Chadolbagi (beef brisket)
Usamgyeop (beef loin)
Shabu Shabu (Japanese hot pot dish)
This story is a translation of my personal opinion as a Korean for non-Korean speakers.
Please let me know if anything is uncomfortable for you as this is my personal story,
and please direct any comments or concerns to me as an individual,
not to Korea as a whole.
- dooFteP -
Hello, fellow bloggers on Tistory!
Today, I'd like to learn more about the cuts of beef that
I often eat without knowing exactly which part they come from.
They are Chadolbagi (beef brisket), Usamgyeop (beef loin),
and Shabu Shabu (Japanese hot pot dish).
Although they are all beef,
they are given different names depending on their
thickness, cut, and cooking method.
1. Chadolbagi (beef brisket)
Chadolbagi, also known as Chadolbaegi,
is a cut of beef that comes from the front chest
area just above the rib bones,
also known as the "yangji" in Korean.
It is a heavily marble cut with firm fat.
It is called Chadolbagi because it is said to
resemble two rocks colliding.
Although it is generally a tough cut of meat,
as humans always do, we have found a way to enjoy it.
It is often thinly sliced and quickly grilled,
allowing you to enjoy both the rich,
fatty parts and the slightly chewy,
tender parts simultaneously.
Chadolbagi is a rare cut,
weighing only about 2.0 to 2.3 kg,
obtained from the upper end of the central top part of the beef belly.
Originally a relatively cheap cut,
the popularity of beef brisket skyrocketed since
the rise of specialized beef brisket restaurants in 2000,
causing its price to increase by about three times compared to beef loin.
Due to its limited production,
some places falsely label the entire yangji (upper belly) cut as beef brisket.
When purchasing for grilling at a butcher shop,
it's recommended to ask for it to be sliced between 1.2-2.0mm,
as opposed to the thicker 10.0-12.0mm slices
commonly used for thick-cut pork belly.
2. Woo Samgyeop, Upjinsal (beef loin)
Upjinsal is a part of the yangji, similar to Chadolbagi,
and is a part located in the lower center of the cow's belly,
yielding only a small amount of around 3.5-4.0kg per cow.
The Upjinsal cut looks like a shield and has abundant
juicy meat and soft fat compared to Chadolbagi.
It is mostly used for grilling, and the layers of fat and meat
resemble samgyeopsal (pork belly), hence the name Woo Samgyeop.
Personally, I prefer Upjinsal over Chadolbagi for its cost-effectiveness.
When purchasing for grilling at a butcher shop,
it's best to ask for it to be sliced to about 2.0mm.
3. Shabu Shabu (Japanese hot pot dish)
Shabu Shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ) has become a popular dish in Korea,
although it is originally a famous Japanese cuisine.
However, the local adaptation in Korea is slightly different from
the traditional Japanese Shabu Shabu,
where the boiled meat is often served with noodles,
eggs, and vegetables as a finishing touch.
Various cuts of meat can be used for Shabu Shabu,
with Chuck Eye Roll being used for premium lines,
and Front Shank (jeon-gak) being used in buffet style restaurants.
Chuck Eye Roll is a cut with less fat and more muscles,
often boiled for a long time or thinly sliced for raw consumption.
Due to the increasing consumption of Shabu Shabu in Korea,
even the relatively inexpensive cuts of beef have become little expensive priced,
as they are still beef after all.
When purchasing meat for Shabu Shabu at a butcher shop,
it's recommended to ask for it to be sliced to about 1.0mm.
4. Conclusion
Chadolbagi (beef brisket)
: a part between yangji (brisket) and galbi (short ribs) with firm fat.
Usamgyeop (beef loin)
: a part of the yangji (brisket) that is similar to chadolbagi
Shabu-shabu (Japanese hot pot dish)
: Chuck eye roll or front leg
5. Recommended dishes by part
Chadolbagi (Chadolbaegi)
: Grilled meat, stir-fried bean sprouts, beef rice bowl dishes, soybean paste stew,
beef bulgogi, jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup).
Usamgyeop (Upjinsal)
: Grilled meat, stir-fried bean sprouts, jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup),
stir-fried dishes, beef rice bowl dishes, beef bulgogi.
Moksim (Moksal)
: Beef bulgogi, hot pot, shabu-shabu, steak, chopped steak.
Jeongak (Front leg)
: Shabu-shabu, soup ingredients, stew ingredients, jangjorim (soy-braised beef)
Today,
we learned about Chadolbagi, Usamgyeop, and Shabu-shabu.
They are expensive,
but delicious beef cuts.
Shall we try them now with our newfound knowledge?
The end
Image support - FoodranPlus
Translation support - Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer
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