Rich and Savory Dak Gomtang (Chicken Soup)
A clear, mild soup made by thoroughly simmering trimmed chicken and aromatics into a rich broth.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This soup is made by simmering one whole chicken with basic household aromatics, creating deep umami without any artificial seasonings. By neatly washing away fat and blood clots, you get a milky, savory broth with no gamey smell. Deboning the meat after cooking makes it easy and comfortable for children or elderly family members to enjoy.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Cook time
- 50 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Chicken1 whole, 1 kg (medium size)
- Onion1/2
- Garlic10 cloves
- White part of large green onion (daepa)2 stalks
- Ginger1 knob (about thumb-sized)
- Whole black peppercorns1/2 tbsp
- Water8 cups
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Water2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- For a clean taste, cut off the protruding fat lump around the tail, and pull off as much skin and fat as possible from the lower parts of both legs and the neck by hand.
- Cut open the belly of the chicken to spread it out, and thoroughly scrape and wash away the fat and blood clots stuck to the innards and rib area under running water to remove off-flavors.
- If you do not have whole black peppercorns, you can add ground black pepper to the broth when eating.
Steps
1. Since it will be simmered thoroughly, I prepared a medium-sized whole chicken.
Prepping is important for a clean taste. First, remove the fat by cutting off the protruding lump around the tail.
2. There is a lot of fat attached to the lower parts of both legs.
Pull it with your hands and remove as much as possible.
3. Cut away the skin and fat attached to the neck, and remove all visible thick fat.
I left only the legs and wings, which have thin layers of skin and fat, and removed everything else.
4. Snip off the very tips of the wings with kitchen shears.
5. Cut open the belly of the chicken to spread it out, and thoroughly scrape and wash away the fat and blood clots stuck to the innards and rib area under running water.
Cleaning this part thoroughly will get rid of most of the gamey smell.
6. These are the aromatics that make the broth deep and savory while helping to remove gamey odors.
Prepare the garlic whole, prepare half an onion, and you only need the white part of the large green onion.
Slice the ginger, and prepare whole black peppercorns... that is all you need.
If you do not have whole black peppercorns, you can add ground black pepper to the broth when eating.
7. Place the chicken and all the aromatics in a pot and pour in the water.
Because it will boil for a long time, pour in enough water so the chicken is well submerged with room to spare.
When boiling for a long time to extract a milky broth, a pot with a thick bottom is best.
8. Once it comes to a rolling boil over high heat, reduce to medium heat, cover with the lid, and after it has simmered for at least 20 minutes, the aromatics (onion, garlic, large green onion, ginger, whole black peppercorns) have done their job, so fish them all out.
Also skim off all the fat floating on top.
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9. Continue to simmer covered for at least 20 minutes, skimming off fat here and there, and boil over high heat for the last 5 to 10 minutes so a milky broth is extracted.
10. Add all the sauce ingredients and mix them together.
Ppunwife's tips
- When boiling for a long time to extract a milky broth, a pot with a thick bottom is best.
- If you shred the meat off the bones and add only the meat back into the broth, it will be very easy for children and elderly people to eat.
- If you do not have the seasoning sauce, it is also delicious to season with salt and add a little gochugaru when eating.
FAQ
Where should I focus during prep to reduce chicken odor?
Cutting off the thick fat around the tail and neck, and thoroughly washing away the blood clots and innards along the ribs inside the cavity under running water will significantly reduce gamey odors.
How can I substitute if I don't have whole black peppercorns when boiling?
If whole black peppercorns are not available, simply leave them out while boiling the broth, and season with ground black pepper to taste when eating the finished soup.
Is there a way to season the soup without making the sauce separately?
If you do not make the sauce, you can season the broth with salt and add a pinch of gochugaru to enjoy it.
What kind of pot is best for brewing a milky broth?
When simmering for a long time to extract a rich broth, it is best to use a heavy-bottomed pot.
