Instant Pot Yukgaejang – Korean Spicy Beef Soup(육개장)

Instant Pot Yukgaejang that tastes just like how it is at restaurants! Spicy (but not too spicy), hearty and comforting – this Yukgaejang has tons of umami flavor with lots of tender vegetables like green onions and bean sprouts. If you have this soup, all you need is a bowl of rice and kimchi, and you will have a wonderfully satisfying meal.

This Instant Pot Yukgaejang recipe was requested to me by my daughter during my recent Thanksgiving visit to the east coast. Oh, and yes, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!

I had a lovely time visiting her and took a nice break from working. She is having a wonderful time in grad school and has grown up to be a loving, kind and confident young woman. So proud of her for handling not only her school work but also cooking her meals and taking good care of herself. 💕Enjoy this soup J! LOVE YOU!!! ❤️

Don’t have an Instant Pot? That’s OK – 

I already have a regular Yukgaejang recipe that you can make on your stovetop so please check that out if you don’t have an Instant Pot. But even if you make it on the stovetop, you may want to try making the seasoning of this recipe – just to see which style you like better.

Because this recipe is a bit more heavy and thick than my original one since I add gochujang and make separate chili oil. If you like the full-bodied flavor of restaurant versions than this one is for you. If you like a bit lighter and brighter tasting one that you can omit the Gochujang and add a bit more salt to taste.

When to eat Yukgaejang (육개장)?

I’m sure you may have heard about Koreans beating the summer heat with hot soups like Samgyetang. Well, Yukgaejang is another favorite soup that Koreans like to eat during the hottest days of the summer. The hottest days of Korean summer are Sambok 삼복 and the period is defined by 3 days in the summer with a start, middle and end.

So, Koreans like to eat these warm and energizing soups on the starting day of summer called Chobok 초복, mid-summer day called Jung Bok 중복 and end of summer,  called Malbok 말복. Somehow though over the years, Samgyetang has totally overshadowed this soup. You can read more about Samgyetang and sambok here.

What Beef Cut to use for Yukgaejang

Brisket is the best cut to use and at Korean markets, the particular cut for this soup is called Yangjimeori 양지머리.  The cut equates to Flat Cut/Flat Half/First Cut of the full (American stlye) brisket. The fatty part is all trimmed off at the Korean market. But if you have a whole brisket cut bought from a regular grocery store that includes both point and flat cut (as in this picture), then just need to trim off all the fat. Here’s a before and after picture after trimming –

NOTE – if you buy Yangjimeori 양지머리/brisket from the Korean market, you will not need to trim any fat.

Chef’s Tips for Instant Pot Korean Spicy Beef Soup

• Tastes better the next day – just like many soups or stews, the soup tastes even better the next day when you reheat it so enjoy.
• Freeze for later – yukgaejang freezes and reheats really well so make a big batch and freeze away!
• Classic veggies to add:
  • Gosari (Bracken Fiddleheads) – use a pre-cooked frozen one for convenience, or soak a dried gosari and pre-cook it (like how I do it for gosari namul). Although I like to omit gosari, it is a classic vegetable to add and adds great additional texture. Tastewise, I don’t think it adds a whole lot so it’s up to you. And you know that my husband doesn’t like it because it diminishes a man’s energy (🤣😂 if you know what I mean..).
  • Torandae (Taro stems 토란대) – these usually come dried and you can prepare similarly like gosari, just soak, boil then soak again
• Substitutes:
  • Kongnamul (soybean sprouts) instead of Sukju (mung bean sprouts)
  • Daepa (Korean Leek) ↔️ Green Onions – Korean Leek (Daepa) is the traditional ingredient to use but you can totally use common green onions/scallions instead
• Egg is totally optional.
• Serving suggestions – Rice should be served with Yukgaejang but serve Japgokbap to make it low carb and higher protein. This Korean Spicy Beef soup is often served in clay bowls like Ttukbaegi in the first picture in order to have the soup stay warmer longer. But it can be served in any soup bowls.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. If you are not adding Gosari or Bracken Fiddleheads, skip this step. Otherwise, prepare dried Gosari by soaking them in water for 24hrs, then boiling them for few minutes until soft. Cool them in cold water and drain. OR you can also buy pre-cooked frozen bracken like this one. Just defrost and then sort out the very thick ones. Cut Gosari a couple of times so they are not too long.
2. Soak beef brisket in cold water draw out blood for 5-10 minutes while you peel an onion and garlic cloves. Not a must, you can totally skip soaking if you don’t want to bother. Read more about what part of brisket to use HERE.
3. Peel onion and garlic cloves. *I cut the brisket in 1/2 because it cools faster and is easier to handle after it’s cooked.

