Gamjatang

Gamjatang is a bold, spicy pork neck bone stew with potatoes that has sustained Korean laborers and late-night revelers alike for generations. Despite the name — gamja means potato — the dish likely takes its name from the gamja bone, another term for the pork spine. This hearty, rust-red broth is a fixture at 24-hour restaurants near markets and train stations, eaten in the early hours of the morning.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1.2kg (2.6 lbs) pork neck bones
• 4 medium potatoes (about 600g / 1.3 lbs), peeled and halved
• 100g (3.5 oz) perilla leaves (kkaennip), roughly torn
• 3 tbsp gochugaru
• 2 tbsp doenjang
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1.5 liters (6 cups) water

Instructions

1. Soak pork bones in cold water for 1 hour to remove blood. Drain and rinse.
2. Blanch bones in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and rinse again. This removes impurities.
3. Combine bones and 1.5 liters fresh water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.
4. Mix gochugaru, doenjang, gochujang, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and black pepper into a paste.
5. Add potatoes and seasoning paste to the pot. Stir to combine and simmer 30 minutes until potatoes are fully tender.
6. Stir in perilla leaves in the final 5 minutes. Top with green onions and serve with rice.

Cook's Notes: The double blanching step is essential — don't skip it. Perilla leaves add a distinctive herbal note that sets gamjatang apart from other Korean pork stews. Leftovers improve significantly the next day.