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Korean-style serving of Seolleongtang

설렁탕 · Seolleongtang

Seolleongtang

설렁탕

What exactly is it?

Ox bones and beef are simmered into a milky broth, often with sliced meat and sometimes thin noodles. Rice may come separately or in the soup. Many shops leave the salt level low for diners to adjust at the table.

Main ingredients

Ox bones and beef, green onion; noodles and rice according to the serving

Ordering and serving

Taste before adding salt, pepper and scallion. Adding radish-kimchi juice is optional, not a required step. The traditional broth’s milkiness comes from cooking bones, not from milk as a standard ingredient.

Origins and changes

It has a long history as a popular Seoul restaurant food. One origin story links it to sharing beef soup after rites at Seonnongdan; that should be presented as a tradition, not a proven invention scene. Records of Seoul soup shops provide a separate history of its sale.

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Seolleongtang

설렁탕

Main ingredients
Ox bones and beef, green onion; noodles and rice according to the serving
Flavor and character
Ox bones and beef are simmered into a milky broth, often with sliced meat and sometimes thin noodles. Rice may come separately or in the soup. Many shops leave the salt level low for diners to adjust at the table.
How to eat it
Taste before adding salt, pepper and scallion. Adding radish-kimchi juice is optional, not a required step. The traditional broth’s milkiness comes from cooking bones, not from milk as a standard ingredient.
Read about this dish →

Gomtang

곰탕

Main ingredients
Beef brisket or shank, radish, scallion; bones vary by recipe
Flavor and character
Beef is simmered slowly to extract a meaty broth. Clear Naju-style bowls coexist with richer versions cooked with bones, so broth color alone does not create a strict boundary between gomtang and seolleongtang.
How to eat it
A “special” portion usually changes the amount or cuts of meat, but the details vary. Ask how it differs from the standard bowl. A separate soy-based dip may be intended for the meat rather than the broth.
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