Korean
Mul Naengmyeon
Korean cold buckwheat noodles in icy beef-and-dongchimi broth with brisket, cucumber, pear, egg, and radish.
6 servings · 55 minutes prep · 20 minutes cook
Ingredients
Beef Broth and Garnish
- 1 1/2 pounds beef brisket or shank
- 10 cups cold water
- 1/2 medium yellow onion
- 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 3 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Seasoned Cold Broth
- 4 cups chilled, defatted beef broth
- 4 cups well-chilled dongchimi broth, strained
- 1 tablespoon Korean soup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
Cucumber and Pear Garnish
- 1 Persian cucumber, cut into fine matchsticks
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 Asian pear, peeled, cored, and cut into fine matchsticks
Noodles and Finish
- 24 ounces fresh or frozen naengmyeon noodles
- 3 hard-boiled large eggs, peeled and halved
- 6 thin slices dongchimi radish
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Hot mustard, for serving
- Rice vinegar, for serving
Directions
Make and Chill the Beef Broth
- Soak the beef in cold water for 30 minutes, changing the water once, then drain. Combine the beef and 10 cups fresh cold water in a stockpot and bring slowly to a boil. Skim thoroughly. Add the onion, garlic, scallions, and peppercorns; reduce to a bare simmer and cook uncovered until the beef is tender, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours.
- Transfer the beef to a bowl and cover. Strain the broth without pressing the solids and cool it rapidly in an ice bath. Refrigerate the broth and beef separately for at least 8 hours. Lift off and discard every trace of solidified fat. Measure 4 cups broth; reserve any remainder for another use.
Season and Partially Freeze the Broth
- Whisk the cold beef broth, dongchimi broth, soup soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and salt until the sugar dissolves. The broth should taste slightly more intense, tart, and sweet than desired because the noodles will dilute it. Adjust carefully, then freeze for 2 to 3 hours, stirring every 45 minutes, until icy and slushy but not solid.
Prepare the Garnishes
- Toss the cucumber with its salt, sugar, and vinegar; rest 15 minutes, then squeeze gently. Slice 12 ounces of the chilled beef paper-thin across the grain. Keep the beef, cucumber, pear, eggs, and radish refrigerated.
Cook and Rinse the Noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Separate and loosen the noodles under cold running water. Boil according to the package directions, usually 40 to 90 seconds for fresh or frozen naengmyeon noodles, stirring continuously; taste a strand rather than relying only on time.
- Immediately drain the noodles and rinse vigorously under cold running water, rubbing the strands between both hands to remove surface starch. Rinse in ice water until completely cold, drain very well, and divide among six chilled bowls, coiling each portion into a compact mound.
Assemble and Serve
- Arrange the sliced beef, cucumber, pear, egg half, and dongchimi radish over each mound. Ladle in the slushy broth and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with hot mustard and vinegar so each diner can sharpen the broth to taste.
