Authentic Gamjatang Recipe (Korean Pork Bone Soup)

Gamjatang (감자탕) is a hearty Korean pork bone soup made with tender pork neck or spine bones, potatoes, napa cabbage, bean sprouts, perilla leaves, and a deeply savory red broth.

The soup gets its distinctive flavor from Korean fermented soybean paste, gochugaru, gochujang, garlic, and—most importantly—ground perilla seeds, which give the broth its characteristic nutty richness.

Although gamjatang requires some time, most of the work is simply allowing the pork bones to simmer until the meat becomes tender enough to pull away from the bone.

Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus soaking
Soaking Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: About 2 hours
Total Time: About 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4

1. What Is Gamjatang?

Gamjatang is a spicy Korean soup or stew built around pork neck bones or pork spine bones.

The bones are simmered for a long time until the attached meat becomes tender, then potatoes, cabbage, bean sprouts, green onions, perilla leaves, and a spicy seasoning mixture are added.

Unlike a light Korean soup, gamjatang has a robust broth with noticeable body and a strong combination of savory, spicy, earthy, and nutty flavors.

One of its most distinctive ingredients is deulkkae-garu (들깨가루), ground perilla seeds. The powder gives the broth a slightly creamy appearance and a deep nutty aroma that immediately distinguishes gamjatang from many other Korean stews.

Despite the name, the potatoes are only one component of the dish. The true centerpiece is the tender pork attached to the bones.

2. Korean Kitchen Note

There is a surprisingly persistent debate about the name gamjatang.

In modern Korean, gamja (감자) normally means potato, and potatoes are almost always included in the dish. This naturally leads many people to assume the soup is simply named after them.

Another explanation connects the name with terminology for parts around the pork spine.

The exact historical origin of the name is not completely settled, so it is safer to regard the etymology as debated rather than claim that one explanation is unquestionably correct.

What is certain is that modern gamjatang is centered on pork backbone or neck bones and is known for generous portions of meat, potatoes, vegetables, and perilla-seasoned broth.

In Korea, gamjatang restaurants often serve the dish bubbling in a large shared pot. After most of the meat and vegetables have been eaten, diners may add rice to the remaining concentrated broth and stir-fry it into bokkeumbap.

The dish is also commonly associated with late-night meals and hangover food because of its hot, intensely savory broth.

3. Ingredients

For 4 servings:

For the Pork Broth

• 1.5 kg (about 3.3 lb) pork neck bones or pork spine bones
• 10 cups (about 2.4 liters) water, plus more for soaking and blanching
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 5 garlic cloves
• 5 thin slices fresh ginger
• 2 green onion white parts
• 1 tablespoon doenjang, Korean fermented soybean paste

Vegetables

• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
• 300 g (about 10 oz) napa cabbage
• 200 g (about 7 oz) soybean sprouts
• 3 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 10–12 perilla leaves
• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, optional

For the Seasoning

• 3 tablespoons gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon gochujang, Korean red pepper paste
• 1 tablespoon doenjang
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon Korean soup soy sauce
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup ground perilla seeds (deulkkae-garu)

For Serving

• Chopped green onions
• Additional ground perilla seeds, optional
• Steamed Korean short-grain rice
• Kimchi or kkakdugi

4. Global Ingredient Substitution Guide

Pork Neck or Spine Bones

Pork neck bones are one of the best choices because they contain meat, connective tissue, and bone in proportions that create a flavorful broth.

Ask a butcher for pork neck bones, pork backbone, or pork spine bones.

Pork ribs can be used in an emergency, but the finished broth and eating experience will not be exactly the same.

Ground Perilla Seeds

Ground perilla seeds are one of the defining flavors of gamjatang.

They may be labeled deulkkae-garu, perilla seed powder, or ground perilla seeds in a Korean supermarket.

If unavailable, finely ground toasted sesame seeds can provide some nuttiness, but they do not taste identical to perilla.

Perilla Leaves

Fresh Korean perilla leaves add a distinctive herbal aroma.

There is no exact substitute.

If you cannot find them, it is better to omit them than replace them with large amounts of an unrelated herb. The soup will still be delicious because ground perilla seeds provide much of the signature flavor.

Napa Cabbage

Napa cabbage is traditional and becomes wonderfully soft after simmering.

Young napa cabbage or dried radish greens can also be used in Korean variations.

Doenjang

Doenjang is Korean fermented soybean paste.

Japanese miso can provide some fermented soybean character if necessary, but it is generally milder and sweeter, so the flavor will differ.

Gochugaru

Korean red pepper flakes are strongly recommended.

