Galbijjim is what I cook for the most special guests as it was literally King’s food back in the days. It’s made with one of the most premium beef cuts with an irresistible sauce although it can be made with other cuts of beef.
Galibi jjim was traditionally enjoyed on big holidays like Jeongwal Daeboreum (“Full Moon in January,” January 15 in lunar calendar, one of the 4 major Korean traditional holidays) and New Year’s Day. Today it is enjoyed at home for special occasions and parties although it can be part of a regular dinner menu.
The sauce is similar to Korean marinade for bulgogi or galbi but a deep umami bomb is added from dried shiitake mushrooms and beef bones. The unique sweetness from the dried dates is another delicious addition although you can make it without them. All the vegetables taste so good too!
Galbijjim is best served with a bowl of rice and kimchi.
If you master galbijjim, you have officially adulted. So I hope you try it!
Galbijjim
Equipment
MOOSSE Gamasot 8.7 inches (optional) or dutch oven. You can use a regular pot but this tenderizes the meat more and faster. The size of the pot is very important. If it's too wide, the meat won't be submerged in the sauce for enough time. If it's too narrow, only a few meats will be submerged in the sauce.
Buy Galbijjim ingredients here.
Ingredients
- 3 LB Beef Short Ribs (thick cut) 2.5-3 LB of Bone in ribs are the best but it works with any cut of beef
For Broth (to be removed later)
- 115 g Korean Radish cut in big chunk, optional, or use daikon
- ½ Medium Onion halved
- 1 root Green Onion halved
- 4 Garlic Clove sliced or halved
- 5 g Ginger minced, optional
- 1 Dried Chili Pepper optional but really good with it. If you add more than one, it may be really spicy
- 2 Peppercorn optional, use this only if you are using a mesh bag because you want to remove it later.
For Seasoning Sauce
- 4 cups Water
- 6 TBS Soy Sauce
- 3 TBS Sugar
- 5 TBS Rice Wine or white wine
- Pinch Black Pepper
Vegetables
- 4 Dried Dates optional, but adds really delicious flavor. Soak in water before using. You can deseed it if you like. If you don't, warn people about it.
- 4 Dried Shiitake Mushroom optional, but adds really delicious flavor. Soak until soft before using. You can use fresh ones but dried ones have richer umami flavors
- 230 g Potato about 1 med size
- 110 g Carrot
- 115 g Korean Radish optional, or use daikon
- 4 Garlic Clove Minced
- 2 root Green Onion cut into 1.5" length
Finishing touch
- 1 TBS Mulyeot (Korean Malt Syrup) optional
- 1 root Green Onion chopped for garnish
- pinch Sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms and dates in water for at least 2 hours. Wash under running water thoroughly by rubbing with hands. Remove stems from mushroom (scissors work well).
- Make 2-3 slits (about halfway the thickness) on the ribs if they are big ones. Soak for 1 hour to draw out blood. (Soaking is optional)
- Place short ribs in a pot and add enough water so that meat is submerged. Once it comes to boil, boil for 5 minutes.
- Thoroughly rinse the ribs in under running cold water by rubbing with hands. Be careful not to burn hand because the ribs are very hot initially.
- Place the ribs in a clean pot. Add all sauce ingredients. Add broth ingredients in a mesh bag if you have one. If you don't have a mesh bag, just remove the broth ingredients after first boil.
- Boil on low heat (level 2-3 out of 10) for 40 min with LID CLOSED.
- Prepare veggies during this time.
- Remove broth ingredients except minced ginger.
- Add dates and mushrooms and boil oil 30 min on medium heat (6 out of 10) UNCOVERED or until liquid reduces to half. Skim off oil on surface periodically. (If you are using fresh mushrooms, don’t add here, add it with rest of the veggies in the next step.)
- Add the rest of the vegetables and boil on medium heat (4 out of 10) for another 30 min UNCOVERED or until only little bit of liquid is left. Check the bottom periodically so it doesn’t burn.
- Add mulyeot for a nice shine and boil for another 2 min.
- Garnish with chopped green onions. Sprinkle sesame seeds if you like.
Notes
If you are using a whole dried dates, make sure you warn people that there is a seed inside. You can always deseed it after soaking in the water but I leave it as a whole because it looks better.
The size of the pot is very important. If it's too wide, the meat won't be submerged in the sauce for enough time. If it's too narrow, only a few meats will be submerged in the sauce.
Bone in thick cut beef short ribs are the best for this. You can find this in Korean or Asian market. However, you can use boneless rib meats or other cuts. Of course the premium cut it is the better it will taste.
You can omit the broth ingredients and just use sauce ingredients and it will still taste ok.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
