Galbi-jjim is a delightful Korean dish with succulent and tender braised short ribs. The meat is marinated in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and spices, and then slow-cooked until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. This sweet and savory dish is often garnished with vegetables and served as a comforting, hearty meal, or as a special meal for celebrations or gatherings with family and friends. It is also a popular dish for holidays and festive occasions. Galbi-jjim is typically served as a main course, accompanied by steamed rice and an array of banchan. Galbi-jjim can be a comforting and satisfying meal during colder months due to its hearty nature, but this delicious dish is enjoyed year-round. This recipe requires some advance preparation, so plan accordingly.
Recipe and notes by Sanne’s Korean friend Ella @cookiestorykim
Recipe: Galbi-jjim – Braised Beef Short Ribs
Course: DinnerCuisine: Korean4
servingsIn Korea, Galbi-jjim is often served as a special meal for celebrations or gatherings with family and friends. It is also a popular dish for holidays and festive occasions. Galbi-jjim is typically served as a main course, accompanied by steamed rice and an array of banchan.
Ingredients
- Beef + stock
3 lbs 3 beef short ribs cut into bite-size pieces about 2″ x 2″ long
½ ½ onion, cut into big pieces
2 2 green onions
4 cloves 4 garlic
5 cups 5 water
- Marinade/sauce
1 cup 1 soy sauce
1 cup 1 sugar
3 cups 3 beef stock (the water the beef was cooked in)
½ cup ½ ground garlic
1 1 grated onion
1 1 grated Korean pear
- For the final stew
Vegetables, suggestion: 1-2 potatoes, 1 carrot.
Optional: 6 chestnuts (whole and peeled) and 4 jujube (Korean dried dates, peeled and sliced)
1 teaspoon 1 black pepper
⅓ cup ⅓ sesame oil (use a high grade Korean sesame oil if possible).
Pine nuts and silgochu (shredded red pepper) for garnish
Directions
- Soak the beef ribs in cold water for 15 minutes to clean the meat.
- Place beef ribs, onion, green onion and garlic in a big pot.
- Add water. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Take out the meat from the pot. Strain the stock and set it aside in the fridge for the next day.
- In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, ground garlic, ground onion, ground pear, pepper, and sesame oil to a marinade. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, and the mixture forms a savory-sweet sauce. Taste along the way so you get the flavor you like.
- Put the beef rib back into the pot and mix the beef with the marinade. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
- The following day: Cut the vegetables you intend to use into cubes.
- Mix sesame oil and pepper and set aside for later.
- Add 2 ½-3 cups of the beef stock to the pot with the beef ribs. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add carrots and potatoes, and let simmer for another 20 minutes
- Add any optional ingredients (jujube and chestnuts) and simmer for 10 minutes or until the meat is tender, and most of the liquid is gone, so you have a thick, rather sticky sauce.
- Just before serving, mix in the sesame oil/black pepper mix.
- Garnish with pine nuts and silgochu and serve with rice and banchan (Korean side dishes) if you have any.
