Instant Pot Gamjatang

Step 1

Prepare Ingredients: Napa Cabbages - Cut napa cabbages into 3 to 4 pieces. Green Onions - Separate the white parts from the green onions. We're pressure cooking the white part with the pork bones, and using the green part as a garnish. Potatoes - Depending on the size of your potatoes, cut them in halves or quarters. Place the potato chunks under cold water to prevent them from browning.

Step 2

Optional Step - Clean Pork Bones: Bring 6 cups (1.5L) of cold water to a boil. Boil the pork bones for 3 - 5 minutes to clean and remove the excess fat. Remove the pork bones, then rinse them under cold water. *Note: This cleaning step will yield a clearer soup and you won't have to skim the scum at the end.

Step 3

Pressure Cook Pork Bone Soup: In a clean Instant Pot inner pot, add 6 crushed garlic cloves, 3 (5g) ginger slices, quartered onion, the white part of green onions, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce, 2 bay leaves, and 2 tbsp (32g) fermented soybean paste. Add 3lb - 3¼lb pork neck bones and 7 cups (1.75L) cold water in the Instant Pot. Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 22 minutes + Natural Release for 15 minutes. Open the lid carefully. When Instant Pot is releasing pressure, mix together 2 tbsp (30g) gochujang, ¼ tsp (0.5g) ground black pepper, 6 minced garlic cloves, and optional - 2 tbsp (16g) ground perilla seed or perilla powder.

Step 4

Boil Pork Bone Soup: Bring the pork bone soup to a full boil with the “Saute More or High” function. Add the garlic gochujang mixture in Instant Pot, then mix well. Let the pork bone soup boil for 4 - 5 minutes.

Step 5

Add Potatoes and Cabbages: Add in potato chunks, then layer the napa cabbages on top. *Pro Tip: Set aside some of the pork bones to prevent the soup from boiling over. Let the soup boil until the potato chunks are fully cooked (~8 - 15 mins) depending on the size of the potato chunks. *Pro Tip: Due to the nature of pressure cooking, the soup will be quite thin initially. So, it’s very important to boil the soup for an extra 15 – 20 mins to add body to the soup.

Step 6

Season Gamjatang: When the potatoes are about 3 minutes away from being fully cooked, taste-test the soup. If you're using bean sprouts, add them here. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, and Korean fermented soybean paste if necessary. *Note: Make sure you don't overseason by adding the seasonings gradually as you continue to taste & adjust.

Step 7

Garnish & Serve: Turn Instant Pot to Keep Warm mode, then add the pork bones back in Instant Pot. Garnish this tasty gamjatang with more ground black pepper, green onions, perilla powder (optional), and perilla leaves (optional). Enjoy~