April 11, 2017 janicebakes 8Comment

Pork bone soup, or Gamjatang, is a Korean stew made with pork bones, potatoes, and vegetables.  Living in Toronto, the Korean food scene is constantly growing and there are many great restaurants that serve pork bone soup. It’s one of my favourite dishes to come home to after travelling; it’s warm, comforting and not too heavy.

The hubby bought an Instant Pot during last year’s Black Friday sale, even though I was completely against the idea of buying another appliance that wouldn’t fit on our limited counter space. But good thing he still did, because I’m completely in love with it and barely even turn on my stove anymore! What the Instant Pot does well (among many other things) is that it can bring out strong flavours as if you’ve cooked it for hours. It’s definitely motivated me to cook things that I would normally have never tried to attempt! Pork bone soup is the perfect example of this. I wasn’t able to find an Instant Pot recipe for Gamjatang but adapted it from Maangchi.com.

Let’s get this pork bone soup going! I picked up these ingredients from a Korean grocery store – gochugaru (hot pepper flakes), gochujang (hot pepper paste), doenjang (soybean paste), deulkkae-garu (perilla seeds flour), and perilla leaves (not in photo). Note that the hot pepper flakes may come in powder form – don’t buy the powdered version, but the one where the peppers are in flakes/chunks instead.

Gamjatang - Ingredients

To prepare the pork bones, soak them in cold water to draw out the blood. It’s best to soak them over a few hours with water changes, but a minimum of 30 mins will do. Blanch the pork bones by boiling them in water for 7 mins. Drain the bones and rinse each one under cold water.

Gamjatang Blanch Bones

Place the cleaned bones into the pot, and add ginger, soybean paste, shitake mushrooms, onion, dried chili flakes, and enough water to cover the bones (about 6 cups). Cook on Manual at high pressure for 30 mins, then 20 min natural release.

Gamjatang Instant Pot 2

While the broth is cooking, combine the ingredients for the seasoning paste: garlic, hot pepper flakes, hot pepper paste, fish sauce, perilla seeds flour, ground black pepper, and 1/4 cup water. Stir to combine.

When the broth is almost done, peel the potatoes, wash the perilla leaves, bean sprouts, green onions and napa cabbage. Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise. Chop the onions in 2-3 inch pieces, with some diced for garnish.

Gamjatang Seasoning Paste

Once the broth is done, remove the shitake mushrooms and slice thinly. Return back to the pot and add the potatoes, bean sprouts, napa cabbage, green onions, and the seasoning paste. Cook on Manual at high pressure for 5 mins, then quick release.

Add the perilla leaves and stir. Serve the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions.

Gamjatang Pork Bone Soup

The meat comes out literally fall off the bone and the broth has the perfect amount of kick. If you like your pork bone soup extra spicy, you can try doubling the seasoning paste. Let me know how your gamjatang turned out in the comments below!

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Instant Pot Pork Bone Soup (Gamjatang)

Recipe adapted from www.maangchi.com.
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Pork Bone Broth

  • 2.5-3 pounds of pork neck bones
  • 1 oz ginger sliced
  • 2 tablespoons doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1 tablespoon dried chili flakes
  • 6 cups water
  • 12 oz napa cabbage sliced lengthwise
  • 3 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
  • 8 oz soybean sprouts washed and strained
  • 4 shitake mushrooms (dried or fresh) sliced
  • 4 green onions washed and cut 2in long
  • 1 green onion chopped for garnish
  • 8 perilla leaves washed

Seasoning Paste

  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup deulkkae-garu (perilla seeds flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  • Soak pork bones for a minimum of 30 mins. 3-4 hours is recommended with a few water changes.
  • If using dried shitake mushrooms, remove the stems and soak for a minimum 30 minutes to overnight.
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the pork bones for 7 minutes.
  • Strain the bones and rinse each bone under cold water. Place the bones into the Instant Pot. Optional: Saute the bones until browned for more flavour.
  • Add in ginger, doenjang (Korean soybean paste), sliced shitake mushrooms, onion, dried chili flakes, and water until ingredients are just covered (about 6 cups).
  • Pressure cook on Manual at high pressure for 30 minutes. Natural release for 20 minutes.
  • While the broth is cooking, make the seasoning paste. Combine garlic, gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes), gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste), fish sauce, perilla seeds flour, ground black pepper and 1/4 cup water. Stir to combine.
  • Add potatoes, bean sprouts, napa cabbage, green onions and the seasoning paste to the pot.
  • Pressure cook on Manual at high pressure for 5 minutes. Immediately quick release.
  • Add the perilla leaves and stir. Serve with chopped green onion as garnish.

8 thoughts on “[Recipe] Instant Pot Pork Bone Soup (Gamjatang)

  1. 감사합니다!!! I just made this with my family and it was so delicious! (we used a little bit of soy sauce because we didn’t have any fish saucebut we will add it in next time!) I’m going to look at your other recipes and I’m looking forward try more of your delicious recipes! 🙂

  2. Great recipe Janice! Cuts the cooking time in half (which is especially important when you’re hungry lol). We added kimchi instead of Napa cabbage and it delicious – nice and spicy. The meat was really soft too. I love the instant pot!

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