Instant Pot Gamjatang (Korean Spicy Pork Bone Stew)

Instant Pot Gamjatang is a perfect recipe for IP because it needs to cook for a long time. Loaded with flavors, this hearty stew, when compared with my traditional recipe, was just as yummy if not better.

Instant Pot Gamjatang (감자탕) Korean Pork Bone Stew has been on my list to ‘cook for the blog‘ for a while now (probably too long.. haha). When I first got my Instant Pot back in June, I immediately thought that Galbijjim and the Instant Pot Gamjatang recipe was something that would be perfect Korean food to be made in this amazing appliance.

**NOTE** IF YOU DON’T have an Instant Pot, you can try my regular Gamjatang Recipe HERE

So, this time I actually cooked both Instant Pot Gamjatang and regular non-IP recipes at the same time. And I can tell you with total confidence that the Instant Pot Gamjatang came out just as flavorful as the regular recipe and definitely was simpler and quicker to make.

BTW, I made both the Gamjatang recipes while I was visiting my sister in VA. I like cooking at her place because she has a lot of pretty plates, pots and pans.. 😝 I mean, sometimes I joke to her, I am not sure who is the one with the professional career in cooking – you or me?? HAHAHA…And she actually gets a kick out of seeing her cookware on my blog posts. So, thank you dear sister for allowing me to use your kitchen and all the pretty things that you have. ❤️❤️

Pork Back Bone or Neck Bone for Gamjatang?

In the old days, pork back bone (돼지 등뼈 Dweji Deungppyeo) was used to make Gamjatang. But because the back bone had very little meat attached to it, Koreans started to make it with Pork Neck Bones (돼지 목뼈 Dweji Mokppyeo) which is a bit more expensive but definitely has more meat to them.

Interestingly, in the pig, the spinal cord in the back bone and the neck bone are called as Gamja ppyeo 감자뼈 and thus the name.

Cook’s tips for Instant Pot Gamjatang (Korean Pork Bone Stew)

• Sometimes pork neck bones can have a bit of a porky or gamey smell. Traditionally, Koreans soaked them in water and flash boil them with some aromatics. But, for the Instant Pot, I think that’s just too much work! Just soak in cold water and then massage pork pieces with a splash of mirin/cooking sake/white wine and it came out totally delicious.
• If using pork ribs (good substitute), no soaking or flash cooking needed.
• Perilla leaves and perilla seed powder (들깨가루 Deulkkae Garu)  are quite important to this dish. Don’t reduce the amount of seasoning or the amount of perilla leaves. It is supposed to have a very thick and flavor packed broth. Add some extra perilla seed powder to maximize the nutty flavor.
• You may be tempted to just throw everything together and cook it for 25 min. But the extra step of adding the aromatics at the end after opening the IP will give you a fresher flavor of the Perilla and Chrysanthemum leaves.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Soak pork neck bones in cold water for 30 min. to remove excess blood. If using pork ribs, no soaking is necessary.
2. Once soaked (no need if using ribs), drain. In a bowl add the pork bone pieces and splash some cooking sake or white wine and evenly massage all the pieces with it.
3. Drain and discard the liquid.
4. Clean and prepare all vegetables.

   

   1. 1. Peel and cut potatoes into large pieces. About 2 inch size.
      2. Clean perilla leaves, green and red chili peppers, green onions, shishito peppers, Korean Seoul green cabbage and ssukat (chrysanthemum leaves).
      3. Cut chili peppers (1.5 inch lengths) and green onions (2 inch lengths).

         

      4. Fold perilla leaves in half and cut into thick strips.
      5. Separate enoki mushrooms into smaller bunches.
      6. Set aside cut perilla leaves, enoki mushrooms and Ssukat as these will be added at the end after everything is cooked.

   

5. Make sauce for your Instant Pot Gamjatang: Mix water, Gochujang, Deonjang, Guk Ganjang, chopped garlic, grated ginger, anchovy sauce, ground perilla seed powder, black pepper, cooking sake and red chili powder.

   

6. In the pot, add pork and all vegetables except for mushrooms, perilla and c.
7. Add sauce to pot.

   

8. Add water and top it with the chili peppers, 1/2 of green onions and chrysanthemum leaves.

   

9. Close the Instant Pot lid, seal the vent and set it to Manual High Pressure for 25 minutes.
10. When the Instant Pot beeps and is done cooking, let it sit for 5 min to do a Natural Release (just let it sit and do nothing).
11. After 5 min, do a Quick release by turning the Vent to Venting. Once fully released, open the lid. And this is EXACTLY how it looked when I opened it!

    

12. With the lid open, press the Saute function and set timer to 8 minutes. Saute longer if you want a thicker and stronger flavored broth.
13. When you have about 2-3 minutes left in the timer, while the Instant Pot Gamjatang is still boiling, add enoki mushrooms, remaining Ssukat and Perilla leaves. Let it boil for the remaining time, turning a couple times at the end to ensure everything is evenly cooked.

