Rich and Hearty Beef and Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk)
How to Make a Delicious Beef and Rice Cake Soup with Homemade Beef Bone Broth
As winter’s chill begins to set in, there’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of Tteokguk made with a rich, homemade beef bone broth. This recipe features tender shredded beef brisket as a topping, creating a deeply flavorful and comforting dish that’s perfect for warming you up from the inside out. Enjoy the savory depth of the broth and the chewy rice cakes!
Beef Bone Broth Base Ingredients- 2kg Korean beef bones (leg bones)
- 2kg Korean beef bones (knuckle bones)
- 4 bay leaves
- Plenty of water
Beef and Rice Cake Soup Ingredients- 1L pre-made beef bone broth
- 500g sliced rice cakes for soup
Beef Brisket Topping Seasoning- 200g cooked beef brisket (cooked in broth)
- 10g chopped green onions
- 2g ground black pepper
- 7g toasted sesame seeds
- 2g salt
- 10ml sesame oil
- 1L pre-made beef bone broth
- 500g sliced rice cakes for soup
Beef Brisket Topping Seasoning- 200g cooked beef brisket (cooked in broth)
- 10g chopped green onions
- 2g ground black pepper
- 7g toasted sesame seeds
- 2g salt
- 10ml sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by thoroughly soaking the beef bones to remove any blood. If using frozen bones, soak them in cold water for at least half a day, or preferably overnight. A good tip is to soak them on Friday evening and begin cooking on Saturday morning.
Step 2
Place the blood-soaked beef bones in a large pot and cover them with water. Add the 4 bay leaves. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, let it cook for about 5-10 minutes to blanch the bones and remove impurities. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Turn off the heat once the water looks relatively clear.
Step 3
Drain the blanched bones and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water. Carefully scrub off any remaining blood and impurities. Also, make sure to clean the pot you used for blanching. This step is crucial for a clear and clean broth.
Step 4
Return the cleaned bones to the pot and fill it with plenty of fresh water, ensuring the bones are fully submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer gently. Repeat this process of boiling and simmering at least three times to extract maximum flavor. After each boiling session, it’s beneficial to cool the broth in a cold place (like a balcony) to allow the fat to solidify, making it easier to skim off. Combine all the strained broths at the end and simmer them together once more.
Step 5
Allow the final combined beef bone broth to cool completely. Chilling it in a cold place will cause the rendered fat to solidify on the surface, forming a thick layer. Carefully skim off all this solidified fat using a fine-mesh sieve. This results in a cleaner tasting broth. Once the fat is removed, portion the broth into individual servings using zip-top bags and freeze for later use. This makes preparing Tteokguk quick and easy.
Step 6
Now, let’s make the Tteokguk! Pour 1 liter of the prepared beef bone broth into a pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Once the broth is boiling, add 500g of sliced rice cakes. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the rice cakes become soft and chewy. Once cooked, turn off the heat.
Step 7
Prepare the shredded beef brisket topping. While you were simmering the beef bones for the broth, you would have also cooked the 200g of beef brisket until tender. Remove the cooked brisket, let it cool slightly, then shred it finely along the grain. In a bowl, combine the shredded brisket with 10g of chopped green onions, 2g of black pepper, 7g of toasted sesame seeds, 2g of salt, and 10ml of sesame oil. Mix well to create a flavorful topping.
Step 8
Ladle the hot beef bone broth with the cooked rice cakes into serving bowls. Top generously with the seasoned shredded beef brisket. Your delicious and deeply flavorful Beef and Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk) is now ready to be enjoyed! Savor this comforting and nourishing dish, perfect for a cold winter day.
