Yukgaejang-myeon

Noodles served in or mixed with the fiery, shredded-beef broth of yukgaejang — intense, hearty, and warming.

Yukgaejang-myeon merges the Korean tradition of adding noodles to leftover stew broth with the specific pleasures of yukgaejang, one of Korea's most celebrated spicy broths. Yukgaejang itself is a dish of shredded beef, fernbrake (gosari), bean sprouts, and green onion simmered in a fearsome gochugaru and sesame oil-based broth — a dish with a history stretching back to the royal kitchens of the Joseon dynasty, where it was served as a restorative summer food following the logic that heat combats heat. Adding wheat noodles to this broth creates a complete one-bowl meal of extraordinary flavor, where the noodles absorb the spiced beef broth and serve as a vehicle for the tender shredded meat. The resulting dish has the soul of a stew and the practicality of a noodle meal. Korean instant noodle companies have popularized a version — the iconic 'Yukgaejang Sabal-myeon' cup noodle is one of Korea's best-selling instant products — and the association between the flavor profile and noodles is now deeply ingrained in the national palate.