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Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)

Tender, delicious and addictive Korean braised short ribs – Galbi Jjim recipe!

Have you heard of Galbi Jjim / Kalbi Jjim / Galbijjim (갈비찜) before? Korea has many braised recipes and galbi jjim is braised short ribs made with (often) beef short ribs.

It is typically served during the festive holidays like Korean lunar new years’ day (seollal) and harvest festival days (chuseok) or at someone’s birthday or at a wedding reception. It is definitely one of the highlight dishes during these times.

Galbi Jjim (Korean braised beef short ribs) | MyKoreanKitchen.com

I would say the best thing about galbi jjim is super tender meat that is coated with sticky, salty, sweet, and nutty sauce. It’s hugely addictive! You can finish a bowl of rice with it in no time!

The only downside is that its traditional cooking method is a little bit labor and time intensive.

Though the ingredients are very available – you may not even need to visit a Korean grocer particularly if you’re not going to add any optional ingredients.

For your information, you can get the right cut of short ribs from your local butcher too. Just show them the below photo and tell them that the size is about 4cm x 6cm (1.6 inch x 2.4 inch). That’s what I often do.

Beef short ribs for Galbi Jjim

Nowadays, to save some cooking time, many Koreans make galbi jjim in a stove top pressure cooker, but I used my dutch oven for this recipe. While it may take 1 hour extra than pressure cooking, the result is outstanding!

Some say that traditional cooking methods result in better tasting and better textured galbi jjim. But, I will let you decide.

Also, in case you ask me, I’ve made braised ribs using pork several times in the past as well. Though it was so long ago that I should revisit my recipe again soon. In that recipe, I used my electric pressure cooker (aka Cuckoo IH rice cooker)

I also know some people make galbi jjim in a slow cooker too. I will share these versions as I test them out properly. Based on my relatively little slow cooking and pressure cooking experience, I would add no water or a lot less water if I’m using them. Anyway, stay tuned!

In the mean time, I hope you enjoy my traditional galbi jjim recipe! It’s my labor of love! ❤️

Update: If you have an instant pot or an electric pressure cooker, be sure to check out my instant pot Korean short rib recipe! This is just as good as the below recipe. Even better, it’s quicker and less work!

Ingredients for Galbi Jjim (Serves 4 to 6)

Main

  • 1.5 kg to 1.8 kg / 3.3 to 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 carrots (275g / 9.7 ounces), cut into medium size pieces
  • (optional) 8 dried jujube
  • (optional)10 ginkgo nuts, peeled
  • (optional) 10 chestnuts, peeled

Sauce 

  • 170g / 6 ounces red apple (or nashi/asian pear), cored & chopped
  • 60g / 2 ounces onion, peeled & chopped
  • 6 Tbsp regular soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 5 whole black peppers

*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml

How to Make Galbi Jim

1. Soak the beef ribs in cold water for 10 to 20 mins. This is to draw out the red liquid (which looks like blood) from the meat. Change the water a few times during this time.

Soak beef short ribs in water

2. Blend the sauce ingredients in a mixer or food processor. Set it aside until needed.

Blending galbi jjim sauce

3. In a large pot, in rolling boiling water, boil the ribs for 6 to 8 minutes over medium high heat. Drain the water and rinse the ribs in cold running water. Cut off any obvious excess fat from the ribs.

Boiling beef short ribs in a large pot

4. Place the ribs in a dutch oven and pour the water in (1 & 1/2 cups). Add 2/3 of the sauce. Boil them over medium heat for about 30 mins, covered. Stir gently and change the position of the ribs. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.

Braising beef short ribs in dutch oven

5. Add the remaining ingredients (carrots, jujube, gingko nuts, chestnuts and the remaining sauce) and continue to simmer it over medium low heat for about 20 mins, covered.

