Naengmyeon, Korean cold noodles is now a signature Korean summer food but back then, Naengmyeon only eaten during the winter time. It’s ironic that before refrigerator there’s no way Koreans could eat cold food during the summer time. That’s why naengmyeon is only eaten during winter time and it was icy cold! (trust me, Korea’s winter is BRRRRRR!!)
Growing in Korea, Naengmyeon is never a food that we will make it at home. It’s 2 days cooking process, very hard to achieve the restaurant’s full flavors and it’s only $5 to $10 per bowl.
In Korean Naengmyeon restaurant, they usually make amazing their own fresh naengmyeon noodles, which it’s almost impossible to do at home.
BUT!!!
It’s even more impossible to find real good naengmyeon restraint in U.S.
So making at home might be only option for a delicious bowl of naengmyeon!
There are 2 types of naengmyeon. Mul and bibim.
Mul naengmyeon is what I’m about to share today- it’s cold beef broth based noodles.
Bibim naengmyeon is spicy sauce no soup cold noodles.
I actually shared an easy version of bibim naengmyeon, so check it out down below!
Mul naengmyeon is all about the clarity & deep flavor of the broth. So for that, we are starting in a 9 quart dutch oven, combine dried kelp and water. Cover, let it sit for 30 minuets to 1 hour.
This way, delicious umami flavor of kelp will gently melt in the water without boiling. Don’t surprise how big they get after soaked in water! lol
In a large mixing bowl, soak beef tri-tip in cold water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will help the meat to loose excess blood, which we don’t want in our soup.
Remove the kelp from the water. Place beef tri-tip along with cleaned leek, onion, garlic bulbs, ginger, dried shiitake, black pepper corns, rock sugar (or regular sugar), soju (it’s Korean alcohol or rice wine), Korean soup soy sauce (or light soy sauce- light in color, not in sodium), Korean kimchi sea salt (or coarse sea salt) and Korean beef bunion, dasida (or regular beef bunion) for the beef broth.
Cover, bring it to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make pickled radish. Mix sugar, vinegar and fine gochugaru or paprika together until sugar has dissolved completely and add radish. Mix everything together, place in an air tight container and keep it in a refrigerator.
This naengmyeon moo, pickled radish is essential for naengmeyon.
Line a strainer with super fine cheesecloth (I recommend double or triple layer) or 100% cotton no color kitchen cloth to drain the soup.
When the broth is done cooking, remove the beef form he broth and let it cool in a refrigerator before slice. Make sure beef is all the way cooled, so you can to slice the beef nice and thin for topping on naengmyeon.
Strain through the cloth lined strainer. Squeeze well to get the last drop of the flavorful beef broth but be careful to not have any of bit and pieces in the strained broth. Place broth in a container with lid.
Cool the broth slightly then place in a refrigerator and cool completely. This might take over night. When the broth is completely you might see some white harden fat on the surface of the broth. Make sure to remove it all.
To your taste, you can use only the beef broth or mix with Dongchimi (Korean water kimchi) juice. I like ratio of 2 part of beef broth and 1 part of Dongchimi juice. If you are not using Dongchimi and using only the beef broth, add some vinegar to the broth to your taste when you are eating (don’t have to add now). You can also freeze the broth slightly for nice icy cold noodles. That’s what Korean Naengmyeon restaurants do, but not necessary.
Cook naengmyeon noodles by following the package your are using.
You can find naengmyeon noodles at Korean or Asian grocery store dried, fresh or frozen. You can also buy dried one from online! I’m using frozen one, but dry one works just fine as well!
Rinse under cold water with rubbing action until the noodles are complete cooled. Drain.
In a serving bowl, place cooked noodles and top with pickled radish, sliced beef, cucumber and egg.
Pour the broth carefully to just cover 3/4 of the noodles, about 2 cups. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately. Cut the noodles with scissors as needed, the noodles are very thin & very chewy!
Enjoy!
The BEST Naengmyeon Korean Cold Noodles Recipe & Video
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 6 to 8 1x
Ingredients
For the Beef Broth
- 3 sheets of 5”x5” dried kelp (dasima/kombu)
- 18 cups cold water
- 1 1/2 lb beef tri-tip or brisket
- 1 large leek, cut into half and wash every layers really well then drain
- 1 medium size onion, peeled and cut in half
- 4 slices ginger
- 3 bulbs of garlic, cut in half
- 5 to 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tbsp black pepper corn
- 3 tbsp rock sugar or regular sugar
- 2 tbsp Korean kimchi sea salt or coarse sea salt
- 1 cup soju or rice wine
- 1/4 cupKorean soup soy sauce or light soy sauce (light in color, not the sodium)
- 2 tbsp dasida, Korean beef bunion or beef bunion
For the Pickled Radish (Naengmyeon Moo)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
- 1 tsp fine gochugaru or paprika
- 12 oz Korean radish, moo or daikon, sliced paper thin by mandolin or vegetable peeler
For the Assemble
- Dongchimi, Korean water kimchi juice, optional
- Naeyngmyeon noodles
- julienne cucumber
- sliced beef from the broth
- hard boiled egg
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a 9 quart dutch oven, combine dried kelp and water. Cover, let it sit for 30 minuets to 1 hour.
- In a large mixing bowl, soak beef tri-tip in cold water for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove the kelp from the water. Place beef tri-tip and rest of the ingredients for the beef broth. Cover, bring it to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make pickled radish. Mix sugar, vinegar and gochugaru together until sugar has dissolved completely and add radish. Mix everything together, place in an air tight container and keep it in a refrigerator.
- Line a strainer with super fine cheesecloth (I recommend double or triple layer) or 100% cotton no color kitchen cloth. When the broth is done cooking, remove the beef form he broth and let it cool in a refrigerator before slice. Make sure beef is all the way cooled, so you can to slice the beef nice and thin for topping on naengmyeon.
- Strain through the cloth lined strainer. Squeeze well to get the last drop of the flavorful beef broth but be careful to not have any of bit and pieces in the strained broth. Place broth in a container with lid. Cool the broth slightly then place in a refrigerator and cool completely. This might take over night. When the broth is completely you might see some white harden fat on the surface of the broth. Make sure to remove it all.
- To your taste, you can use only the beef broth or mix withDongchimi (Korean water kimchi) juice. I like ratio of 2 part of beef broth and 1 part of Dongchimi juice. If you are not using Dongchimi and using only the beef broth, add some vinegar and sugar to the broth to your taste. You can also freeze the broth slightly for nice icy cold noodles. That’s what Korean Naengmyeon restaurants do but not necessary.
- Cook noodles by following the package your are using. Rinse under cold water with rubbing action until the noodles are complete cooled. Drain.
- In a serving bowl, place cooked noodles and top with pickled radish, sliced beef, cucumber and egg. Pour the broth carefully to just cover 3/4 of the noodles, about 2 cups. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately. Cut the noodles with scissors as needed, the noodles are very thin, but very chewy! Enjoy!
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