Do not replace the full amount with cayenne pepper, which is usually much hotter and lacks the rounded flavor and color of gochugaru.

5. Step-by-Step: How to Make Gamjatang

Step 1. Soak the Pork Bones

Rinse the pork bones under cold running water.

Place them in a large bowl and cover completely with cold water.

Soak for approximately 1 hour, changing the water once or twice if it becomes dark.

Step 2. Blanch the Bones

Bring a large pot of fresh water to a strong boil.

Add the soaked pork bones and boil for approximately 7 to 10 minutes.

Foam, blood proteins, and other residue will rise to the surface.

Drain completely and discard the blanching water.

Step 3. Wash the Bones and Pot

Rinse each pork bone carefully under running water.

Remove any dark residue, foam, and small bone fragments.

Wash the stockpot before beginning the actual broth.

Step 4. Make the Pork Bone Broth

Return the cleaned bones to the clean pot.

Add 10 cups of fresh water, onion, garlic, ginger, green onion whites, doenjang, and optional shiitake mushrooms.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce to a steady simmer, partially cover, and cook for approximately 1 1/2 hours.

The meat should begin becoming tender and the broth should develop noticeably more body.

Step 5. Prepare the Napa Cabbage

While the bones are simmering, bring another pot of water to a boil.

Blanch the napa cabbage for approximately 2 to 4 minutes, until the thick white portions begin to soften.

Transfer immediately to cold water.

Drain and gently squeeze out excess moisture.

Cut or tear into large bite-size pieces.

Step 6. Make the Seasoning Paste

Combine the gochugaru, gochujang, doenjang, fish sauce, soup soy sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, and most of the ground perilla seeds.

Add several spoonfuls of hot broth and mix into a loose paste.

Step 7. Add Potatoes and Cabbage

After the pork has simmered for approximately 90 minutes, remove the cooked onion and other spent aromatics.

Add the potatoes and blanched napa cabbage.

Add the seasoning paste and stir gently into the broth.

Step 8. Add Soybean Sprouts

Add the soybean sprouts.

Cover and continue cooking over medium heat for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

The potatoes should become tender while the cabbage absorbs the spicy broth.

Step 9. Add Perilla Leaves and Green Onions

When the potatoes are almost fully cooked, add the green onions and roughly sliced perilla leaves.

Simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 10. Finish With Perilla Seed Powder

Add the remaining ground perilla seeds.

Stir gently.

The broth should become slightly thicker and develop a distinctly nutty aroma.

Step 11. Adjust the Seasoning

Taste the broth.

Add additional soup soy sauce, fish sauce, or salt only if necessary.

If the broth has reduced too much, add a small amount of hot water and simmer briefly.

Step 12. Serve Bubbling Hot

Transfer the gamjatang to a large shallow pot for sharing or divide it among individual bowls.

Top with additional green onions or perilla seed powder if desired.

Serve piping hot with steamed rice and kimchi.

6. Korean Cook's Tips

Do not skip soaking and blanching. Pork spine bones contain blood and bone residue that can create unpleasant flavors if they are not cleaned properly.

Wash each bone after blanching. Simply pouring away the blanching water is not enough. Rinse away the gray residue attached to the bones.

Give the pork enough time. The meat should become tender enough to separate easily from the bone.

Add potatoes later. Potatoes cook much faster than pork bones and will disintegrate if added at the beginning.

Do not forget the perilla. Ground perilla seeds are one of the ingredients that makes gamjatang taste unmistakably like gamjatang.

Add perilla leaves near the end. Long cooking reduces their fresh herbal aroma.

Make extra broth. Gamjatang often tastes even richer after resting and reheating.

7. Nutrition Notes

Gamjatang combines pork, potatoes, cabbage, soybean sprouts, green onions, and other vegetables in one substantial dish.

The pork provides protein along with nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.

Potatoes contribute carbohydrates and potassium, while cabbage and soybean sprouts add plant foods and dietary fiber.

Ground perilla seeds contain fat and contribute significant richness to the soup.

The overall fat content can vary considerably depending on the pork bones used and how much visible fat is skimmed from the broth.

Sodium can also be relatively high because doenjang, gochujang, fish sauce, and soup soy sauce all contain salt.

Seasoning gradually rather than automatically adding extra salt is therefore especially important.

8. Why It Works: Cooking Science

Why Does Pork Bone Broth Become Rich and Full-Bodied?

Pork neck and spine bones contain meat, fat, cartilage, and connective tissue.

During prolonged moist cooking, collagen in connective tissue gradually converts into gelatin.

Gelatin gives the broth greater body and produces the satisfying texture associated with long-cooked bone soups.

