May 15, 2020

Calling all Oxtail Soup Fans!!! I mean, who doesn’t like Oxtail soup? It’s hot, hearty, milky, meaty and goes down so smooth! To me It’s like a bowl full of vitamins and protein!! LOL. And with the Covid-19 pandemic in the midst of us, trying to enjoy a bowl of Oxtail soup at a restaurant was not gonna be possible! That is of course, if I can replicate it at home… That’s when I gave a good stare at my Instant Pot and it stared back at me. Some research went on here and there, and then I had a Big Idea! My Instant Pot Kkori Gomtang was about to happen!

what is oxtail?

When you buy Oxtail in the market, it is actually the tail section of a cow or a veal, that are cut crosswise. Once cut and packaged properly, oxtail really doesn’t look strange. They typically have a bone in the middle, kind of like a star shape or circular shape, and there will be some meat that surrounds the bones and cartilage. Since a tail has the upper part and the lower part, the pieces you get in a pack will come in different sizes and shapes. For this recipe you will only need one pack of Oxtail.

what does kkori gomtang mean?

Literal translation, kkori = tail, gomtang = bone broth simmered for a prolonged time. Koreans love all types of soups and Kkori Gomtang is definitely one of the popular ones. It is considered a very nourishing soup that can to be consumed any time of the day. There are still many restaurants in Korea today that offers Kkori Gomtang as their only menu item. Some places are even a few hundreds years old, known to have a secret recipe that’s been passed down from generations to generations.

Are there different ways to cook ox tail soup?

Yes, there are variations in cooking Korean Oxtail Soup. Everyone has their own way of making this soup. I have heard that some people cook the oxtail bones for over 12 hours straight on the stove top. And then there are others who cook the oxtail for about an hour, similar to cooking a Galbitang. It’s really personal preference. In my opinion, I think the final flavor depends heavily on the length of cooking time and how the ingredients are prepped. In the past I have only used oxtails in my Instant Pot to create the soup base and I did feel like it was missing the x-factor. But for this recipe, I used additional beef bones, on top of the oxtails, to create a much richer flavor. Although my soup didn’t end up having the white, milky color, the final flavor was still epic!!

what ingredients are needed?

For this recipe I used some LA Galbi bones I had saved from another meal prep. It was about 1.5 pounds of beef bones, and they were small enough to fit into my Instant Pot. You can also buy other types of beef bones in the Korean Market. They are much bigger in size so I am not sure if it will fit into a 6qt Instant Pot. So just be mindful of that. You also need a package of oxtail, onion, garlic, scallions, radish and whole peppercorn.

How should I prep the bones?

So most of the work will go into prepping the bones. Although it can be cumbersome, this really is helpful in creating that clean, smooth and tasty broth. Wear a glove if you need to!

1) Soak all the bones/oxtail in cold water for about an hour at least. Soak the oxtail and bones in separate bowls. The bones will draw out more impurities than the oxtail. Add 2 tsp sugar to each bowl to speed up the soaking process. Make sure you change the water 3-4x within the hour. Rinse the oxtail 3x and set it aside. Rinse the other beef bones 10x or until no more particles come out and water runs clear.

2) Parboil all the bones and oxtail together for 5 min. Discard the water and rinse meat/bone in cold water 3-4x. Set in strainer.

3) Trim the fat off the oxtail.

how should i cook the bones?

These are the 2 steps in making this delicious secret broth. It will take some patience, but it will be so worth it!! And of course, a handy dandy Instant pot will be your helper!! I recommend this one, click here.

First, add only the LA Galbi bones into the Instant pot with 9 cups of water. Seal and Pressure cook high for 2-1/2 hours. Quick release the vent. Skim the floating fat.

Second: Keep the bones remaining in the pot. Add the oxtail, radish, scallion, onion, garlic, whole peppercorns and pressure cook again for 45min. Natural release 15min and then open valve. Discard all aromatics and save the radish to cool on cutting board. Cut radish into big chunks and save for serving. Skim floating fat. It is time to eat!!

Say hello to the main character!

Once cooked properly, the oxtail meat and the broth will be full of deep and rich flavor. The meat is very tender with smooth texture and the stock has like a velvety flavor. Since this recipe used additional bones, it truely became stock heaven!! Look at this gorgeous oxtail!! Isn’t it a beauty?? You just want to take a big bite out of it!

how should I serve kkori gomtang?

Serving is pretty simple. In a big soup bowl, add an oxtail or two, add some sliced radishes, dang myun, and then add the broth on top. Sprinkle chopped scallions. Salt and pepper should be served in a separate bowls so that each person can add them depending on their preference.

You can prep the toppings while the soup is being cooked in the Instant Pot. For this recipe I only boiled the dang myun (sweet potato starch noodles) and chopped scallions. You can also top Kkori Gomtang with fried eggs that are julienned, or sliced onions. And of course, don’t forget rice and kimchi! Bon Appetite!!

can i make kkori gomtang on the stove top?

Yes, if you prefer cooking Kkori Gomtang on the stove top, then go to KOREAN OX TAIL SOUP Recipe. It’s even more delicious in my opinion!!

did you enjoy this recipe?

Did you try and liked this Instant Pot Korean Oxtail Soup? If you did, please like and comment below! Be sure to check out more of my delicious recipes!

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4.77 from 17 votes