Galbi Jjim 갈비찜 (Korean Braised Short Ribs)

1. Stage

Soak the mushrooms: In a medium bowl, add the dried mushrooms and hot water. Place a small plate or bowl on the mushrooms to keep them submerged in the water. Soak them until the caps softened, about 30 minutes. Using a knife, trim off the stems (store them for making vegetable stock if you’d like). Keep the small mushrooms whole and halve the larger ones. Set the mushrooms and the soaking liquid aside in separate bowls.

2. Stage

Meanwhile, sear the ribs: Season the meaty sides of the ribs with the salt and black pepper. In a large Dutch oven or a wide heavy-bottomed pot large enough to hold all of the ribs in a single layer, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Place the ribs in a single layer so that they don’t touch or overlap. You may need to work in batches. Sear the ribs, turning them occasionally until all the meaty sides are nicely browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. The first batch of ribs will take longer than the following batches as the pot gets hotter as you go. Transfer the seared ribs into a large bowl.

3. Stage

Make the purée: In a blender, add the pear and purée on low speed until it liquifies into a chunky paste. When using the blender, it helps to have some liquid to get things moving so I start with the juicy pear before adding the other ingredients. Add the garlic, onions, and ginger and purée on medium speed until smooth. Set it aside.

4. Stage

Braise the ribs: When the ribs have all been seared, pour any of the oil remaining in the pot into a small heatproof bowl. Discard the oil when cool. Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the purée. Use a rubber spatula to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the scallions, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and honey. If there’s sediment in the bottom of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into the pot. If not, just add it to the pot.   Return the ribs, and any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, to the pot. Position the ribs so that the bones are facing up and the meat is submerged. It may be a tight fit, but the meat will shrink while it cooks. The liquid in the pot should reach almost the top of the ribs, which won’t be fully covered. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer gently until the meat is fork tender but not falling off the bones, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the scallions and discard it.

5. Stage

Add the vegetables: Add the soaked mushrooms, carrots, and daikon, pushing them down to submerge into the liquid. Cook, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

6. Stage

Serve: Transfer the ribs, vegetables, and some of the braising liquid into a large serving bowl. Garnish with the scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve with rice. You will have some leftover braising liquid. It’s perfect for drizzling over rice or cook more vegetables in them, like potatoes. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!