Korean Beef Stock
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef shank
- 14 cups water
- 5 cloves garlic, bruised
- Chubby 2-inch piece fresh ginger, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, and smashed with the flat side of a knife
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 4 large scallions (white and pale green parts), cut into 3-inch lengths and bruised
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 generous teaspoon black peppercorns
- Put the beef in a stockpot and add the water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skim the scum that rises, and then add the garlic, ginger, onion, scallions, salt, and peppercorns.
- Lower the heat to gently simmer for about 2 hours, or until the stock has reduced by about a quarter.
- Throughout the simmering time, skim off the scum and fat as they gather on the surface.
- Remove from the heat.
- Use tongs to remove the beef from the pot, reserving it for another use (see the Note below).
- There are usually few impurities in this stock so there is no need to let it stand undisturbed before straining.
- Position a fine-mesh sieve (or a coarse-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towel) over a large saucepan.
- Gently ladle the stock through the sieve.
- Tilt the stockpot to ladle out as much clear stock as possible, discarding any sediment-laden liquid and any remaining bits at the bottom of the pot.
- Taste the stock.
- If it is not as flavorful as you would like, simmer it to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors.
- Once you are satisfied with the flavor, let the stock cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or until the fat solidifies on the surface.
- Remove and discard the fat.
- The stock is now ready to use.
- Or, store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The left over meat is not fully tender by the time the stock is done, so youll need to repurpose it.
- I often use it for a homey Chinese dish called 1-2-3-4-5 beef.
- In a saucepan, combine 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry, 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, and 5 tablespoons water.
- Stir to dissolve and adjust the flavors for a tangy-sweet-savory balance.
- Add the meat and additional water to cover.
- Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender.
- Then raise the heat to vigorously simmer for about 15 minutes to reduce the liquid by about half.
- Remove from the heat and serve with rice.
- Scallion, ginger, and star anise can be added during simmering for extra flavor notes.
beef shank, water, garlic, fresh ginger, yellow onion, scallions, salt, generous
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/korean-beef-stock-379828 (may not work)