Mom's Easy Korean Recipes

I started making oxtail soup early in the morning. After soaking the oxtails overnight to remove excess blood, I placed them in a pot and let them simmer for hours. This means dinner for the next two to three days will be much easier to prepare.

It’s been almost fifteen years since we moved to the U.S., but my family still prefers Korean food. On top of that, we enjoy home-cooked meals more than eating out. Ironically, back in Korea, I had little interest in cooking, but after moving here, I found myself mastering all kinds of dishes out of necessity.

Growing up, I wasn’t a big fan of meat—mainly because of the texture and smell. Even now, I tend to avoid it when I can. But as the one managing our household meals, I can’t just cook for myself. Whether it’s oxtail soup, spicy stir-fried pork, bulgogi, boiled pork belly, or ginseng chicken soup, I find myself preparing meat-based dishes at least every other day.

Among them, oxtail soup is one of the easiest to make despite the long cooking time. It doesn’t require much effort or any special cooking skills—just patience. Maybe that’s why actor Lee Seo-jin was so dedicated to making oxtail soup in variety shows like Three Meals a Day and Youn’s Stay. It’s simple yet hearty, packed with nutrients, and visually impressive when served in a large bowl.

After hours of simmering, the broth turns rich and milky, and the meat becomes incredibly tender. Just ladle everything into a bowl, sprinkle some chopped green onions, and serve with a bit of salt on the side—dinner is ready.

These days, you don’t even have to make it from scratch. Many grocery stores carry ready-made oxtail soup, and it’s not just this dish—almost every meal now comes in a convenient retort pouch or meal kit. I suppose it’s no different from buying store-bought kimchi. Still, I find myself resisting this shift.

Will there come a time when people stop cooking at home altogether, just as we’ve come to rely on store-bought kimchi and fermented pastes? Maybe. But I don’t plan to give up the joy of cooking anytime soon. There’s something special about preparing a meal with your own hands, one step at a time.

Speaking of oxtail soup, here’s a fun fact: Vietnamese pho has a version called Oxtail Pho! One of the best places to try it is Simply Pho in Lake Forest.

I haven’t been there in years—probably since right before the pandemic, when I last visited with my former colleagues. I remember ordering the seafood pho back then, but the real reason we went was for the Oxtail Pho. It’s like a different take on Korean oxtail soup. I think it’s time for a revisit with my family!