The Best Naengmyeon Korean Cold Noodles

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1. 1Step 1: In a 9-quart Dutch oven, combine dried kelp and water. Cover and let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. In a large mixing bowl, soak the beef tri-tip in cold water for 30 minutes to 1 hour to draw out any excess blood.
2. 2Step 2: Remove the kelp from the water. Add the soaked beef tri-tip and the rest of the ingredients for the beef broth to the pot. Cover and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
3. 3Step 3: Meanwhile, make the pickled radish. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, and gochugaru. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, then add the radish. Toss everything together, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator.
4. 4Step 4: Line a strainer with super fine cheesecloth (I recommend using a double or triple layer), or use a clean, 100% cotton, undyed kitchen cloth.
5. 5Step 5: When the broth is done, remove the beef from the pot and let it cool completely in the refrigerator before slicing. Make sure the beef is fully chilled—this will make it easier to slice thinly for naengmyeon topping.
6. 6Step 6: Strain the broth through the cloth-lined strainer. Squeeze well to extract every last drop of flavorful broth, but be careful not to let any bits or pieces pass through. Transfer the strained broth to a container with a lid.
7. 7Step 7: Let the broth cool slightly, then refrigerate until fully chilled. This may take several hours or overnight. Once fully chilled, you may see some white, hardened fat on the surface. Be sure to remove it all.
8. 8Step 8: Depending on your taste, you can use only the beef broth or mix it with dongchimi (Korean water kimchi) juice. I like a ratio of 2 parts beef broth to 1 part dongchimi juice. If you’re not using dongchimi and going with just the beef broth, add vinegar and sugar to taste before serving. You can also partially freeze the broth to make it icy cold—that’s what Korean naengmyeon restaurants do, though it’s optional.
9. 9Step 9: Cook the naengmyeon noodles according to the package instructions. Rinse the noodles under cold water, rubbing them gently to remove starch, until completely cooled. Drain well.
10. 10Step 10: To serve, place the cooked noodles in a serving bowl. Top with the pickled radish, thinly sliced beef, cucumber, and half a boiled egg. Pour in the cold broth carefully, just enough to cover about 3/4 of the noodles—around 2 cups. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately. Use kitchen scissors to cut the noodles if needed—they’re very thin, but super chewy!
11. 11Step 11: Enjoy your refreshing homemade naengmyeon!