Beef and Radish Soup (Sogogi Muguk)
How to Make Delicious Beef and Radish Soup: 3 Key Points for the Perfect Broth
This recipe for Sogogi Muguk (Beef and Radish Soup) is simple and easy, featuring 3 crucial tips from ‘Bulryang Eomma’ that guarantee a delicious outcome. It’s not difficult at all – that’s the charm of my recipes!
Main Ingredients- 1/3 Korean radish (about 300-400g)
- 250g beef for soup (brisket or flank recommended)
Flavor Enhancing Seasonings- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (approx. 15g)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp anchovy sauce (for richer umami)
- 1L rice water (approx. 4 cups)
- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (approx. 15g)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp anchovy sauce (for richer umami)
- 1L rice water (approx. 4 cups)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Choosing the right radish is the first step to a delicious soup! Select a radish that is round, firm, and free of blemishes. This ensures it’s dense and will have a refreshing flavor. Start by washing the radish thoroughly.
Step 2
For the beef, brisket or flank cuts are ideal as they are tender and flavorful, contributing a rich taste to the soup. Use paper towels to gently press and remove any excess blood from the surface of the beef. Removing the blood will result in a cleaner, less gamey soup broth.
Step 3
Our first key tip for a delicious Sogogi Muguk is ‘marinating the beef’. Marinating enhances the beef’s natural flavor and allows it to infuse more deeply into the broth. Place the blood-removed beef in a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp of sesame oil. Gently mix and knead the ingredients into the beef.
Step 4
For the marinade, generously add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic and 1 Tbsp of sesame oil. This step allows the pungent garlic and fragrant sesame oil to penetrate the beef, adding a much richer flavor profile.
Step 5
Finally, add a pinch of black pepper to complete the marinade. Black pepper helps to eliminate any gamey odors from the meat and enhances its overall aroma. Gently mix everything together to ensure the marinade is evenly distributed.
Step 6
While the beef is marinating and absorbing the flavors, it’s a good time to prepare the radish, which will provide the soup’s refreshing taste. This is an efficient way to manage your cooking time.
Step 7
To ensure the soup absorbs flavor well and the radish becomes tender, slice it thinly into bite-sized, uniform pieces (na-bak style). Thin slices will cook faster and allow the radish’s essence to meld beautifully with the broth.
Step 8
Slicing thinly is especially key to minimizing the cooking time, making the process much more convenient. Aim for consistent, thin slices.
Step 9
Now it’s time to cook the marinated beef. Place the marinated beef in a pot or wok over medium heat. Sauté the beef until its color changes completely and all traces of pink disappear. This process seals in the juices.
Step 10
Continue to sauté the beef until it’s no longer pink and a savory aroma arises. Searing the beef this way prevents its juices from escaping, ensuring it remains tender and flavorful.
Step 11
Once the beef has lost its pink color, add the thinly sliced radish to the pot. Stir everything together to combine the beef and radish.
Step 12
The second crucial tip for making delicious Sogogi Muguk is to ‘sauté the radish until it becomes translucent’. This step maximizes the radish’s natural sweetness and allows the beef’s savory flavor to deeply infuse into the radish, resulting in a richer, more delicious broth.
Step 13
When sautéing the beef and radish together, it’s important to cook them until the white parts of the radish turn translucent. Sautéing for about 3-5 minutes will release moisture from the radish, making it tender and developing a wonderful flavor.
Step 14
Finally, our third secret weapon: using ‘rice water’! Rice water is an excellent broth base for soups and stews, providing a deep and savory flavor unlike any other. When washing rice, discard the first water and save the second or third rinse water for cooking soups and stews. Rice water helps to tenderize the radish and adds a smooth, clean umami to the broth.
Step 15
Pour the 1L of rice water into the pot with the sautéed beef and radish. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently. As the soup begins to boil, season it with salt and anchovy sauce.
Step 16
While typically seasoned with salt and soup soy sauce alone, adding 1 Tbsp of anchovy sauce significantly deepens and enriches the broth’s flavor. Adjust the seasoning to your family’s preference. Although I tend to keep it mild for my children, adding an extra 1-2 Tbsp of anchovy sauce would create an even more robust flavor for adults.
Step 17
After seasoning, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes. This allows all the flavors to harmonize beautifully, creating a deep and delicious Beef and Radish Soup.
Step 18
If you have the time, simmering it a little longer will make the radish even more tender and the broth richer, enhancing the overall taste. Cooking gently over low heat is the key.
Step 19
The quintessential Korean home-cooked meal, Sogogi Muguk, is complete! Made with our 3 key tips, it boasts a wonderfully clean and deep flavor. This hearty soup is perfect for enjoying with a bowl of rice. My husband’s favorite dish, I often make it for him, and I get to enjoy its deliciousness too! 🙂