    

14. And THERE WE HAVE IT!! Sprinkle some additional fresh perilla leaves and perilla seed powder before serving.

    

    

Serving Suggestions and Notes

• Serve with some White Rice or Purple Rice, Radish Salad or Cucumber Salad and and one of Potato Jeon, Hobak Buchimgae or Buchu Jeon!
• Not everyone is a fan of Perilla Seeds (Deulkkae 들깨) because it has a unique flavor. In fact, my husband is def. not a fan. Try a little bit first to see if you like it before adding a lot or just use less of it.

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4.75 from 4 votes

Instant Pot Gamjatang

Instant Pot Gamjatang recipe was a perfect recipe to try in my IP because the pork bones need to cook for a long time. Loaded with flavors, this hearty stew recipe is simpler and easier to make in the IP. 

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

serves: 4

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lbs pork neck bones (Substitute pork ribs)
• ▢ 3 Tbsp cooking sake (for massaging pork)
• ▢ 2 each potatoes (Russet is good)
• ▢ 4 each fresh red chilis
• ▢ 8 each Shishito peppers
• ▢ 10 each green onions
• ▢ 8 each Chrysanthemum leaves or Crown Daisies (Ssukat)
• ▢ 1/2 pack enoki mushrooms
• ▢ 10 each Perilla leaves
• ▢ 1 bunch small seoul green cabbage (Putbaechu)
• ▢ 3 cup water

Seasoning Sauce

• ▢ 4 tsp chopped garlic
• ▢ 1 tsp grated ginger
• ▢ 2 Tbsp perilla seed powder (Deulkkae Garu 들깨가루)
• ▢ 2 tsp Fermented Anchovy Sauce (Myeolchi Aekjeot 멸치 액젓)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp red chili powder (Gochukaru 고추가루, Add more to taste)
• ▢ 1 tsp Korean soy sauce for Soup (Guk Ganjang)
• ▢ 2 Tbsp cooking sake (mirin)
• ▢ 2 Tbsp Korean soybean paste (Doenjang 된장)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp Gochujang (고추장)
• ▢ 1/4 cup water
• ▢ black pepper

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

• Soak pork neck bones in cold water for 30 min. to remove excess blood. If using pork ribs, no soaking necessary.
• Once soaked (no need if using ribs), drain. In a bowl add the pork bone pieces and splash some cooking sake or white wine and evenly massage all the pieces with it.
• Drain and discard the liquid.

Clean and prepare vegetables

• Prepare all vegetables.
• Peel and cut potatoes into large pieces. About 2 inch size.
• Rinse and drain - perilla leaves, green and red chili peppers, green onions, shishito peppers, Korean Seoul green cabbage and crown daisies.
• Cut chili peppers (1.5 inch lengths) and green onions (2 inch lengths).
• Fold perilla leaves in half and cut into thick strips.
• Set aside perilla leaves, enoki mushrooms and crown daisies (ssukat). Cut perilla leaves into thick strips like below and separate enoki mushrooms into smaller bunches. These will be added at the end.

Prepare Sauce

• Mix water, Gochujang, Deonjang, Guk Ganjang, chopped garlic, grated ginger, anchovy sauce, ground perilla seed powder, black pepper, cooking sake and red chili powder.

Add to Instant Pot

• In the pot, add pork and all vegetables except for mushrooms, perilla and crown daisies.
• Add sauce to pot.
• Add water and top it with the chili peppers, 1/2 of the crown daisies.
• Close the Instant Pot lid, seal the vent and set it to Manual High Pressure for 25 minutes.
• Once cooked, let it sit for 2-3 min to do a Natural Release (just let it sit and do nothing).
• Manually release by turning the Vent to Venting. Once fully release, open the lid. And this is EXACTLY how it looked when I opened it!
• With the lid open, press the SAUTE function and set timer to 10 minutes.
• While Instant Pot Gamjatang is boiling, add enoki mushrooms, remaining Crown Daisies (Ssukat) and Perilla leaves. Let it boil for few minutes, turning a couple times at the end to ensure everything is evenly cooked.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 363kcal (18%)| Carbohydrates: 16g (5%)| Protein: 31g (62%)| Fat: 18g (28%)| Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)| Cholesterol: 109mg (36%)| Sodium: 709mg (31%)| Potassium: 717mg (20%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 7g (8%)| Vitamin A: 640IU (13%)| Vitamin C: 4.5mg (5%)| Calcium: 50mg (5%)| Iron: 1.8mg (10%)

Author: JinJoo Lee

Course:Main Course, Pork

Cuisine:Korean

Keyword:fall stew, instant pot, one pot meal, perilla leaves, perilla seeds

KoreanCategory:Tang(탕)

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