A recipe inspired by galbi-jjim (or kalbi-jjim), this Korean Beef Stew is a blend of beef short ribs and chuck, simmered with veggies in a subtly sweet and savory sauce infused with soy sauce, pear, and aromatic flavors. It is a delicious, comforting dish that comes together in less than an hour with the help of an electric pressure cooker.
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Beef: I used a combination of bone-in short ribs and chuck. Bone-in short ribs have a great texture and flavor but can be pricey. A chuck roast usually has good marbling-it's also meatier and cheaper. Boneless beef shank and point-cut brisket are other alternatives.
- Rice wine: I used Shaoxing wine; you may also use another type of rice wine, dry sherry, or red/white wine. Alcohol enhances the flavors of this dish, but if you want to keep it alcohol-free, you can skip it.
- Gochujang: It is a thick, red chili paste made with glutinous rice and fermented soybeans. It has a concentrated flavor with varying levels of spiciness. As a substitute, you may use Sriracha.
- Asian pear: A common ingredient in Korean marinades, it contains enzymes that tenderize the meat and adds natural sweetness. To substitute, you can use apple instead.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Trim off excess fat from the beef 2 pounds bone-in short ribs and 3 pounds chuck. Cut the chuck into large chunks to cook about the same time as short ribs, which typically take longer. Season them with salt and pepper, then lightly coat them with flour.
Step 2: Over medium-high heat, add a bit of oil and sear the meat in batches. Transfer them to a plate.
Step 3: Sauté 1- inch ginger, 1 onion, and 1 garlic head in oil until fragrant and softened for about a minute. Add ½ cup rice wine, ½ cup soy sauce, 1 pear, 2 tablespoons gochujang, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 cups of water (only 1 cup if using a pressure cooker). Mix it up and bring it to a boil.
Step 4: Add the meat back in. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the meat is tender for 2 to 3 hours. Add more water, if necessary.
If using a pressure cooker, cover and switch to the high or stew setting for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Remove the layer of fat that floats on top. Taste to see if more soy sauce or sugar is needed. The level of saltiness will vary depending on the brand of soy sauce you are using.
Step 6: Add 8 to 10 dried shiitake mushrooms that have been soaked in water, 8 ounces carrots, 8 ounces daikon radish, and 3 scallions. Cook for another 20 minutes (10 minutes for the pressure cooker).
Step 7: Add some ground pepper and sesame seeds.
Step 8: Add some cheese just before serving, if desired. Cheese is typically added to Korean dishes to reduce their spiciness. Although this dish isn't spicy, some people like it for its added flavor and texture.
Recipe FAQs
Galbi-jjim (also known as kalbi-jjim) is a Korean dish of braised short ribs usually served on special occasions. Although it is not difficult to make, it requires hours of low and slow cooking, making it worthy of a celebration.
It is prepared by braising beef short ribs with vegetables such as daikon radish, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms in a liquid with soy sauce, pear, and aromatics until they are fall-off-the-bone tender. Some recipes include ginkgo nuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, and jujubes.
The key is to give it enough time through low and slow cooking. Different cuts of meat cook at different times.
Tougher, inexpensive cuts with good marbling and plenty of collagen-rich connective tissue, like chuck meat, are best for stews. They can withstand long periods of cooking without drying out or becoming chewy.
You can use whatever you have available. Both are good, although bone-in short ribs are preferable since the bones add extra flavor.
Explore Filipino braises and stews
- Caldereta: A hearty beef or chicken stew cooked with potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and liver spread in a rich tomato sauce.
- Kare-Kare: A savory peanut stew typically made with oxtail, vegetables, and a thick peanut sauce, served with fermented shrimp paste on the side.
- Asado: A pork or beef braise, similar to Pata Tim, cooked in a sweet and savory sauce infused with star anise.
- Menudo: A stew of diced pork and liver cooked in a tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.
- Picadillo: A dish with ground beef or pork with potatoes, carrots, and sometimes raisins, simmered in a tomato-based sauce.
- Guisantes: A light stew of green peas and pork, cooked in a tomato-based sauce.
- Pork Adobo: Pork braised in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and sugar. Chicken Adobo and Adobong Puti are delicious variations.
