Soju
Warm stew and chilled soju are a familiar match.
KOREAN FOOD · FROM HEAT TO FINISH
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01 · THE DESTINATION
Gamjatang: Pork Backbone and Potato Stew
Pork backbone, potatoes, napa greens, perilla, scallions, and perilla seed powder boil into a deep, rustic stew meant to be pulled apart at the table.
02 · BEFORE THE BOIL
Clean Bones, Strong Stock
Soak and blanch pork bones, then simmer until tender. Prepare potatoes, greens, doenjang, gochugaru, garlic, perilla leaves, and ground perilla seed.
03 · FIRST SIMMER
Tenderness Takes Time
Build the stock before adding potatoes and greens. Skim carefully and season in layers so the broth stays rich but not muddy.
04 · THE POT ARRIVES
Boil Hard at the Table
Pile greens and perilla over the cooked bones and bring the pot back to a lively boil. Add sujebi once potatoes are almost tender.
05 · READY TO PULL
Lift a Bone, Find the Meat
Use tongs to move a meaty backbone to your plate, pull the meat with chopsticks, and dip it lightly in mustard sauce.
06 · EAT WITH RICE
Broth, Potato, Tender Pork
Alternate pork with rice and spoonfuls of broth. Crush only a little potato into your bowl rather than thickening the shared pot.
07 · SAVE THE BROTH
Sujebi or Fried Rice
Finish soft dough pieces in the broth, or reduce the pot and fry rice with kimchi, seaweed, and scallions.
WHAT TO DRINK · WHAT COMES AFTER
KEEP THE TABLE
GOING.
Lager
Cold beer refreshes between rich bites.
Sikhye
Sweet rice drink softens spice afterward.
Coffee Mix
Small and sweet after a long stew.
WHERE TO EXPERIENCE IT
TWO PLACES
WORTH THE TRIP.
One pick from the food’s best-known regional home, plus one accessible Seoul choice. Check the latest listing before visiting.
REGIONAL PICK
Eungam-dong · Seoul
Taejo Daerim Gamjaguk
A foundational restaurant in Eungam-dong’s gamjaguk street.
OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS ↗SEOUL PICK
Seongsu · Seoul
Somunnan Seongsu Gamjatang
One of Seoul’s most searched and consistently busy pork-backbone stew destinations.
OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS ↗Coming to Korea? Use these as carefully selected starting points—and enjoy the dish where its local story feels most alive.
MAKE IT AT HOME
A SIMPLE
HOME-STYLE RECIPE.
INGREDIENTS
Home-Style Gamjatang
- Pork neck bones 1.5kg
- Potatoes 600g
- Napa greens 400g
- Water 2.5L
- Doenjang 45g
- Gochugaru 35g
- Soy sauce 40ml
- Minced garlic 30g
- Ground perilla seed 40g
- Perilla leaves 40g
- Scallions 100g
METHOD
- 01
Soak the bones in cold water, blanch for 8 minutes, then rinse the bones and pot thoroughly.
- 02
Cover with fresh water and simmer 80–90 minutes, skimming, until the meat begins to soften.
- 03
Mix doenjang, gochugaru, soy sauce, and garlic into the broth. Add potatoes and greens.
- 04
Cook 25 minutes more; finish with perilla seed, leaves, and scallions, and boil until the pork is tender.
HOME NOTEBlanching and rinsing make a cleaner broth; perilla powder is added late so its aroma stays fresh.
NEXT EXPERIENCE