Cast Iron

Delicious Galbijjim!

by:
September 16, 2013
5
1 Ratings
Delicious Galbijjim!
Photo by Sarah D
  • Prep time 40 minutes
  • Cook time 2 hours
  • Serves 6-8
Author Notes

Galbijjim, AKA braised beef short rib stew, is a Korean traditional cuisine eaten during the Korean harvest festival, known as Chuseok. My grandmother didn't make it often when I was young, but now that I have kids, I wanted to try, so my kids would be familiar with Korean cuisine. This recipe is adapted from Crazy Korean Cooking's Galbijjim recipe. I tweaked their recipe by adding Korean pear, it's juice, and less soy sauce and malt (mulyeot). The Korean pear and it's juice add a subtle sweetness and tenderizes the beef so well, the meat will just melt in your mouth! This recipe is made from love because it's full of very traditional Korean flavors that reminds me of my grandmother and this is also something to help my kids become more familiar with Korean culture. Galbijjim is one of our favorite things to eat at home because it's just so delicious! The kids absolutely LOVE it and it's great because it's a one pot meal with protein and vegetables, too! I've also prepared this meal for friends who have just welcomed a newborn! It's easy to pack in a container and just ask the friend to have rice ready. —Sarah D

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 5 pounds beef short ribs
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 16 pieces garlic, minced
  • 1/2 Korean pear, grated and with it's juice
  • 2/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 large potatoes (can be substituted with 1 medium daikon radish)
  • 2-3 large carrots from the Korean grocery store (or 4 carrots from an American grocery store)
  • 6.5 cups cups of water
  • 5 tablespoons malt (mulyeot), or corn syrup
  • 2/3 teaspoon black pepper
  • 9 green onion, minced + more for garnish
  • pine nuts (optional)
Directions
  1. Make slits into the short ribs and soak in cold water for at least 2 hours to draw out the blood.
  2. Place short ribs in a large pot and boil for 30 to 40 minutes.
  3. While boiling the short ribs, prepare the vegetables and Korean pear. Peel, wash and cut the potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes into 1.5" pieces and cut the carrots into 2"x 1" pieces. (Daikon radish can be substituted for potatoes.) Mince the garlic cloves. Dice the green onion. Grate the Korean pear and set aside with the juice.
  4. When short ribs are done boiling, rinse gently in cold water 3 times and drain.
  5. In a clean pot, add 6.5 cups of water, 2/3 cup of soy sauce, and 5 tablespoons of malt (or corn syrup) with the short ribs. Boil with a lid on medium heat for 20 min.
  6. After short ribs have been boiled, add all the vegetables, grated pear and juice, and 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Make sure vegetables and Korean pear are submerged in the liquid, along with the short ribs. Boil with a lid covered for another 30-40 min on medium to low heat, until vegetables are soft, but not mushy.
  7. Serve in a big bowl to serve family style or serve individually on smaller plates over rice. Optional - Garnish with green onions and pine nuts.
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5 Reviews

Rach K.
Rach K. September 23, 2016
I love kalbi jjim! My mom always added chestnuts to kalbi jjim and that was probably my favorite part; I love the how-mom-made-it aspect of comfort food. I usually make it in a slow cooker - the meat ends up being stupidly tender and you can set it up in the morning and come home to a delicious-smelling house.
 
Sarah D.
Sarah D. September 23, 2016
Hello, fellow Korean friend! ^_^ I just recently got an Instant Pot and have been dying to try Galbi jjim in it! Too bad there aren't too many Korean recipes that use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker! I've looked online everywhere and it's always the same things - Korean beef recipes, Korean chicken wing recipes, etc. I already have good recipes for things like that, so I'm hesitant to try them in an Instant Pot. Most likely, it won't taste as good or as authentic as the original. :)
 
Sarah D.
Sarah D. September 23, 2016
And yes, you can also add chestnuts to it too! There are other versions where people put potato, I think? I like daikon radish better though. ^_^
 
savorthis
savorthis September 23, 2013
Yum. I love the sweet Japanese beef stew and this sounds great too.
 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy September 18, 2013
Anything with short ribs is a godsend, and straight to the must-try list it goes.