Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs (Galbi-Jjim)

Learn how to make the most delicious Galbi-jjim, the Korean braised beef short ribs with this recipe. This will become your family favorite dish.

Galbi-jjim is a succulent Korean braised beef short rib dish. The tender meat is falling off the bone and the luscious soy sauce based gravy is just wonderful to drizzle over the rice. The vegetables are very soft and flavorful, even those who doesn’t care for vegetables will enjoy them.

I posted a Galbi-jjim recipe many years ago, and I upgraded it to another level with a secret ingredient. This new version of Korean braised beef beef short ribs recipe is simpler to prepare and it will surely be the best you ever tried.

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What’s in the Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs (Galbi-Jjim)?

• Korean style beef short ribs for stews
• carrot
• Korean radish
• Dried Shiitake mushroom
• Korean pear (or crisp Bosc pear)
• Kiwi
• Soy sauce
• Garlic
• Onion
• Ginger puree
• Sweet rice wine
• Sesame oil

Korean Beef Short Ribs

Beef short ribs, of course. Look for the thick and well marbled Korean style short ribs in large chunks. They are somewhat more costly than other type of beef ribs, but worth the investment.

Vegetables and Fruits

Carrot and Korean radish, is typical vegetable and widely used in Galbi-jjim. You will also need Korean pear and kiwi. Korean pear has golden brown hue with a big round shape. It has texture and super juicy and sweet. If you can’t find a Korean pear, substitute with a whole crisp bosc pear (peeled and seeded)

Korean Radish

Korean radishes are easily found in Korean markets and they taste the best in the winter season. They are rounder and heavier than daikon radish. If you can’t find them, substitute with daikon radish.

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

I recommend to use dried mushrooms than the fresh mushroom. The flavor of a dried mushroom is slightly more concentrated than the fresh kind. It’s what makes them spectacular for adding depth to braised dishes which requires long simmering.

What makes this recipe stands out?

Surprisingly, it is in the stock. I simmered a large piece of dried sea kelp in water for 5 minutes, and use the stock as a liquid for this dish instead of water. You won’t taste anything sea-like aroma or flavor, but the sea kelp stock adds a layer of flavor to Galbi-jjim.

Cooking Tips

Parboil your ribs for about 10 minutes in boiling water. It will help get rid of any impurities and tiny particles from the bones. Parboiling will also remove some extra fat.

Puree the sauce ingredients; onion, pear, kiwi, garlic, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, rice wine, with a little bit of sea kelp stock. It’s easy and quick to prepare.

This is an optional step but recommended. Round the cut edges and corners of carrot and radish pieces with a small paring knife to smooth out. When vegetables are simmered and braised for a period of time, those edges and corners breaks off easily. Rounding will prevent that and help the sauce to be cleaner.

Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs (Galbi-Jjim)

Holly Ford

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Korean

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 3-1/2 to 4 lbs beef short ribs (Korean style preferred)
• 1 large piece dried sea kelp
• 4 cups water
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 Korean pear, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1/2 kiwi, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3-4 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirin), optional
• 2-1/2 cups sea kelp stock, divided
• 1 tsp ginger puree
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ginger puree
• 1 tsp pepper
• 8 dried shiitake mushroom
• 2 large carrot, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 3/4 lb Korean radish, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp chopped pine nuts or walnuts to garnish, optional

Instructions

 

• Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the short ribs and parboil for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with hot water. Set aside.
• Put a large piece of sea kelp into the 4 cups of water in a sauce pan; bring it to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the sea kelp and reserve 2-1/2 cups of sea kelp stock; set aside.
• Put onion, pear, kiwi, garlic, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, and rice wine in a blender. Pour 1/2 cup of sea kelp stock and puree until smooth.
• In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, put the ribs and pour the vegetable fruit puree over. Add the remaining 2 cups of sea kelp stock, ginger puree, sesame oil, and pepper; mix well. Bring it to boil over high heat, covered. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, soak shiitake mushroom in water for 30-40 minutes. Gently squeeze out excess water.
• Optional: using a small paring knife, round the cut edges and corners of carrot and radish pieces to smooth out.
• Add the mushrooms and vegetables into the pot; stir and continue to simmer for another 30-40 minutes, covered. Open the lid slightly in the last 10 minutes of simmering. When the vegetables are fork tender, remove from the heat and skim the extra fat on top, if needed.
• Let the Galbi-jjim rest in a pot for 10 minutes. Transfer it to a large serving dish and sprinkle with chopped pine nuts or walnut as a garnish. Serve warm with rice.

Video

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