Other beef recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Korean Beef Stew
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (see note)
- 3 pounds beef chuck cut into large chunks (see note)
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1- inch ginger minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 head garlic minced
- ½ cup rice wine (see note)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 Asian pear or apple grated (see note)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (see note)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 8 to 10 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked in water) cut in half, if big
- 8 ounces carrot large-diced
- 8 ounces daikon radish large-diced
- 3 scallions cut into 2" lengths
- Sesame seeds (optional)
- Cheese e.g., cheddar, raclette, or gruyere (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim off excess fat from the beef. Season them with salt and pepper, then lightly coat them with flour.
- Over medium-high heat, add a bit of oil and sear the meat in batches. Transfer them to a plate.
- Sauté ginger, onion, and garlic in oil until fragrant and softened for about a minute.
- Add rice wine, soy sauce, pear, gochujang, sugar, and 2 cups of water (only 1 cup if using a pressure cooker). Mix it up and bring it to a boil.
- Add the meat back in. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the meat is tender for 2 to 3 hours. Add more water, if necessary.If using a pressure cooker, cover and switch to the high or stew setting for 30 minutes.
- Remove the layer of fat that floats on top. Taste to see if more soy sauce or sugar is needed. The level of saltiness will vary depending on the brand of soy sauce you are using.
- Add mushrooms, carrots, radish, and scallions. Cook for another 20 minutes (10 minutes for the pressure cooker).
- Add some ground pepper and sesame seeds.
- Add cheese just before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Beef: I used a combination of bone-in short ribs and chuck. Bone-in short ribs have a great texture and flavor but can be pricey. A chuck roast usually has good marbling-it's also meatier and cheaper. Boneless beef shank and point-cut brisket are other alternatives.
- Rice wine: I used Shaoxing wine; you may also use another type of rice wine, dry sherry, or red/white wine. Alcohol enhances the flavors of this dish, but if you want to keep it alcohol-free, you can skip it.
- Gochujang: It is a thick, red chili paste made with glutinous rice and fermented soybeans. It has a concentrated flavor with varying levels of spiciness. As a substitute, you may use Sriracha.
- Asian pear: A common ingredient in Korean marinades, it contains enzymes that tenderize the meat and adds natural sweetness. To substitute, you can use apple instead.
Cara says
Hi, I have a question about the alcohol in this recipe. When you mean rice wine, do you mean it should be sweet like mirin or more like sake?
Nora Reyes says
Hi Cara, I specifically used Shaoxing wine, a type of Chinese cooking wine. You can use sake as an alternative; just note that it has a higher alcohol content. I didn't use mirin because it's much sweeter and has a lower alcohol content. If you decide to use mirin, you may want to reduce the sugar in the recipe. Hope this clarifies your question! Thanks!😊
Gina says
I'm always so busy so I love meals I can just throw in the pressure cooker and it does all the work while i get to do other things. This will definitely be one of my family's weekly staples, they loved it! The beef was so tender and packed full of rich flavor!
Nora Reyes says
Hi Gina, That's amazing! Thank you for trying it out and so glad you liked it!
Norma says
Omg! This looks so delish! And easy! It’s time to put my pressure cooker to test. Haha. Thank you for the recipe and looking forward to making this!
Nora Rey says
Hello!!! Yes to both delish and easy! It's great that you are using your pressure cooker, as it will cut down on cooking time by a whole lot. I hope you enjoy it!
Ria McConnell says
hi, just want you to know a friend of mine sent me a link to your korean beef stew and it was a total hit. wanted to thank you for that, i think it's been more than a year already but i forgot to write a review about it here. i didnt have gojuchang so i just used Sriracha but it went well anyways. I was wondering if this recipe will also taste as good with Pork ?
Nora Rey says
Hello Ria, I appreciate you taking the time to send me a message. I am happy you enjoyed the stew. =) Pork has a milder flavor than beef, but with so much flavor going on in the stew, I imagine it would work just as well. It will also take less time to cook than beef. You can use pork spareribs which are usually fattier and juicier than other pork ribs.
Jomelyn says
Wow, it looks very delicious. I am a fan of Korean foods and beef stew so this will be on my menu this week. I appreciate your easy-to-make and tasty recipes, Nora.
Nora Rey says
Thank YOU, Jomelyn. I hope you like it. =)