Name: Beoseot-jeongol (Mushroom Hot Pot)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 5 1/2 cups water; 1 piece dried kelp (dasima), about 4 inches square; 10 large dried anchovies (myeolchi), heads and guts removed; 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed; 1 piece Korean radish, about 100g, peeled; 1 1/2 tablespoons soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), plus more for adjusting; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed; 200g thinly sliced beef brisket or ribeye; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 teaspoon rice wine or mirin; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 120g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick; 150g oyster mushrooms, torn into large clusters; 150g king oyster mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick; 100g enoki mushrooms, root end trimmed and bundles loosened; 4 napa cabbage leaves, about 160g, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1/2 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick; 1 small carrot, about 70g, cut into matchsticks; 200g firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slabs; 50g dangmyeon (sweet potato starch noodles), soaked 20 minutes and drained, optional; 6 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths; 1 cup minari (Korean water dropwort) or crown daisy, trimmed; 1 red chili, thinly sliced, optional; 3 tablespoons soy sauce, for dipping sauce; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, for dipping sauce; 1 tablespoon hot pot broth, for dipping sauce; 1 teaspoon Korean mustard (yeongyeoja), optional, for dipping sauce

Question 1

What mushrooms are best for beoseot-jeongol?

Accepted Answer

Use at least three mushroom textures for beoseot-jeongol. Fresh shiitake mushrooms add deep flavor, oyster mushrooms add chew, enoki mushrooms add softness, and king oyster mushrooms add a clean bite. Slice shiitake and king oyster mushrooms 1/4 inch thick so they keep their shape.

Question 2

How do I make clear broth for Korean mushroom hot pot?

Accepted Answer

Simmer water, dried kelp, dried anchovies, dried shiitake mushrooms, and Korean radish until gentle bubbles appear, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the kelp right away, then simmer the anchovies, shiitake, and radish 10 minutes more. Strain and season with soup soy sauce and sea salt.

Question 3

Can I make beoseot-jeongol without a jeongol pan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Use an 11- to 12-inch wide shallow braiser, electric skillet, or shabu pot for beoseot-jeongol. The important features are a broad surface for arranging mushrooms, beef, tofu, and vegetables separately, plus steady tabletop heat from a butane burner or induction burner.

Question 4

How long does beef cook in Korean mushroom hot pot?

Accepted Answer

Thinly sliced beef brisket or ribeye cooks in 6 to 8 minutes in Korean mushroom hot pot. Bring the broth edge to a steady bubble, lower the heat to medium, and nudge the beef apart with chopsticks as it firms so the slices cook evenly without clouding the broth.

Question 5

Can I make beoseot-jeongol ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Make the anchovy-kelp broth up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it, or freeze it for 2 months. Season the beef up to 2 hours ahead. Trim mushrooms and vegetables 1 day ahead, keeping mushrooms dry and loosely covered. Cook the assembled hot pot at the table.

Question 6

How do I keep beoseot-jeongol broth clear instead of muddy?

Accepted Answer

Keep beoseot-jeongol broth clear by removing kelp after 8 to 10 minutes, pouring broth around the pan edge, and reducing the burner to medium after the first steady bubble. Do not hard-boil the finished pot; strong boiling toughens mushrooms and makes the broth cloudy.

Culinary Explorer

Beoseot-jeongol (Mushroom Hot Pot)

Ingredients

water

dried kelp (dasima)

dried anchovies (myeolchi)

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
water	5 1/2 cups
dried kelp (dasima)	1 piece, about 4 inches square
dried anchovies (myeolchi)heads and guts removed	10 large