Description
Beef and Radish Soup, known as Korean Seogogi Mu Guk, is a comforting traditional Korean soup featuring tender beef chuck or short ribs simmered with Korean radish in a flavorful broth seasoned with guk ganjang, garlic, and sesame. This hearty, warm soup is perfect for a nourishing meal and balances rich beef flavors with the mild sweetness of radish.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- 11 oz beef chuck roast, boneless short rib, or brisket
- 6 cups water
Vegetables and Garnish
- 6 oz Korean radish (mu) or daikon, cut into 1 inch squares about 1/4 inch thick
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped (various cuts)
Seasonings and Oils
- 1 Tbsp guk ganjang (Korean soy sauce for soups)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef Stock: In a pot, add 6 cups of water and the beef chuck, brisket, or boneless short ribs. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes until the meat is tender and a fork slides easily into it. For thicker cuts, slice beef into 1/2 inch thickness before cooking. Alternatively, you can use an Instant Pot to speed up stock preparation.
- Prep the Radish and Green Onions: While the beef simmers, cut the Korean radish or daikon into 1-inch squares about 1/4 inch thick. Chop the green onions for garnish, using any preferred style of cutting such as diagonal slices.
- Slice Cooked Beef: Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the broth and allow it to cool slightly. Slice into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Sauté the Radish: Pour the broth out into a bowl to separate it from the pot. Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in the empty pot over medium-high heat. Add the radish pieces and sauté for about 3 minutes until they start to look translucent.
- Simmer Radish in Broth: Add the beef broth back into the pot with the sautéed radish. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Let the radishes cook for 5 minutes to absorb flavors and soften slightly.
- Season the Beef: While the radish simmers, season the sliced beef with 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp guk ganjang, and 2 tsp chopped garlic. Mix well to coat evenly.
- Add Beef and Finish Cooking: Add the seasoned beef into the radish soup. Simmer the soup for another 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors meld together. Adjust simmering time based on your preference for radish softness.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with chopped green onions, and offer black pepper at the table for additional seasoning as desired.
Notes
- Use an Instant Pot to reduce stock cooking time for quicker preparation.
- You may pre-cut beef into thin bite-size pieces and sauté with radish directly for a simpler but slightly less flavorful version.
- This soup freezes well; make a large batch and store in containers for later meals.
- Serve with steamed rice, kimchi, gim (seaweed), and myeolchi bokkeum (stir-fried anchovies) for a complete Korean meal experience.
- If you don’t have guk ganjang, substitute with about 1 tsp fish sauce plus salt to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 350 ml)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
