Clear and Rich Dak Gomtang (Chicken Soup)
Dak gomtang simmered clear and rich with aromatic vegetables like garlic and large green onion to remove any gamey odor.
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 clear soup uses plenty of garlic instead of medicinal herbs to cleanly eliminate any gamey poultry smell. Simmering gently with salt for 30 to 40 minutes seasons both the chicken and the broth, bringing out a deep flavor. It is wonderful to enjoy as a hearty bowl with rice mixed in during cold weather.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 40 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Whole chicken1 whole, 1.2 kg
Boiling ingredients
- Onion2 (small)
- Peeled garlic25
- Large green onion (daepa)1 stalk
- Ginger1 knob
- Water15 cups
- Salt1 tbsp
Garnish
- Large green onion (daepa)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)
- Ground black peppera little
- Split the whole chicken open along the belly, scrape away any dark clotted blood along the ribcage, and trim off the tail and excess fat around the neck and legs.
- Thinly slice the large green onion and Cheongyang chili pepper for the garnish.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
I cleaned a large 1.2kg whole chicken and placed it in the pot first.
I split the belly open and cleanly scraped away the dark clotted blood along the ribs.
Cut off the tail and trim away some of the fat around the neck and legs as well.
The ingredients that go into boiling the chicken are garlic, large green onion, onion, and ginger.
Instead of using medicinal herbs, adding about twice as much garlic keeps the broth fragrant, rich, and free of any off-flavors.
Thinly slice the large green onion and Cheongyang chili pepper to use as garnish.
Boil the chicken
Add the chicken and all the boiling ingredients to the pot, then pour in about 15 cups of water.
Add 1 tbsp of coarse sea salt, bring it to a boil over high heat, and let it simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes.
Skim off the fat as it cooks.
Boiling it with salt like this lightly seasons both the broth and the chicken meat.
Rather than cooking it quickly in a pressure cooker, simmering it over a longer time allows all the savory goodness from the vegetables and chicken to infuse, resulting in a much richer broth.
The aromatic vegetables will be mushy, so discard them and strain the broth.
If you let the broth sit overnight in the refrigerator or on a cool veranda and skim off the solidified fat, you can enjoy an even cleaner, lighter soup.
Separate the meat from the bones.
Finish the dak gomtang
Ladle the broth into an earthenware bowl (ttukbaegi), bring it to a boil, and add the shredded chicken meat...
Finish by topping with the sliced large green onion, chili pepper, and a bit of ground black pepper.
You can also add gochugaru to taste.
Serve
I was feeling chilly on an empty stomach, but after finishing a bowl, I feel as nourished as if I had eaten a bowl of restorative tonic food.
Dakbaeksuk is wonderful, but a clean and clear dak gomtang is also delicious.
Mix in some rice and serve it with kimchi for a fantastic meal.
I hope this piping-hot broth fills both your stomach and your heart during the freezing cold.
Ppunwife's tips
- Instead of using medicinal herbs, adding about twice as much garlic keeps the broth fragrant, rich, and free of any off-flavors.
- Rather than cooking it quickly in a pressure cooker, simmering it over a longer time allows all the savory goodness from the vegetables and chicken to infuse, resulting in a much richer broth.
- If you let the broth sit overnight in the refrigerator or on a cool veranda and skim off the solidified fat, you can enjoy an even cleaner, lighter soup.
FAQ
Is there a way to cleanly remove the fat from the chicken broth?
Strain the boiled broth through a sieve and chill it overnight in the refrigerator or a cool place, then simply skim off the white solidified fat for a much lighter taste.
Why do you add salt right from the start when boiling the chicken?
Boiling it together with coarse sea salt allows the seasoning to penetrate right into the chicken meat as well as flavoring the broth.
Can you remove the gamey chicken odor without medicinal herbs?
Adding about twice as much garlic as usual and simmering it thoroughly with large green onion, onion, and ginger will produce a rich broth free of any gamey smell.
What can I add if I want a spicier soup?
At the finishing step, add sliced Cheongyang chili pepper or ground black pepper, and feel free to stir in some gochugaru according to your taste.
