Dak baeksuk

How to order it in Korea

1. Check whether the order is one bird or one pot and what the restaurant includes. Some preparations use the broth to make rice porridge afterwards, but this does not mean porridge is automatically included in every order.
2. Read any added-ingredient names as well as the word baeksuk. They can change the broth's character. Ask about the basic ingredients, separate seasonings and whether the restaurant needs advance ordering or preparation time.
3. Use separate plates for meat and bowls for broth. Season individual portions so the shared pot remains suitable for different preferences, and ask how any extra broth or porridge is served.

Taste and texture

About the dish

Dak baeksuk simmers a whole chicken with garlic and serves the cooked meat and broth. Unlike a strongly seasoned chicken stew, it centres on the flavour produced by boiling the chicken. Salt can be added individually, and taking meat from the bones forms part of the meal.

It can be shared from one pot. Check the bird's size and the order unit rather than assuming that one chicken always serves a fixed number of diners.

It is associated with summer's three bok days alongside samgyetang, but the names describe different dishes. Samgyetang is associated with ginseng and glutinous rice; baeksuk centres on simmering the whole chicken. Added ingredients vary, so read the actual menu.

Taste and texture

Warm broth and tender cooked chicken lead the flavour. Different parts of the bird have different grains and textures. Taste meat and broth before adding salt so each diner can season a portion to preference.

You can enjoy broth separately or add some to the portion of meat you have taken. The chicken still has bones, so separate the edible meat and serve manageable pieces when sharing.