''Sagol'' (), or beef leg bone, is an

ingredient In a general sense, an ingredient is a substance which forms part of a mixture. In cooking, recipes specify which ingredients are used to prepare a dish, and the term may also refer to a specific food item in relation to its use in different re ...

in Korean cuisine. Sagol is often boiled to make a

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...

, called ''sagol-yuksu'' (), or beef leg bone broth, for Korean soups such as ''

gomguk ''Gomguk'' (), ''gomtang'' * (), or beef bone soup refers to a soup in Korean cuisine made with various beef parts such as ribs, oxtail, brisket, ox's head or ox bones by slow simmering on a low flame.galbi-tang ''Galbi-tang'' * () or short rib soup is a variety of '' guk'', or Korean soup, made primarily from beef short ribs along with stewing beef, radish, onions, and other ingredients. The short ribs, or ''" galbi"'', also refers to grilled short r ...

'' (short rib soup), ''

tteokguk Tteokguk * () or sliced rice cake soup is a traditional Korean dish eaten during the celebration of the Korean New Year. The dish consists of broth/soup (''guk'') with thinly sliced rice cakes (''tteok''). Eating ''tteokguk'' on New Year's Day ...

'' (sliced rice cake soup), ''

kal-guksu ''Kal-guksu'' * () is a Korean noodle dish consisting of handmade, knife-cut wheat flour noodles served in a large bowl with broth and other ingredients. It is traditionally considered a seasonal food, consumed most often in summer. Its name ...

'' (noodle soup), or ''

gukbap ''Gukbap'' () is a Korean cuisine, Korean dish made by putting cooked rice into hot soup or boiling rice in soup. It is commonly served in a ''ttukbaegi''. Whereas soup and rice is generally eaten separately in Korea, in ''gukbap'', rice is expec ...

'' (soup with rice). ''Sagol'' is rich in the

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...

collagen Collagen () is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix of the connective tissues of many animals. It is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up 25% to 35% of protein content. Amino acids are bound together to form a trip ...

and in minerals such as

calcium Calcium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to it ...

. In traditional Korean culture, it is believed to reinvigorate the body. However, no scientific evidence supports this claim. In the summer, ''sagol-yuksu'' (broth) is served to

pregnant Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...

breastfeeding Breastfeeding, also known as nursing, is the process where breast milk is fed to a child. Infants may suck the milk directly from the breast, or milk may be extracted with a Breast pump, pump and then fed to the infant. The World Health Orga ...

mothers and the sick. In the winter, it is served with rice as a warm and nutritious meal.

Etymology

The anglicized translation of the word Sagol roughly translates to Four Bones. 'Sa' meaning four and 'Gol' meaning bone. Together, they refer to the thigh and shin bones of a cow or bull. The term is primarily used in cooking.

Anatomy

Cattle have eight ''sagol'' bones. ''Sagol'' uses the

thigh In anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip (pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of bone tissu ...

and shin bones from a cow's four legs. ''Sagol'' can be classified by breed (

hanu The Hanwoo (), also Hanu or Korean Native, is a breed of small cattle native to Korea. It was formerly used as a working animal, but is now raised mainly for meat. It is one of four indigenous Korean breeds, the others being the , the and the Je ...

beef cattle Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production (as distinguished from dairy cattle, used for milk (production)). The meat of mature or almost mature cattle is mostly known as beef. In beef production there are three main stages: cow-calf opera ...

dairy cattle Dairy cattle (also called dairy cows) are cattle bred with the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species '' Bos taurus''. Historically, little distinction was ...

, imported, etc.), sex (

cow Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are called co ...

bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...

steer Steer(s) or steering may refer to: Animals * Steer or bullock, castrated male cattle * Ox, a bovine (usually a steer) used as a draft animal People * Steer (surname) * Steers (surname) Places * Steer Creek (West Virginia), a tributary ...

, etc.), or

grade Grade most commonly refers to: * Grading in education, a measurement of a student's performance by educational assessment (e.g. A, pass, etc.) * A designation for students, classes and curricula indicating the number of the year a student has reach ...

. High-grade ''sagol'' from hanu beef with a dense ivory and white bone cross-section is typically preferred. A ''sagol'' consists of one

diaphysis The diaphysis (: diaphyses) is the main or midsection (shaft) of a long bone. It is made up of cortical bone and usually contains bone marrow and adipose tissue (fat). It is a middle tubular part composed of compact bone which surrounds a centr ...

part and two

epiphysis An epiphysis (; : epiphyses) is one of the rounded ends or tips of a long bone that ossify from one or more secondary centers of ossification. Between the epiphysis and diaphysis (the long midsection of the long bone) lies the metaphysis, inc ...

parts. The Epiphysis parts have an outer layer of

compact bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and ...

and an inner layer of

spongy bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and ...

. The diaphysis contains periostea outside and marrow inside.

References

Food ingredients Korean cuisine Beef {{Korea-cuisine-stub

Etymology

Anatomy

See also

References