Galbitang is one of Korea's most celebrated soups — but unlike doenjang jjigae or soondubu jjigae, it contains no gochugaru, no fermented paste, no pungent heat. It is clear, mild, deeply nourishing, and requires patience.
The two steps that make it: soaking the ribs in cold water to draw out the blood, and blanching before the real simmer. Skip either and you get a darker, cloudier, gamier broth — edible, but not galbitang.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (about 3 lb) beef short ribs, bone-in, cut into 8cm pieces
- 3 liters cold water
- 8 cloves garlic, whole
- 3cm piece ginger, sliced
- 1 medium onion, halved
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (ganjang)
- 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- White pepper to taste
Garnishes:
- 60g dried glass noodles (dangmyeon), soaked 20 min in cold water
- 1 egg (for jidan — thin egg crepe strips)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Method
Blood-soak: Cover ribs in cold water. Refrigerate 1-2 hours. Drain and rinse.
Blanch: Put ribs in pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil. Drain. Rinse ribs under cold water. Clean the pot.
Simmer: Return clean ribs to pot with 3 liters fresh cold water. Add garlic, ginger, and onion. Bring to a boil, skim foam from the first few minutes. Reduce to a very low simmer, partially cover, and cook 2 to 2.5 hours until meat is very tender.
Finish: Remove and discard garlic, ginger, and onion. Season with soy sauce, salt, and white pepper. Add drained glass noodles to the simmering broth for the last 5 minutes.
Jidan egg: Beat 1 egg. Cook in a lightly oiled pan as a very thin crepe. Cool, cut into long thin strips.
Serve: Ladle clear broth into bowls with 2-3 short rib pieces and glass noodles. Top with scallion rings and jidan egg strips.
Notes
- The broth should be pale ivory, not milky white and not dark. Cloudiness means the pre-soaking or blanching was skipped or insufficient.
- Serve with white rice and kimchi alongside. The broth is sipped throughout the meal.
- Leftovers thicken as they cool — the natural gelatin from the bones sets the broth. Reheat gently, add a splash of water if needed.