Rich Beef Miyeok Guk (Beef Seaweed Soup) with Tuna Extract
A 4-serving soup dish made by stir-frying beef and dried seaweed, then simmering them thoroughly with tuna extract sauce for deep umami.
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 is a 4-serving beef miyeok guk that uses tuna extract sauce to bring out rich umami without needing a separate broth. Stir-frying the seaweed and meat thoroughly in perilla oil before simmering gently for over 20 minutes makes the broth even more savory. It is wonderful for birthday tables and just as comforting for a morning meal.
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Cook time
- 23 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Beef200 g
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Dried seaweed (miyeok)30 g
- Water7 cups
- Perilla oil (or toasted sesame oil)2 tbsp
Seasoning
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek)1 tbsp
- Salt1/2 tsp
- I prepared beef brisket for the soup. You can buy beef shank, round, or any cut good for making broth.
- Pour cold water over the seaweed, at least 3 times its volume, and soak for over 30 minutes.
- For wild rock seaweed, once soaked enough to eat, rub it with your hands to remove any stray debris and rinse several times under running water. For regular seaweed, a light rinse is plenty. Drain roughly in a strainer.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
I prepared beef brisket for the soup. You can buy beef shank, round, or any cut good for making broth.
This was wild rock seaweed received as a gift, and I tore it roughly by hand.
You can also cut it after soaking.
Soak the seaweed
Pour cold water over the seaweed, at least 3 times its volume. It expands tremendously as it soaks.
Soaking for over 30 minutes makes it tender.
For wild rock seaweed, once soaked enough to eat, rub it with your hands to remove any stray debris and rinse several times under running water.
For regular seaweed, a light rinse is plenty.
Drain roughly in a strainer.
Boil the soup
In a pot, add 2 tbsp perilla oil or toasted sesame oil, the beef, 1 tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), and 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine). Stir-fry until the beef is about halfway cooked, then add the seaweed and stir-fry until the meat is fully cooked and the seaweed becomes tender.
Wild rock seaweed is tougher than regular seaweed, so you need to stir-fry it like this for over 3 minutes to enjoy a tender texture.
If using regular seaweed, lightly stir-fry for under 2 minutes, or skip stir-frying altogether and add water right away to keep its texture.
Pour in 7 cups water and add 1 tbsp soup soy sauce and 1 tbsp tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek).
Today I created umami with tuna extract sauce without any broth.
If you only use soup soy sauce, you can simmer it with 2 pieces of dried kelp (dasima) or 2 broth tablets.
Simmer gently for over 20 minutes so the broth develops a deep flavor, then season with salt to finish.
Ppunwife's tips
- Wild rock seaweed is tougher than regular seaweed, so you need to stir-fry it like this for over 3 minutes to enjoy a tender texture. If using regular seaweed, lightly stir-fry for under 2 minutes, or skip stir-frying altogether and add water right away to keep its texture.
- If you only use soup soy sauce, you can simmer it with 2 pieces of dried kelp (dasima) or 2 broth tablets.
- They say green onions interfere with absorbing the rich calcium in seaweed. I also do not add minced garlic when making seaweed soup. I leave it out because I feel garlic disrupts the flavor of the soup.
FAQ
Can I use a different cut of beef instead of brisket?
Yes, you can substitute other cuts well suited for making broth, such as shank or round.
How do I add umami if I do not have tuna extract sauce?
If you only use soup soy sauce, you can simmer the soup with 2 pieces of dried kelp or 2 store-bought broth tablets.
Is there a reason not to add green onions or minced garlic to seaweed soup?
Green onions can hinder the absorption of calcium in seaweed, and garlic can overpower the soup's delicate natural flavor, so this recipe leaves them out.
How does the stir-frying time differ between regular seaweed and wild rock seaweed?
Tougher wild rock seaweed should be stir-fried for over 3 minutes to soften, while regular seaweed is best stir-fried briefly for under 2 minutes or cooked directly in water without stir-frying.
