Beef Suyuk.
Suyuk is typically made with pork – check out our hit recipe.
But there is also the beef version!
Beef Suyuk Slices
However, it’s rare to see Beef Suyuk offered at restaurants in Korea.
The cost of beef is high in Korea – and most customers will simply ask for the pork version.
But I believe Beef Suyuk deserves its own stage… and today we’re going to give it some limelight!
Now since beef (we’re using brisket) is much lean and muscular (than pork cuts), there are a few key steps that we need to highlight for a tender and juicy outcome..
The first step is to buy a well-marbled cut of brisket.
Well-Marbled Piece of Brisket
Check that your brisket has some amount of marbling. It’s those white streaks of fat that provides all the flavor and juice. No fat = no flavor + very dry outcome!
Soak the meat in cold water.
It's not blood... its myoglobin!
This will remove the myoglobin (what people think is "blood") from the meat. It will significantly reduce any gamey or irony taste from the meat.
Next, only add the meat when the pot is at a rolling boil.
Add when the pot is boiling
Don’t get impatient and add-in the meat when the water is warming up… only when the water is at a rolling boil!
The high temperature will help lock-in the meat’s natural juices and flavor.
Use a timer and boil for the full 50 minutes!
Brisket is a tough muscle! You’ll want to give it enough time (~50 minutes) to hard boil so that the muscle fibers in the meat can fully break down.
Use a timer – 50 minutes.
After boiling, let the meat sit in the broth!
Let it rest for 20 minutes in the broth - heat off, lid on!
Don’t take the meat out immediately after boiling. Let it sit for an additional 20 minutes in the residual heat, floating in the broth. This step makes a huge difference in making the meat tender.
Place something heavy on top of the meat while resting!
The weight will compress the meat and make it easy to slice later.
Place something heavy on top of the meat
Finally, remember to cut against the grain when slicing the beef chunks!
Cut against the grain
If you pay attention to those steps, you’ll end up with tender cuts of beef that are delicious, appetizing and fun to eat.
Now, there are two other components to explain.
The first is the dipping sauce – this is a must!
The boiled meat will taste bland as it’s not salted or seasoned at at all.
Rather, we dip it into the salty, savory dip (similar to sushi).
Dipping Sauce for Beef Suyuk
Oh and the broth!
Natural Beef Broth - For Scooping Over Beef Slices
The broth is great because it keeps the beef slices wet.
Scoop over a few ladles of hot broth over the beef slices - don’t forget to drizzle some over the vegetable garnish as well!
Pour Broth over Sliced beef
(I also poured myself a separate cup of broth to sip by itself– it’s that good!)
The oils, juices and natural flavor that were released from the beef during the boil is now added back to the beef via broth – a complete circle!
That’s it ya’ll! I’m sure your guests will want seconds & thirds of this beef suyuk – so make a lot!
Beef Suyuk Slices
Neighbors - one thing.
We love waking up and scrolling through picture of your dishes! If you made this recipe, tag us on IG!
And if you're cooking alone tonight, no worries! Listen to our latest podcast as you prep 😀
Ingredients
- 400-500 grams Beef Brisket
Beef Broth Ingredients
- 1 liter Water (~4.5 Cups)
- 150-200 grams of Korean Radish (reference video for size)
- ½ whole Onion
- 4 Whole Garlic
- 1 stalk Spring Onion (length of forearm)
- 3-4 Bay Leaves
- ½ teaspoon(!) Whole Black Pepper
Suyuk Dipping Sauce
- 5 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 5 Tablespoons Beef Broth
- ½ Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Hot Mustard
- Small handful Chopped Spring Onion
- ¼ whole Onion (Chopped finely)
- ½ Tablespoon Minced Garlic (optional)
Optional toppings
- ⅓ bags of Enoki Mushrooms
- 3-4 stalks Green Onion Stalks
Instructions
Soak Brisket in Water
-
Place 400-500 grams of marbled brisket into a pot filled with cold water. Let the brisket pieces soak for at least 30 minutes.
-
Empty out the "bloody" water and give each brisket piece another quick rinse under running water. Set aside on a bowl.
Make Soup Broth
-
Take out a separate pot - one with a matching lid. Now add-in 1L of water (~4.5 cups). Next, add in a piece of Korean Radish (150~200g), ½ an Onion, 4 Garlic Cloves, 1 forearm-sized piece of Spring Onion Stalk, 3-4 Bay Leaves and Whole Black Pepper (½ teaspoon!)
-
Turn on high heat and bring pot up to a rolling boil.
-
Once the pot is at a rolling boil, add the brisket pieces into the pot. Now place the lid on.
-
Wait for the pot to come back up to a rolling boil. Once it does, reduce the heat to a LOW heat... and set a timer for 50 minutes.
-
15 minutes into the boil... remove the spring onion stalk from the pot and give it a quick stir. Let the pot continue to gently simmer away for the rest of the 35 minutes...
-
In the meanwhile, move to toppings & dipping sauce.
Make Toppings
-
Cut 3-4 green onion stalks into pinky finger-length pieces... to use as garnish. Cut the stem off the enoki mushroom bundle... and trim it to equal size as well.
Make Dipping sauce
-
Take out a bowl and start by adding the following ingredients: Soy Sauce (5 Tablespoons), Sugar (½ Tablespoon), Vinegar (1 Tablespoon), Hot Mustard (1 Tablespoon). We're not done yet... move to next step
-
Next, scoop some Broth from the boiling pot... add-in 5 Tablespoons of Broth to the dipping sauce.
-
Then chop ¼ a whole onion. As well as similar amount of spring onion stalk. Add both the diced onion & spring onion to to the dipping sauce.
-
Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients together. (Feel free to add in a pinch of more sugar if needed!)
Rest Beef
-
When the timer rings - after a total of 50 minutes of boiling - turn off the heat. Keep the lid on the pot.
-
Now, allow the beef pieces to rest in the pot for 20 minutes - with the heat off, lid-on (in the residual heat).
-
After 20 minutes of resting, take the beef pieces out and place them onto a few paper towels.
-
Then place a few paper towels on top of the beef pieces and place something heavy on top (like a sturdy pot). The weight will firm up the beef pieces and make them easier to slice.
-
While you wait... let's flavor the broth.
Season Broth
-
Use a sieve and take out any remaining ingredients in the broth.
-
Place the heat on and bring the broth to a boil.
-
Season the broth with Soy Sauce (1 Tablespoon) and Salt (few pinches).
Cut Beef & Plate
-
After 10 minutes of resting, the beef is now ready to cut. Peel off the paper towels and cut each piece into thin slices.
-
Remeber to cut against-the-grain (reference video).
-
Now, arrange the beef slices around the plate. Then add garnish - enoki mushrooms and green onions in the middle.
-
When ready to serve to guests, scoop some of the hot broth over the beef slices - don't forget to scoop some over the vegetables in the middle.
-
Don't forget to dip the beef into the dipping sauce! Enjoy 😉