tonight's midnight meal

galbijjim, soy-braised short ribs that fall off the bone

Name: galbijjim, soy-braised short ribs that fall off the bone
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: about 2 hours
Yield: 3–4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2.5–3 lb (about 1.3 kg) bone-in beef short ribs (galbi), English-cut thick blocks or LA-cut; 1/2 Korean radish (mu) or daikon, peeled and cut into big rounded chunks; 1 carrot, rolling-cut into big chunks; 1/2 onion, cut into wedges; 4–5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft (optional); 8 peeled chestnuts and 4 dried jujubes (optional, for a festive version); the braising sauce: 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 Asian pear (grated), 1/2 onion (grated), 6 cloves garlic (minced), 1 Tbsp minced ginger, 3 Tbsp brown sugar or honey, 2 Tbsp soju or mirin, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 2–3 cups water or beef broth; to finish: a handful of pine nuts and a pinch of chili threads (silgochu); cooked white rice, to serve

⏱ about 2 hours🍽 3–4, fall-off-the-bone at midnight

Ingredients · tap to check

2.5–3 lb (about 1.3 kg) bone-in beef short ribs (galbi), English-cut thick blocks or LA-cut
1/2 Korean radish (mu) or daikon, peeled and cut into big rounded chunks
1 carrot, rolling-cut into big chunks
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
4–5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft (optional)
8 peeled chestnuts and 4 dried jujubes (optional, for a festive version)
the braising sauce: 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 Asian pear (grated), 1/2 onion (grated), 6 cloves garlic (minced), 1 Tbsp minced ginger, 3 Tbsp brown sugar or honey, 2 Tbsp soju or mirin, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2–3 cups water or beef broth
to finish: a handful of pine nuts and a pinch of chili threads (silgochu)
cooked white rice, to serve

The Way

Soak the short ribs in cold water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, changing the water once or twice, to draw out the blood so the braise stays clean and clear. Trim off any thick surface fat.
Blanch them: bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil, add the ribs, and boil hard for 7 to 10 minutes. Drain, then rinse the ribs under cold water, scrubbing off the grey foam. This one step is what keeps the finished sauce glossy instead of muddy.
Cut the radish and carrot into big rounded chunks and round off the sharp edges so they don't crumble in the long braise; cut the onion into wedges. Grate the Asian pear and the other onion half.
Stir the braising sauce together in a bowl: soy sauce, grated pear, grated onion, garlic, ginger, sugar, soju, sesame oil and black pepper.
Add the blanched ribs and the sauce to a heavy pot, pour in the water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low for about 1 hour, turning the ribs now and then, until the meat is starting to give.
Add the radish, carrot, onion (and shiitake, chestnuts and jujubes if using). Cover and simmer another 30 to 40 minutes, until a chopstick slides through the meat and it's nearly falling off the bone.
Uncover and turn the heat up for the last stretch. Spoon the sauce over the ribs again and again as it reduces to a thick, glossy mahogany glaze that clings to every piece.
Plate the ribs and vegetables, shower with pine nuts and a pinch of chili threads, and serve with hot rice, dragging each bite through the glaze.

midnight tip. the grated Asian pear does double duty — its enzymes tenderize the beef as it braises, and it sweetens the sauce clean without extra sugar. no pear? grate a little kiwi or apple, but the pear is the real thing.

Questions

English-cut or LA-cut short ribs?

English-cut (thick, bone-in blocks) give you that dramatic fall-off-the-bone piece and a richer sauce, so go thick if you can find them. LA-cut (thin, cut across the bones) are easier to find and cook much faster — braise them 40 to 50 minutes total instead of the full two hours.

what does the Asian pear do — can I skip it?

it's the secret to galbijjim. the enzymes in the raw pear tenderize the beef while it braises, and it sweetens the sauce naturally so you don't need much sugar. no Asian pear? grate a bit of kiwi or apple, or add a spoon more honey — but pear is the classic.

why blanch the ribs first?

bone-in beef throws off a lot of blood and foam. a 7-to-10-minute boil and a cold rinse pull all of that out, so the braising sauce reduces down clean and glossy instead of cloudy. don't skip it — it's the difference between deep mahogany and muddy brown.

galbijjim, soy-braised short ribs that fall off the bone

Ingredients · tap to check

The Way

Questions

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