Braising beef short ribs with vegetables

6. By now the ribs should be fully cooked, but they may not be tender. Continue to simmer them over medium low heat until your desired tenderness is achieved. (I normally simmer it for an additional 1 hour, covered.) Depending on how long you simmered it, you may still have a reasonable amount of sauce/liquid left in the pot.

To boil it off, you can heat up the stove to medium high heat and boil it for 10 to 12 minutes, covered. This should thicken the sauce and leaves just the right amount of it at the bottom of the pot. Alternatively, you can continue to boil off the sauce over medium low heat until the sauce nearly disappears. (This can take another 1 hour or so. And this will make the meat off the bone. FYI, many Korean moms would say that the bones shouldn’t fall off as it’s visually less appealing when you serve it.)

Braised beef short ribs

7. Serve galbi jjim hot with steamed rice and other Korean side dishes. To reheat, add 1/3 cup of water in a dutch oven and boil it for 5 to 7 mins over medium high heat, covered.

Kalbi Jjim (Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs) | MyKoreanKitchen.com


Kalbi Jjim (Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs) | MyKoreanKitchen.com

Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)

Super tender Korean braised beef short ribs - galbi jjim recipe!
4.77 from 21 votes
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Main
Cuisine: Korean
Keyword: beef, short ribs
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 1244kcal
Author: Sue | My Korean Kitchen

Ingredients

MAIN

  • 1.5 - 1.8 kg bone-in beef short ribs (3.3 to 4 pounds)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 carrots (275g / 9.7 ounces), cut into medium size pieces
  • 8 dried jujube (optional)
  • 10 ginkgo nuts , peeled (optional)
  • 10 chestnuts , peeled (optional)

SAUCE

  • 1 red apple or nashi/asian pear, (170g / 6 ounces), cored & chopped
  • 1/2 onion (60g / 2 ounces), peeled & chopped
  • 6 Tbsp regular soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 5 whole black peppers

Instructions

  • Soak the beef ribs in cold water for 10 to 20 mins. This is to draw out the red liquid (which looks like blood) from the meat. Change the water a few times during this time.
  • Blend the sauce ingredients in a mixer or food processor. Set it aside until needed.
  • In a large pot, in rolling boiling water, boil the ribs for 6 to 8 minutes over medium high heat. Drain the water and rinse the ribs in cold running water. Cut off any obvious excess fat from the ribs.
  • Place the ribs in a dutch oven and pour the water in (1 & 1/2 cups). Add 2/3 of the sauce. Boil them over medium heat for about 30 mins, covered. Stir gently and change the position of the ribs. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.
  • Add the remaining ingredients (carrots, jujube, gingko nuts, chestnuts and the remaining sauce) and continue to simmer it over medium low heat for about 20 mins, covered.
  • By now the ribs should be fully cooked, but they may not be tender. Continue to simmer them over medium low heat until your desired tenderness is achieved. (I normally simmer it for an additional 1 hour, covered.) Depending on how long you simmered it, you may still have a reasonable amount of sauce/liquid left in the pot.
    To boil it off, you can heat up the stove to medium high heat and boil it for 10 to 12 minutes, covered. This should thicken the sauce and leaves just the right amount of it at the bottom of the pot. Alternatively, you can continue to boil off the sauce over medium low heat until the sauce nearly disappears. (This can take another 1 hour or so. And this will make the meat off the bone. FYI, many Korean moms would say that the bones shouldn’t fall off as it’s visually less appealing when you serve it.)
  • Serve galbi jjim hot with steamed rice and other Korean side dishes. To reheat, add 1/3 cup of water in a dutch oven and boil it for 5 to 7 mins over medium high heat, covered.

Nutrition Info (per serving)

Calories: 1244kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 100g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Cholesterol: 208mg | Sodium: 1672mg | Potassium: 970mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 5120IU | Vitamin C: 14.3mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 5.2mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Tried this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Rate this recipe with a comment below and tag me on Instagram @MyKoreanKitchen.
Filed under: Beef, My Recipes
Tagged with: braised, short ribs

Written by: Sue

Last Updated:

Welcome to my Korean kitchen! I’m so happy that you're here. I am Sue, the creator behind My Korean Kitchen (since 2006). I love good food and simplifying recipes. Here you will find my best and family approved recipes. Thanks for stopping by!

