meat is falling from the bone. Skim frequently to remove any impurities that float to the surface. As the water evaporates, add more to keep it at the same level as when you started. Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the heat.
Lift the meat from the broth and transfer to a bowl. Reserve the broth. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones. Place it in a smaller bowl. You no longer need the bones, but you can reserve them for further stock making.
To the bowl of meat, add the sesame oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and scallions. Mix to coat the meat evenly with the sauce. Add salt to taste.
Return the broth to the heat. Peel the daikon, slice it lengthwise in half and then again into 1/4 inch slices. Add the daikon to the broth and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the daikon is tender and translucent. Add ground pepper and more salt if needed.
Divide the meat between four large bowls, placing a mound of meat in the base of each bowl. Gently spoon hot broth and daikon slices into each bowl, trying not to disturb the meat. Serve alongside a bowl of rice and a few Korean side dishes (
banchan) such as kimchee and other pickles.
Variation
This soup is also good when made from a combination of oxtail and strips of tripe.