This 20-minute Korean galbitang-inspired soup uses chadolbagi (thin-sliced beef brisket) to create a rich, comforting broth that’s fast, budget-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Some days, cooking feels impossible, especially when exhausted, short on time, and eating out just isn’t an option. It’s become too expensive to eat out frequently. When I saw this simple galbitang “hack” on the Korean TV show Pyun-staurant, I knew I had to try it. Korean idol and entertainer Kim Jae Joong from TVXQ shared his easy shortcut for making this classic soup by swapping out traditional short ribs for chadolbagi. This dramatically cuts down both cost and cooking time. The only thing I really needed to chop and wash was the korean radish. I even used scissors to cut the meat and green onions.
What meat does this “galbi”tang inspired soup use?
Galbi = short-rib
Tang = Soup
Traditional galbitang is made with bone-in beef short ribs and typically requires hours of simmering to develop a deep, flavorful broth. You can also use an instant pot or pressure cooker like this recipe here, to shorten the time but this recipe skips the long cook altogether by using thin-sliced beef brisket instead. Because chadolbagi cooks so quickly, the soup develops rich beef flavor in just about 10 minutes. With minimal prep, the only ingredients that need chopping are Korean radish and green onion, and I even use kitchen scissors to cut the meat and scallions for extra convenience.
Chadolbagi is easy to find at most Asian grocery stores and Costco. It’s commonly used for Korean BBQ, hot pot, shabu-shabu, and quick stir-fries. It’s more affordable than short ribs, requires less meat, and still creates a beautifully savory broth that tastes like it simmered for hours.
What is Korean coin stock?
This is optional to use. Kim Jae Joong’s original recipe uses water and a bit of dashida (MSG) but I swapped it for water and a coin stock. You can just use water for the recipe but using a Korean coin stock will level up the soup fast.
Korean coin stock (코인 육수) is a small, concentrated soup stock tablet made from a combination of dried vegetables, anchovy, kelp, seafood or beef. It dissolves in hot water to instantly create a flavorful broth and has become a popular shortcut to use instead of boiling your own anchovy or beef stock.
This is perfect for busy weeknights, low-energy days, and anyone who wants a warm bowl of homemade comfort quickly. Hope you enjoy!
Quick Galbitang Hack with Chadolbagi (Beef Brisket)
Ingredients
- 350 g chadolbagi, thin-sliced beef brisket (12 oz)
- ¼ medium Korean radish
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1.2 L water (5 cups)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Korean coin stock optional
- 2 stalks of green onion
Instructions
- Cut the radish into ¼ inch thick slices, then into 1-1.5 inch squares. Cut the green onion into 1.5-inch lengths. Set aside.
- Preheat a large soup pot on medium heat, and saute the beef until 80% of the pinkness is gone. Fat will begin to render, about 2 to 3 minutes.**Use kitchen scissors to cut the beef into smaller pieces if needed.
- Add the radish to the pot and stir-fry with the beef. Pour in the soy sauce and fish sauce. Continue to cook until the radish begins to soften and absorb the flavors, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Add the minced garlic and green onion. Skim off any impurities or foam that rise to the surface.*Optional, add in the coin tablet.Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Serve with a bowl of rice!
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