One-Pot Sourdough Korean Beef and Radish Stew with Crispy Bread Strips
A bold fusion stew that marries Korean bold flavors—gochugaru, gochujang, and sesame—with tender beef and daikon radish simmered in a rich, slightly spicy broth. Thick-cut sourdough bread strips are toasted until golden and crispy, then served alongside or nestled into the stew for textural contrast and to soak up the deeply savory sauce.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (1 pot, about 8 cups stew with bread)
Steps
Before you start
- Trim beef of excess fat and cut into ¾-inch cubes ahead of time
- Have all aromatics prepped and ready before you begin cooking
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) about 10 minutes before you plan to toast the bread
- Read through the recipe so you understand the stew timing—it simmers unattended for about 40 minutes
Sear the beef
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the beef cubes and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned but not cooked through.
- Transfer to a clean plate.
- Season with salt and pepper.
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Ready when: Beef cubes are deep golden brown on exterior, but still pink inside
Tip: Don't overcrowd the pot; this prevents steaming and ensures a proper sear.
Build the aromatic base
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then the diced onion.
- Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the gochujang and gochugaru, mixing thoroughly for 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the aromatics.
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Ready when: Spices are fragrant and the paste begins to look slightly deeper in color and slightly caramelized
Tip: Toast the gochujang and gochugaru briefly so the chili flavor deepens and integrates rather than tasting raw.
Deglaze and add liquids
- Pour in the beef broth and water, stirring well to dissolve any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
- Stir until combined.
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Ready when: All ingredients are fully dissolved and the broth is evenly colored
Tip: Stir from the bottom to release all the flavorful browned bits (fond) from the sear.
Return beef and add radish
- Return the seared beef and all its accumulated juices to the pot.
- Add the cubed daikon radish.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once it reaches a gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface), reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with the lid.
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Ready when: Beef is fork-tender and radish cubes are soft and translucent at the edges
Tip: Keep the heat at medium-low so the stew simmers gently rather than boils—this keeps the meat tender and the broth from becoming cloudy.
Toast the sourdough stripsOven 400°F / 205°C
- While the stew simmers (at around the 20-minute mark), preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Arrange the sourdough bread strips on a baking sheet in a single layer, spacing them about an inch apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until the strips are golden brown and crispy throughout.
- Remove and let cool slightly on the sheet.
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Ready when: Bread strips are golden brown and break cleanly when bent
Tip: Use sourdough that is 2 to 3 days old so it's drier and will crisp up properly rather than becoming chewy.
Taste and adjust seasoning
- After the stew has simmered for 40 minutes, remove the lid and check the beef and radish for doneness.
- Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper, or a touch more gochugaru if you want more heat.
- The flavor should be savory, slightly spicy, and deep.
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Ready when: Taste confirms beef is tender and flavors are balanced
Tip: Add salt gradually and taste between additions, as soy sauce and fish sauce already contain sodium.
Finish with scallion and serve
- Stir in the white and light green parts of the sliced scallion.
- Ladle the hot stew into bowls, dividing the beef, radish, and broth equally among 4 bowls.
- Top each with a few sourdough crisps and scatter the remaining green scallion parts over the top.
- Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
- Serve immediately, with extra bread strips on the side for dipping or breaking into the stew.
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Ready when: Stew is piping hot and garnishes are added
Tip: Serve the sourdough crisps on the side as well as on top so they stay crispy longer; diners can add them as they eat.
Good to know
Tips
- For a more herbaceous finish, stir in a handful of fresh cilantro or a few leaves of perilla (kkaennip) during the last minute of cooking, then add to the garnish.
- If you prefer a thicker stew, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water, stir it in during the last 2 minutes of cooking, and simmer until the broth thickens slightly.
- Toast the sourdough strips no more than 2 hours before serving to maintain crispness; if they soften, re-crisp them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 2 to 3 minutes just before serving.
- For extra umami depth, add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and ½ teaspoon of fish sauce an hour before serving and taste again to confirm the flavor is balanced rather than overly salty.
Make ahead
Prepare the beef, daikon, onion, garlic, and ginger up to 8 hours ahead and store separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The stew itself can be made 1 day ahead, refrigerated in an airtight container, and gently reheated on the stovetop over medium-low heat (it will actually taste deeper the next day). Toast the bread strips just before serving so they remain crispy.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate the stew in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of broth if it has thickened, until it reaches a simmer. Do not store toasted bread strips in the stew; keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and re-crisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 2 to 3 minutes if desired. Freeze the stew (without the bread) for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Substitutions
- daikon radish → turnip or rutabaga, cut the same size. Both vegetables are similar in texture and sweetness to daikon and will become just as tender; turnip may cook slightly faster.
- gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) → ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (begin with half this amount and adjust). Cayenne is much hotter and more uniform in heat than gochugaru; start conservatively and add more to taste.
- sourdough bread, 2 to 3 days old → crusty baguette or country-style bread. Any sturdy bread with an open crumb and good crust will work; the sourdough tangy flavor is the key, so a sourdough baguette is ideal if sourdough loaves are unavailable.
- beef chuck or shoulder, trimmed → beef short ribs or beef brisket, cut into 1-inch chunks. Both are flavorful and become tender with slow cooking; short ribs will add extra body and richness to the broth.
