Tender Beef Brisket and Aromatic Deodeok Salad
Woosong University’s Premium Beef Brisket and Deodeok Salad Recipe
A fantastic harmony of seasonal, fragrant deodeok (Korean root vegetable) and tender Korean beef brisket! The pungent spiciness of the mustard sauce, the nuttiness of pine nut porridge, and the sweetness of pumpkin puree come together to create a rich and satisfying flavor experience. This elegant salad is perfect for special occasions or for impressing guests. Enjoy this special recipe that makes even firm brisket incredibly tender.
Brisket and Deodeok Salad Ingredients- Korean Beef Brisket 500g
- Cold Water 8 cups (for soaking)
- Green Onion 1/4 stalk
- Garlic Cloves 4
- Whole Peppercorns 10
- Cheongju (Rice Wine) 3 Tbsp (to remove meat odor)
- Deodeok (Codonopsis lanceolata) 3 roots
- Jujubes 4
- Chestnuts 4
- Pear 1/2
- Cucumber 1/2
Pungent Mustard Sauce- Prepared Mustard 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 3 Tbsp
- Vinegar 4 Tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp
Nutty Pine Nut Porridge- Pine Nuts (shelled) 1/4 cup
- Soaked Rice 1/4 cup
- Water 3 cups
Sweet Pumpkin Puree- Pumpkin 1/2 (seeds removed)
- Milk 300ml
- Heavy Cream 100ml
- Unsalted Butter 100g
- Salt 1 tsp
- Prepared Mustard 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 3 Tbsp
- Vinegar 4 Tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp
Nutty Pine Nut Porridge- Pine Nuts (shelled) 1/4 cup
- Soaked Rice 1/4 cup
- Water 3 cups
Sweet Pumpkin Puree- Pumpkin 1/2 (seeds removed)
- Milk 300ml
- Heavy Cream 100ml
- Unsalted Butter 100g
- Salt 1 tsp
- Pumpkin 1/2 (seeds removed)
- Milk 300ml
- Heavy Cream 100ml
- Unsalted Butter 100g
- Salt 1 tsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Place the beef brisket, as a whole piece, in cold water and soak for at least 1 hour to remove any blood. Properly draining the blood is key to achieving a clean flavor without any gamey odor.
Step 2
In a large pot of boiling water, add the soaked brisket, green onion, and garlic cloves. Once the water comes to a boil, add the cheongju (rice wine) and whole peppercorns. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the brisket is tender. It’s ready when a fork easily pierces through it.
Step 3
While the brisket is simmering, prepare the pungent mustard sauce, nutty pine nut porridge, and sweet pumpkin puree. For the pine nut porridge, drain the soaked rice thoroughly. Blend the rice with 1/2 cup of water until smooth. Similarly, blend the pine nuts with another 1/2 cup of water until smooth.
Step 4
Heat a pot and pour in the blended rice mixture. Stir continuously with a spatula as it cooks and thickens into a slightly lumpy consistency. Once it thickens, add the blended pine nut mixture and continue stirring gently until a smooth porridge forms. Cooking over low heat will yield an even smoother texture.
Step 5
Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and slice it thinly. In a pot, combine the prepared pumpkin with milk and heavy cream. Cook until the pumpkin is very tender. Once cooked, mash the pumpkin with a spatula and let it cool slightly.
Step 6
Transfer the mashed pumpkin to a blender. Gradually add the unsalted butter, blending until you achieve your desired consistency. Season with a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of the pumpkin puree.
Step 7
If the mixture is too thick while blending, add a little more milk or cream to adjust the consistency. For an exceptionally smooth and refined puree, pass the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve multiple times.
Step 8
Once the brisket has been cooked and has cooled completely, slice it thinly against the grain. Slicing thinly will ensure a more tender bite.
Step 9
Prepare the deodeok by carefully peeling off the skin. Gently pound the deodeok with a rolling pin to tenderize the fibers, then tear it into bite-sized pieces by hand. For the jujubes, use a paring knife to remove the seeds, then slice them into thin julienne strips.
Step 10
Wash the cucumber thoroughly by rubbing it with coarse salt. Then, peel it using the ‘돌려 깎기’ method (peeling in strips) to remove the seeds, and julienne it. Slice the chestnuts decoratively and julienne them. Julienne the pear and soak it in lightly sweetened water to prevent browning.
Step 11
Arrange the thinly sliced brisket around the edge of a serving platter. In the center, gently toss the cucumber, jujubes, chestnuts, deodeok, and pear (drained from the sugar water) with the mustard sauce and pile them attractively. Finally, garnish with the nutty pine nut porridge and smooth pumpkin puree for a stunning presentation of your beef brisket and deodeok salad.
