Galbijjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs)
Local name: 갈비찜
In short: Beef short ribs braised until falling-apart tender in a sweet soy sauce with pear, garlic, radish, carrot and chestnuts, a Korean holiday centerpiece. It takes about 3 h in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 h 30 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 3 h
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Galbijjim is the dish Korean families serve for the lunar new year, the autumn harvest holiday and big birthdays. Beef short ribs are blanched to remove impurities, then braised slowly in a soy sauce sweetened with grated pear until the meat nearly falls off the bone. Radish, carrots and chestnuts go in late, so they stay whole. It reheats beautifully, which makes it a good dish to cook the day before guests arrive.
Instructions
- Soak the ribs in cold water for 1 hour, changing the water once, to draw out blood. Drain.
- Boil the ribs in a large pot of water for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse each piece under cold water, trim off thick pieces of fat and wash the pot.
- Stir all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
- Return the ribs to the pot with the sauce and 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Add the radish and carrots. Simmer, partly covered, for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone.
- Add the chestnuts and simmer for 10 minutes, spooning the sauce over the ribs, until the sauce has reduced by about half and turned glossy.
- Skim off the surface fat with a spoon and rest the pot for 10 minutes. Garnish with the scallions and pine nuts and serve with rice.
Tips
- Cook it a day ahead if you can. Chill overnight, lift off the solid fat from the surface and reheat gently. The flavor deepens as it sits.
- In a pressure cooker, cook the ribs and sauce at high pressure for 30 minutes, then add the vegetables and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce the sauce.
Questions and answers
Can I make galbijjim ahead of time?
Yes, and it is better the next day. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for 3 months, and reheat slowly on the stove with a splash of water.
Can I use pork ribs for galbijjim?
Yes. Use pork spare ribs cut into pieces and shorten the first braise to about 45 minutes, since pork cooks faster than beef short ribs.
What is the difference between galbi and galbijjim?
Galbi is marinated short rib that is grilled quickly. Galbijjim is short rib braised slowly in a sauce with vegetables, so it is soft and saucy rather than charred.
How long does it take to make Galbijjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs)?
About 3 h in total: 30 min of preparation and 2 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Galbijjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs)?
About 490 kcal per serving, with 29 g of protein, 37 g of carbohydrates and 25 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 490 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 29 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 22 g |
| Sodium | 1300 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
