Galbijjim is one of the most famous Korean dishes to foreigners, and quite common as one of the Chuseok meals as well. I’ve never cooked this meal before, so it wasn’t quite the same as what I expected.:) However, failure teaches success, I know I will do better next time.

“Jjim” means boiled or steamed. So if you just like the Galbi that is cooked on the grill or pan, that isn’t jjim. Making this meal took the longest time in my cooking life (Even longer than Sweet and sour chicken). Yet since I used my magic rice cooker, I didn’t need to fry or stir anything. Thank God. It really made cooking easy.

Ingredients for 5 servings (I only used meat for 2 people for the night, and left the rest of the meat in the fridge for the next meal.)
(Expected preparation time: 2 hours (including waiting time), Cooking time : 35 minutes -with a pressure cooker )

• Pork ribs 1.4 kg (About 13,000 won -US $ 13.70)
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 5 button mushrooms (It is optional, I like mushrooms.)
• 1/2 a bottle of instant marinade sauce from the bottle.
• Plum Extract (Or any kind of soda or pear juice is O.K -If you can afford it, add a crushed kiwi or a crushed slice of pineapple) -2 tbsp :To make the meat softer.
• Refined rice wine (or cooking wine) -2 tbsp :To get rid of the smell
• 1 squashed garlic

Some Koreans use coffee powder to make it darker, so it is up to you.

-Preparation

1. Soak the meat in cold water. Change the water every so often. (Soak for about 1 hour -to get rid of the blood)

2.While it’s soaking, cut the vegetables into big pieces.

3. After 1 hour, drain the water.

4. Make deep cuts on the meat to absorb the seasoning better. Then put it into a bowl. (But I didn’t need to do so, because lady at the supermarket did it for me. Though I didn’t ask for it.)

5. Pour out the instant sauce into the meat bowl. Marinate the meat for minimum 1 hour. (Overnight marinating is better.)

I cooked this meal in three ways. Aren’t I kind!!

-Cooking (in an electric pressure cooker)

1. Put the meat and vegetables into the pressure cooker. (I used about 700g of the meat for 2 people)

2. Set the time for 35 minutes. Then wait.

3. Once it finishes, serve it on the plate.

-Cooking (in a mini oven) : I cooked this on a different day and I used more vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli, yellow capsicum, and tomato. (It was very close to a western style meal.)

1. Put the meat on the oven tray. (I didn’t paste oil on the tray.)

2. Set a time for 20 minutes at 160 ˚C.

3. When it beeps, turn the meat over and add all the vegetables on top.

4. Set the time for 20 minutes.

5. When it beeps, serve it on the plate.

-Cooking (in a pan and oven) : I didn’t have much meat left. I was going to use a pan only, but since the marinade sauce has caramel in it, it started to burn really fast. So I had to use an oven to cook the meat properly. (I only used little amount of onion.)

1. Pre heat the pan.

2. Put the meat on the pan. (Don’t need any oil.)

3. Turn it over when the bottom parts cook.

4. Put the meat in the oven for about 20 minutes (at 160 ˚C).

5. Serve it on the plate.

Amongst these, pork cooked with the pressure cooker was the most tender and tasty.
Pork cooked with the oven was a bit dry and tough, but in general, it was O.K.
Pork cooked with a pan and the oven tastes best amongst all (tastes like BBQ), but again it was a bit tough.

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Steamed Pork Ribs (Dwaeji Galbi Jjim in Korean) – Natural Sauce Version