   

4. In the Instant Pot or Pressure cooker, add water, beef brisket, whole onion and garlic cloves.
5. Cover the pot and select the Meat/Stew function and set timer to 30 minutes.

   

6. While the meat is cooking, in a small frying pan, add sesame oil and red chili powder. Turn on heat to medium and stir and cook until it starts to bubble. Turn heat off right away and remove it from heat. Do NOT overcook and burn. Color should be bright red, not brown or black. Set aside.
7. Clean green onions and rinse mung bean sprouts and drain. Cut green onions into 2-inch lengths. Set aside.
8. After 30 minutes, let Instant Pot cool for 10 minutes then Quick Release (releasing pressure manually by turning the valve). Be sure to cover it with a cloth or prepare for splatter. Alternatively, you can let it cool completely for Natural Release which will cook a bit beef further and take longer – which is still OK.
9. Take out brisket from the pot and let it cool. (Prob. 10-15 minutes). When it has cooled enough to handle, use your hands to shred the meat following the grain. Like making pulled brisket but you will have to tear it off with your hands. (We don’t need it fully tender at this point because we are going to cook it further). Set aside in a mixing bowl.

   

10. Discard onion and garlic cloves.
11. In the bowl with the meat, add cut green onions and all the seasonings except the chili oil. Gently mix the seasoning into the meat and green onions with your hands.

    

12. Add back seasoned meat and green onions from above into the pot. Add chili oil from 5 and top with bean sprouts in the pot. Cover and set to Soup function for 5 minutes.
13. Whip eggs. Just lightly whip so there are still streaks of egg white. Set aside.
14. When soup is done, let it sit for 5 minutes or so then Quick Release. Be sure to cover the valve with wet paper towel to stop the splatter. You can also always do intermittent Quick Release if you are getting too much liquid coming out the valve (unless you filled it too much). Now, we are almost done!
15. Uncover and SAUTE for 30 minutes. Soup will start to bubble. This part is important for melding all the flavors together. Once it starts bubbling, pour egg slowly in a circular manner so it doesn’t clump all in one spot.

    

16. After it has simmered for 30 minutes, it’s all done and wonderful!!!

    

    This Yukgaejang will be amazingly delicious and it’s quite simple to make so I really hope you all try it!!

    

If you liked this recipe, please leave me a comment and 5 ☆☆☆☆☆ rating below!

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JinJoo

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5 from 9 votes

Instant Pot Yukgaejang - Korean Spicy Beef Soup

Yukgaejang is a Korean spicy beef soup with lots of green onions and bean sprouts that makes it really hearty and delicious.

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 cups water
• ▢ 1 lb beef brisket
• ▢ 2 bunches green onions
• ▢ 12 oz mung bean sprouts
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 onion (medium size)
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves

chili oil

• ▢ 3 Tbsp sesame oil
• ▢ 2 Tbsp Korean red chili pepper (Gochukaru)

seasoning

• ▢ 7 tsp Guk Ganjang (Korean Soup Soy Sauce) (Read Know your Soy sauce page for info)
• ▢ 2 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 2 tsp Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) (Buy it on my Amazon store)
• ▢ 1 tsp sugar
• ▢ 2 Tbsp garlic (chopped)
• ▢ 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tsp black pepper (ground)
• ▢ 2 tsp sesame seeds (crushed)

Optional add-ins or substitutions

• ▢ 4 oz bracken fiddleheads (reconstituted, adds more earthy flavor)
• ▢ 1 each Daepa (Korean Leek) (use instead of green onions)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Soak beef brisket in cold water draw out blood for 5-10 minutes while you peel onion and garlic cloves. Not a must, you can skip soaking if you want.
• Peel onion and garlic cloves.
• In the Instant Pot or Pressure cooker, add water, beef brisket (cut in half if it's too wide for pot), whole onion and garlic cloves.
• Cover the pot and select the Meat/Stew function and set time to 30 minutes.

