Vegetable scraps (자투리 채소)
If you want to save money and reduce food waste, I add some vegetable scraps to your broth. You can use a variety to add color, flavor, and more depth to your broth.
Mushroom stems, green onion roots, peeled carrot, onion skin, and cabbage pieces are all great options that you can add to make your broth. Keep away from ingredients that will change the broth too much, like spicy peppers or tomatoes. If you use peppers know it can make it harder to adjust the flavor later when it is used in recipes. Adding spicy peppers also limits which recipes you can use that broth for so stick to the vegetable scraps I recommended.
Adding vegetable scraps is optional if you want to stick to a broth recipe that’s fine but know this is also an option. If you do decide to use vegetable scraps, they should not be small pieces, or they will dissolve while simmering and make the broth cloudy.
Whole garlic (마늘)
You can add whole garlic cloves to your broth. Add whole garlic cloves, do not add minced garlic. Whole garlic cloves will break down slower, not make your broth cloudy, and are easier to remove once your broth is ready.
Green Onion Stalk, Stem, and Roots (대파/파)
Green onion is used very often in Korean broths. You can use the whole green onion including the roots and green stalk section of the green onion. But often the white stalk section of the green onion is used to make broth because it is more sturdy, fragrant, and will break down slower as it is simmered. You can utilize the roots of the green onion as well, just make sure to soak and remove all the dirt before you add them to your broth.
How to add green onion to broth:
- You can add the white part of the green onion stalk whole.
- You can score the thick white parts of the green onion before adding to the broth by slicing halfway into the stalk without cutting all the way through.
- You can also split the thick stalk in half lengthwise and add it that way.
Onion (양파)
Yellow and white onions are used to make Korean broth, red onion is not used. Adding onion to broth adds a neutral flavor and depth to your broth.
When prepping your onion, wash them very well and trim any dirt from the root. Than add your onions whole or cut them in half. You want to make sure the onion is still intact at the root when kept whole or cut in half so that it is easier to remove later. It is also optional to keep the onion skin on the yellow onion when adding it to the broth because it can add a nice golden color to your broth.
Radish (무)
I was so impressed with my broth once I started making it using Korean radish. Radish makes your broth savory and adds umami and depth.
You can add whole slices or thick quartered pieces of radish to your broth. You can keep the skin on the radish when making broth to help it to keep its structure.
Dried Shiitake Mushroom (말린 표고버섯)
Dried Shiitake Mushroom adds a meaty umami flavor to the broth.
Before adding them to your broth, wash them quickly in cold water and then soak them for 30 minutes to overnight in the water that you plan to use to make the broth so that the water can absorb as much flavor as possible from the dried mushroom.
After simmering the mushrooms in the broth, you can use them in different Korean recipes that call for mushrooms.
Dashima Seaweed (다시마)
Dashima is a very important ingredient that is needed when making Korean broths. This seaweed is used to add umami, color, and flavor to the broth. It also helps to bring out the savory flavor of other ingredients and aids digestion.
There is no need to wash this seaweed or try and remove the white coating on the outside (it’s natural). Instead, just soak the seaweed in water for 30 minutes or overnight in the water you plan to use to make the broth, and then reserve it on the side.
You should only simmer this seaweed for a max of 15 minutes. If you over-simmer this seaweed it will release vitamins that can make the broth bitter.
After simmering and removing the seaweed, you can use it for different recipes.
Bones & Protein Cuts
Protein cuts and bones can be added to make a deeper flavor or a nutritious bone broth. Beef, pork, and chicken can all be used to make broth.
If you are making a bone broth the color can be tan/gray or white depending on the kinds of bones that you use and the method that you use.
A good indicator that you successfully made a highly nutritious bone broth is when the broth chills in the fridge it should get very gelatinous.
Beef & Pork Bones for Broth:
Some examples of bones that are used when making broth are knucklebones, joints, neck, or shanks. When you go to a butcher ask for thick cuts of the bones at least 2 inches thick.
- Leg bones specifically cow bones (사골 (우족)
- Random bones from cows (legs)
- Ox bones (오골)
- Shank bones (쇠고기 사태)
Pork leg bones can be used when making pork-based soups like 되지국밥.
Best Beef Cuts for Broth:
- Brisket (앞다리): This cut is low in fat, tough, and muscular. (has oil and savory taste).
- Plate & Flank (양지): This cut is muscular, tougher, and low in fat. The grain of this cut is easily torn apart when cooked for a long time.
- Chuck (목심) This cut is tough and should be sliced thinly when used.
- Rump (우둔) This cut of meat is very meaty and soft. It has little fat.
- Sirloin (채끝) This cut has little fat and are decently tender.
