Hearty Beef and Napa Cabbage Miso Soup
How to Make Delicious Beef and Napa Cabbage Miso Soup: A Warm and Comforting Dish for Kimchi-Making Day
This warm and comforting Napa cabbage miso soup with beef is perfect for warming up on a cold kimchi-making day. We add plenty of beef for a rich, savory broth. Make a large pot and reheat it throughout the day for a satisfying meal. It’s a soup you’ll want to keep a ladleful of!
Ingredients- 1 head Napa cabbage
- 600g Beef brisket (lean cut, good for stewing)
- 1/2 stalk Scallions (green parts only)
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp Miso paste
- 1 Tbsp Soy sauce (traditional Korean, for soup)
- 1 Tbsp Anchovy sauce (or fish sauce)
- A little Gochujang (Korean chili paste, optional for a hint of spice)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, cut the beef brisket into large pieces. Brisket is a lean cut that becomes tender when stewed for a long time, and it adds a deep flavor to the broth. Cut it into generous, bite-sized chunks.
Step 2
Remove any dirty outer leaves from the Napa cabbage. Then, cut the remaining cabbage into thick, bite-sized pieces (similar to slices of sweet potato). Avoid cutting them too small, as they might break down too much during cooking.
Step 3
Lightly rinse the cut cabbage under running water and let it drain. Draining it in a colander will help prevent the soup from becoming too watery later on. (At this stage, you’ll want to have enough cabbage to fill roughly twice the volume of your colander.)
Step 4
In a pot, add the large pieces of beef brisket. Pour in enough water to generously cover the beef. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, stir in a good amount of miso paste. For a rustic, home-style flavor, it’s best to add the miso directly without straining it through a sieve. This enhances the natural savory taste of the ingredients.
Step 5
Once the broth with miso starts boiling vigorously again, add one colander-full of the prepared Napa cabbage. Once the first batch of cabbage has wilted, add the remaining cabbage. Don’t be afraid to add what seems like too much cabbage at first; it will cook down considerably.
Step 6
Now, add the chopped scallions and minced garlic, and let the soup simmer until everything is well-cooked. If using a regular pot, simmer for at least an hour. To save time, a pressure cooker is highly recommended. Once the pressure cooker’s weight starts to whistle, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 6 minutes, then turn off the heat. (In a pressure cooker, the simmering time after the weight starts whistling can be adjusted based on the amount of ingredients and heat.)
Step 7
Once the pressure has completely released from the pressure cooker, carefully open the lid. You’ll notice that the mountain of cabbage has significantly reduced as it cooked down. Add the green parts of the scallions for a nice color and to eliminate any raw taste. Season with soy sauce and anchovy sauce to taste. If it’s not salty enough, you can add a little more anchovy sauce or fish sauce. Bring it to a final simmer.
Step 8
The large pieces of beef brisket should now be very tender, easily pierced with a fork. The key to a delicious Napa cabbage miso soup is to cook it long and slow until all the ingredients are very soft. This allows the deep, savory flavors to fully develop.
Step 9
Serve the finished beef and Napa cabbage miso soup generously in a large bowl. The combination of the tender, slow-cooked beef and the savory, comforting soup is absolutely delightful. Enjoy a hearty and satisfying meal with a bowl of rice!