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Jen
September 28, 2023 7:03 pm

First time making this and it was a hit! My 12 year old son rated it no. 1 on all the things I’ve cooked! It will definitely be a repeat recipe. I love the flavours of red date and ginko nuts which I had handy. Don’t skip it if you can

Lifang
June 11, 2023 1:47 am

Sue, I looked at several galbi jjim recipes and yours is the only recipe that calls for the blended pear marinade just like the best Korean cooks I know do. So I knew from the start it would be good, but it turned out so good I’m amazed. It has few ingredients, and the concentrated flavor is better than any that try to substitute these traditional steps with extra and unnecessary stuff. Thank you so much for this, I am not Korean and I am shocked I could make something on my first try that tasted so much like the best restaurants. I look forward to trying your other recipes!

Soon
December 30, 2022 9:11 am

I cooked this dish for the new year’s eve party. Delicious but too sweet and does not have enough salt if I followed the recipe here. I’ll cut down on the honey and sugar and add more soy sauce. Adding three Thai peppers helped.

jill
September 26, 2022 10:47 am

We are a Jewish- Chinese -American family who LOVES Korean food. I made this tonight (instead of traditional braised Brisket) for our Rosh Hashana (The Jewish New Year) dinner, and it is amazing. We served it with Chinese sides of Soy Sauce Chow Mein (instead of traditional Jewish noodle kugel – egg noodles with cottage cheese and raisens) and added some dumplings and Kim Chi. We are obsessed!

Carmen
April 25, 2022 1:39 pm

Made these in my dutch oven! We ran into a couple of (self-inflicted) issues – partner bought regular beef ribs rather than short ribs, and I misread the recipe and made the sauce with two apples rather than one, and we added another 2 cups of water in order to get the ribs covered. We ended up cooking for a lot longer, and eventually removed the meat so that we could reduce the sauce down. End result: stilll absolutely amazing, the flavour from the sauce is excellent- we both absolutely loved it!! For anyone else that isn’t using short rib, any meat that generally benefits from a ‘low and slow’ cook should try this recipe.

Tessa
February 8, 2022 12:36 am

Okay, you have all convinced me to try the recipe! I love the short rib I purchase at my favorite Korean restaurant in Marietta, GA (it is a little far to go to Buford Highway or Gwinnett to eat once a week from Smyrna (25 miles one way). But, I want to make it myself along with the sides (then sit in front of my TV and binge watch dramas.

I’ll let you know how it goes on Sunday, Feb 13, 2022. I’ve loved most of the recipes I’ve tried from your blog, even tried my hand at making rice cakes. The first batch was awful (I tried to tweak things and messed it up, LOL).

Thank you for every recipe posted!

Amitha
December 27, 2021 3:06 pm

good recipe

Sarah Yoon
September 17, 2021 7:41 am

Can I sub the apple for one whole kiwi? Thanks!

mira
May 30, 2021 7:46 pm

I have tried many galbi jjim recipes – this is the taste that I’ve been looking for. Thank you

Debbie
April 23, 2021 1:26 am

Can I use flanken-cut short ribs? Thin and flat as those used for kal bi? That’s what I found in my freezer…any suggestions as to how to adjust the cooking time?

Gilbert
October 28, 2020 4:02 pm

Can i cook this with out the red apple or nashi/asian pear,? Would it taste the same?thanks.

Xinyan Wang
October 7, 2020 12:40 pm

Tried this recipe. Absolutely amazing!

FE Mar
September 24, 2020 3:27 pm

my family loved this dish, thank you! wasn’t able to use gingko, jujube or chestnuts but we didn’t miss them. we love Korean food! what side dish would go well with this? planning to make it again 🙂

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