Basic Beef Bone Prep:
- Wash beef bones to remove bone fragments in cold water multiple times.
- Soak in cold water 1-2 hours to overnight to remove blood.
- Blanch in boiling water for 10-15 minutes then wash before using.
Chicken Feet (닭발)
Chicken feet can be used to make broth. In many Korean chicken dishes, the whole chicken (meat and bones included) is simmered to make the base of the dish. In certain dishes like Chicken Ginseng Soup (Samgye-tang (삼계탕), you can add even more flavor by making a broth using chicken feet and then simmering the chicken meat in this broth.
To make chicken feet broth:
- Wash the chicken feet and remove the skin and nails on the chicken feet.
- Then add the chicken feet to fresh water and simmer it until the chicken feet are very soft (approx. 1 hour or more).
- Finally, strain the broth, throw away the chicken feet, and it is ready. The chicken feet’s cartilage gives a milky look to the broth.
Usually, some other seasoning roots, etc. are also simmered along with the chicken feet to add flavor based on the recipe.
Dried Anchovy (멸치)
You want to use large and medium-sized dried anchovy when making broth. When it comes to dried anchovy some people remove the head from the very large, dried anchovy because it can have some poop in the head area which can cause bitterness. If you want to keep the head for the nutrients then you can clean the head out and use it.
After prepping the dried anchovy, you can toast it on low heat without any oil to remove the fish aroma and dry further. Then remove the smaller particles that came off while toasting by shaking the anchovy in a sieve.
You can extract more flavor from the dried anchovy by soaking the dried anchovy (like the dried mushroom and seaweed) in the water that you plan to use for your broth.
Dried anchovy should only be simmered for 10-15 minutes maximum of 30 minutes before being removed. If simmered for too long, it can have a very strong smell. The reason some people simmer dried anchovy for longer is that they want to extract as many nutrients as possible but again that can lead the broth to have a very strong smell.
Dried Shrimp (건새우)
Dried shrimp add a deep-sea flavor to the broth. They are drier and harder and therefore can be simmered longer than dried anchovy.
Whole Fish Bone (생선뼈)
When making fish soup you can use a fishbone stock to add more flavor and utilize the whole fish if you did not use the whole fish. Lean white fish is best for making stock.
When it comes to recipes involving fish, often the whole fish (Bones and meat) is used in Korean recipes.
Tips for Using Whole Fish in Recipes:
- You need to prep the fish before using it by removing the guts and gills of the fish before adding it to your recipe. If you leave the guts and gills inside the fish, your recipe will taste bitter.
- Along with removing the intestines and gills, remove the scales and trim the fins.
- You do not need to soak fish bones to remove any blood.
- Simmer the fish and or fish bones for the recommended time frame.
Clams 모시조개/바지락
You can use clams to make broth. There are different kinds of clams that are commonly used to make broth. Short neck clams (모시조개) can add a clean flavor while manilla clams (바지락) add a deep umami flavor.
Remember to clean your clams before using them.
After using your clams to make broth, make sure to save the meat inside and use them for other dishes.
Dried Pollock (whole/head/skin) (항태)
You can use many parts of a whole dried pollock to make broth. Dried pollock adds a deep nutty seafood flavor to your broth.
- Pollock Body
- Pollock Head
- Pollock Skin
Before using your pollock, toast the pollock in a pan on low heat without oil for a few minutes to remove the natural smell.
You can simmer these parts of pollock for a longer time than dried anchovy without negatively impacting the flavor.
Dried Large-Eyed Herring (밴댕이/디포리)
Dried large-eyed herring can be called different things based on the region in Korea. The Korean terms 밴댕이 and 디포리 refer to dried large-eyed herring. This dried fish does not last or store very well for a long period of time, so it is better to use these dried fish sooner than later.
This dried fish adds a deep flavor and sweetness to the broth and is good for digestion.
When it comes to dried large-eyes herring you prep them differently than dried anchovy.
- You do not need to remove the head or guts of the fish before using it, the guts and head are too small to make a negative taste difference in the flavor of the broth.
- Keeping the fish intact, toast the fish on low heat in a pan with no oil for a few minutes to remove any natural fish smell.
- After you can soak them for 30 minutes to overnight in the water you plan to use for the broth.
Cooking wine (미림/소주)
Cooking wine (맛술) like mirin (미림) and soju (소주) can be added to the broth once it starts simmering. It can add sweetness and remove the natural smell of fish.
Soaked Soybeans 매주콩
Soaked soybeans can be added to your broth to give a sweet flavor and add nutrition to the broth.
To use soybean broth:
- Soak the soybeans overnight in cold water.
- The next day, remove their clear outer shell and add them to a pot with fresh water.
- Then simmer the soybeans for 30 minutes before straining them and using the broth.
