This video is part two of my Real Korea Cooking Stories, a series of videos I shot after finishing my first cookbook in 2015 when I traveled to Korea. This episode shows my visit to my friend Ji-hyun’s house, where we made a lunch of Hanwoo beef together and had a great time with her mother.
Has anyone here ever tried Hanwoo beef?
Hanwoo cows are typical Korean cows, raised with care and compassion by passionate breeders. Hanwoo beef melts in your mouth with a delicate flavor. Its soft, evenly marbled texture and aroma are beyond imagination! It also doesn’t have the gameiness that you can find in some other meats.
The supply is limited and is not exported internationally, so I always enjoy it every time I return to Korea. Hanwoo restaurants are very expensive and the portions are usually too small for me, so it’s difficult to fully enjoy the experience. I prefer to buy raw Hanwoo beef at a high quality grocery store where it is sold with a serial number for the exact cow it came from and even the individual farmer’s contact details on the label, demonstrating their pride in the meat they raise. This way, I know I’m getting the best quality. Then I cook it at home, just the way I like it! My habits are unlikely to change, even if I were a millionaire. 🙂
The experience made me realize that a true friend feels close even after years apart, like you saw them just yesterday! Cooking and sharing a delicious meal gave us a chance to reconnect and strengthen our friendship.
Notes on the recipe
All the dishes in this episode are easy to follow. If you can’t get hold of Hanwoo, you can use prime cuts of beef as a substitute. Why not recreate this meal with a long-lost friend or family member? It could bring back the same warmth and connection.
In this episode I prepared these recipes:
And here are the side dishes on the table set by my friend:
