Hearty Home-Style Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup)
A Satisfying Meal! Make Delicious Gamjatang at Home
We’ve made Gamjatang using pork back bones and dried soybean sprouts. Gamjatang typically takes over 4 hours to cook, which can be a bit much for a regular meal. However, it’s an excellent dish to prepare when you have guests or a large family gathering. While it requires time, it’s surprisingly not difficult, and the homemade taste is often just as good as restaurant versions.
Gamjatang Ingredients- 1.5kg pork back bone
- 10 bay leaves
- 200g dried soybean sprouts
- 1 onion
- 1 green onion
- 3 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- 2 cheongyang peppers (spicy Korean peppers)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp minced ginger
- 2 Tbsp perilla seeds (ground)
- 0.5 Tbsp salt (for seasoning)
- 10 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 2 Tbsp maesil-cheong (plum syrup)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or similar)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
For a generous portion of Gamjatang, we’re using 1.5kg of pork back bone, which is typically enough for 2-3 servings. While 300g of meat is considered a serving, for Gamjatang, you’ll want at least 600g or more per person to account for the bones and enjoy plenty of meat.
Step 2
Rinse the pork back bones thoroughly under cold running water 3 to 5 times to remove any impurities.
Step 3
It’s crucial to remove the blood from the bones. Soak the pork back bones in cold water for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The water will become reddish as blood is released; change the water to clean water every 30 minutes for effective blood removal.
Step 4
Place the blanched pork back bones into a pot and add enough cold water to completely submerge the meat.
Step 5
Add 10 bay leaves to the pot and boil for 15 minutes to eliminate any gamey odors. Discard the boiling water. Then, rinse the boiled pork back bones under cold running water until clean and drain them. This initial boiling and rinsing step is called ‘aebeol sarmgi’. If you don’t have bay leaves, you can use soju and ginger instead.
Step 6
Rinse the dried soybean sprouts thoroughly under running water, then soak them in water for 30 minutes. After soaking, boil them in fresh water for 5 minutes to remove any bitterness. Discard the water used for boiling the soybean sprouts. This step will make the sprouts tender.
Step 7
Here are the prepared pork back bones and soybean sprouts. When dried soybean sprouts are rehydrated and boiled, their volume increases significantly. So, 200g of dried sprouts is usually sufficient. (In the photo, about half of the rehydrated sprouts were used.)
Step 8
Now, for the main cooking stage. Lay the prepared soybean sprouts at the bottom of the pot, then place the pork back bones on top. Add 1.5 liters of water. Mix in the seasoning ingredients: 3 Tbsp doenjang, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 0.5 Tbsp minced ginger, 2 Tbsp ground perilla seeds, 10 Tbsp gochugaru, 2 Tbsp maesil-cheong, and 2 Tbsp fish sauce. Add the whole onion, green onion, and cheongyang peppers. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the flavors have melded beautifully. During cooking, the water will evaporate, so you’ll need to replenish the water 2 to 3 times. Be sure to keep enough water to prevent scorching, which can lead to a bitter taste. Simmer until the broth reaches your desired consistency. Finally, adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. Finishing by reducing the broth slightly will enhance the depth of flavor.
Step 9
Gamjatang is best enjoyed piping hot, as the flavors are more pronounced when served warm. Transfer the finished Gamjatang to a ttukbaegi (Korean earthenware hot pot) and heat it up once more. This final heating step ensures the soup stays warm and delicious. Enjoy your hearty, homemade Gamjatang with its rich broth and tender meat!