Why Blanch the Bones First?

Heating the raw bones briefly causes blood proteins and other soluble material near the surface to coagulate and separate.

Discarding the blanching water and rinsing the bones removes much of this material before the actual broth is prepared.

This helps produce a cleaner flavor.

Why Does Perilla Seed Powder Make the Soup Seem Creamier?

Ground perilla seeds contain natural oils as well as finely ground plant material.

When dispersed through hot broth, these components increase perceived richness and slightly thicken the liquid.

The effect is similar to adding finely ground nuts or seeds to other soups and sauces.

Why Add Potatoes Near the End?

Potato starch softens relatively quickly during boiling.

If potatoes were cooked for the entire time required to tenderize pork bones, they could lose their shape and break apart.

Adding them later allows the pork and potatoes to reach the correct textures at approximately the same time.

Why Does Gamjatang Taste Better After Simmering?

Long cooking extracts flavor compounds from the pork while the seasoning penetrates the cabbage and vegetables.

At the same time, some water evaporates, increasing the concentration of savory compounds in the broth.

9. What to Serve With Gamjatang

Gamjatang is a substantial shared meal and does not require many additional dishes.

Good accompaniments include:

• Steamed Korean short-grain rice
• Baechu kimchi
• Kkakdugi
• Fresh green chili peppers
• Simple vegetable banchan

One of the best parts of a restaurant-style gamjatang meal comes at the end.

After most of the meat and vegetables are gone, leave a little concentrated broth in the pan and stir-fry cooked rice with gim, green onions, sesame oil, and optional kimchi.

This final gamjatang bokkeumbap is worth saving room for.

10. Frequently Asked Questions

What is gamjatang?

Gamjatang is a spicy Korean pork bone soup or stew made with pork neck or spine bones, potatoes, cabbage, soybean sprouts, perilla leaves, and a red Korean seasoning broth.

Does gamjatang mean potato soup?

Potato is called gamja in modern Korean, and potatoes are a standard ingredient in gamjatang. However, explanations of the dish's name vary, and the historical etymology is debated.

What pork bones should I use for gamjatang?

Pork neck bones or spine bones are ideal because they contain flavorful meat and connective tissue attached to the bones.

Can I use pork ribs?

You can make a similar spicy pork stew with ribs, but the flavor and texture will differ from traditional gamjatang made with neck or spine bones.

Do I really need to soak pork bones?

Soaking followed by blanching and rinsing helps remove residual blood and debris. It is strongly recommended for a cleaner-tasting broth.

What does perilla seed powder taste like?

Ground perilla seeds have a rich, nutty, slightly earthy flavor and add noticeable body to the broth.

Can I make gamjatang without perilla leaves?

Yes. Fresh perilla leaves provide a distinctive aroma, but the soup can still be made without them. Ground perilla seeds are more important to the characteristic flavor of this recipe.

What can I substitute for perilla seed powder?

There is no exact substitute. Finely ground toasted sesame seeds can add nuttiness, but the flavor will not be identical.

Is gamjatang very spicy?

It is generally moderately spicy. Reduce the gochugaru and gochujang for a milder version without removing them completely.

Can I make gamjatang ahead of time?

Yes. The pork and broth can be prepared in advance. For the best texture, add potatoes, perilla leaves, and some of the vegetables during reheating rather than overcooking them repeatedly.

Can gamjatang be frozen?

The pork and broth freeze well. Potatoes can become grainy after freezing, so consider freezing the broth and pork separately and adding fresh potatoes when reheating.

11. More Korean Recipes

If you enjoy hearty Korean soups and stews, try these recipes next:

• Yukgaejang – Korean Spicy Beef Soup
• Seolleongtang – Korean Ox Bone Soup
• Gomtang – Korean Beef Soup
• Galbitang – Korean Beef Short Rib Soup
• Kimchi Jjigae – Korean Kimchi Stew
• Sundubu Jjigae – Korean Soft Tofu Stew

12. Key Takeaways

Authentic gamjatang is built around tender pork neck or spine bones, potatoes, cabbage, spicy Korean seasonings, and the unmistakable nutty flavor of perilla.

The most important preparation happens before the main cooking begins: soak the pork bones, blanch them, rinse them thoroughly, and start the actual broth in a clean pot with fresh water.

Allow the bones enough time to become tender before adding potatoes and vegetables, then finish the stew with fresh perilla leaves and ground perilla seeds.

The result is one of Korea's richest and most satisfying spicy soups—a bubbling pot of tender pork, potatoes, vegetables, and deeply savory broth made for sharing with rice.