Make chili oil

• In a small frying pan, add sesame oil and red chili powder. Turn on heat to medium and stir and cook until it starts to bubble. Turn heat off right away and remove it from heat. Do NOT overcook and burn. Color should be bright red. Set aside.

Prepare vegetables

• While the brisket is cooking, clean green onions and rinse mung bean sprouts and drain. Cut green onions into 2 inch lengths.
• After 30 minutes, let Instant Pot cool for 10 minutes then Quick Release (releasing pressure manually by turning the valve). Be sure to cover it with a cloth or prepare for splatter. Alternatively, you can let it cool completely for Natural Release which will cook the beef further which is also OK.
• Take out brisket from the pot and cool it on cutting board until it's cooled enough to handle. (Prob. 10-15 minutes) Also, discard the onion and garlic cloves from the broth.
• Using your hands separate or shred the meat following the grain. Like making pulled brisket. Set aside in a mixing bowl.
• In the bowl with the meat, add cut green onions and all the seasonings except the chili oil. Gently mix the seasoning and the meat and green onions.
• Add back seasoned meat and green onions mixture from above in the pot. Add chili oil. Cover with mung bean sprouts. Cover and set to Soup function for 5 minutes.
• While soup is cooking, whip eggs. Whip it just lightly so there are still streaks of egg white.
• When soup is done, do Quick Release after letting it cool for 5 minutes or so. Be sure to cover the valve with wet paper towel to stop the splatter. You can also always do intermittent QR if you are getting too much liquid coming out the valve.
• Now, we are almost done! Open the cover and leave it uncovered and turn the SAUTE function for 30 minutes. Soup will start bubbling. This part is kind of important to finally meld all the flavors together. Once it starts bubbling, pour the egg in a circular manner so it doesn't clump all in one spot.
• When it has simmered for 30 minutes, it should be now ready!! It will be sooo delicious - just like how you would get it any good Korean restaurant!

Equipment

• pressure cooker - I used 8 qt. If your IP is smaller, you should reduce the recipe.

Tips & Notes:

• Tastes better the next day - just like many soups or stews, the soup tastes even better the next day when you reheat it so enjoy. 
• Freeze for later - yukgaejang freezes and reheats really well so make a big batch and freeze away!
• Classic veggies to add for great texture:
  • Gosari (Bracken Fiddleheads) - use a pre-cooked frozen one for convenience, or soak a dried gosari and pre-cook it (like how I do it for gosari namul). 
  • Torandae (Taro stems 토란대) - these usually come dried and you can prepare similarly like gosari, just soak, boil then soak again
• Substitutes:
  • Kongnamul (soybean sprouts) instead of Sukju (mung bean sprouts)
  • Daepa (Korean Leek) ↔️ Green Onions - Korean Leek (Daepa) is the traditional ingredient to use but you can totally use common green onions/scallions instead
• Serve with Japgokbap to make it low carb and higher protein.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 262kcal (13%)| Carbohydrates: 11g (4%)| Protein: 21g (42%)| Fat: 15g (23%)| Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)| Cholesterol: 101mg (34%)| Sodium: 915mg (40%)| Potassium: 556mg (16%)| Fiber: 3g (13%)| Sugar: 4g (4%)| Vitamin A: 962IU (19%)| Vitamin C: 12mg (15%)| Calcium: 62mg (6%)| Iron: 3mg (17%)

Author: JinJoo Lee

Course:Soup

Cuisine:Korean

Keyword:beef, easy and simple, hearty, instant pot

KoreanCategory:Guk (국)

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