Bone Marrow Soup

Ingredients

• 2 kg beef marrow bones
  
• 1.2 kg brisket
  
• Salt
  
• Cooked rice
  
• Udon noodles
  
• Spring onions, finely chopped
  
• Kimchi
  

Note
This broth must be made on the stove top, not in a slow cooker to get that signature milky colour, which comes from emulsifying fat and collagen into the broth through a strong, steady boil.

Method

Soak the bones overnight
Place marrow bones in a large bowl or pot. Cover with cold water and refrigerate overnight to draw out impurities.

Rinse and start the first boil
Drain and rinse the bones in the morning, being careful not to dislodge the marrow. Place in a large pot, cover with fresh water, add a bit of salt, and bring to a strong simmer. Maintain a steady, medium low boil for 6 hours. Topping up water as needed to keep the bones fully submerged. The vigorous simmer is key to achieving the creamy milky broth.

Strain and blend
After 6 hours, remove the bones. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and let it cool. Refrigerate. Once the bones are cool enough to handle, trim of any meat, discarding excess fat. Blend the meat with a small amount of broth until semi smooth.

Second simmer with brisket
Clean the pot. Return the bones, blended meat, and salted brisket (at room temperature) to the pot. Place a bone on top of the brisket to keep it submerged. Simmer for another 6 hours. Remove the brisket after 3 hours. Let it cool, slice thinly against the grain, and refrigerate. Leave the bones in for the full 6 hours.

Final strain and chill
After the full 6 hours, remove the bones and strain the broth again. Combine it with the first batch of broth and refrigerate overnight. The next day, skim off and discard the layer of solid fat from the top.

To serve
Cook rice and udon noodles. In a bowl, add rice, noodles, and sliced brisket. Heat the broth and pour over. Top with finely chopped spring onions and warm kimchi.

Note
This makes a large batch of broth. It can be frozen and used as a base for other soups, stews, or ramen.