Galbi Jjim 갈비찜 (Braised Beef Ribs)
By Sarah Ahn & Nam Soon AhnPublished on March 28, 2025
Time
2½ hours, plus 2½ hours soaking and marinating
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Ribs
1 tablespoon sugar 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) beef back ribs, membrane removed, ribs separated1 ounce (28 grams) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped, divided1 tablespoon black peppercornsMarinade
1⅔ cups fresh Asian pear juice ½ cup fresh Fuji apple juice ½ cup fresh onion juice½ cup pineapple juice 5 tablespoons soy sauce ¼ cup corn syrup 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons mirin 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 teaspoons black pepper 3 green onions (45 grams), chopped fineBefore You Begin
The best ribs to buy for this recipe are 5 to 7 inches long and have ½ to 1 inch of meat on them. We strongly prefer back ribs because they’re tasty and more affordable than short ribs (which are often used). You must submerge the meat in water for 30 minutes to get rid of the myoglobin, and the meat must be scrubbed and rinsed after boiling it in step 2 to avoid an off-aroma in the finished dish. To get the right size carrot pieces for this dish, look for jumbo carrots that are at least 1½ inches in diameter at the stem end. We like to trim around the edges of the carrots and Korean radish for this particular dish, a common practice in Korean cooking. This creates a smooth surface and nicer appearance when the vegetables are cooked tender. See “Trimming Vegetable Edges for Korean Stews“ for instructions on how to do it.
Instructions
- Dissolve the sugar in 3 quarts cold water in a large stockpot. Add the ribs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the ribs to a bowl and discard the water; clean the pot. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in the pot. Add the ribs, half the ginger, and the peppercorns; return to a boil; and blanch for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the ribs to a colander and discard the water; clean the pot thoroughly. Under cold running water, rinse each rib thoroughly, removing any coagulated particles at the end of each rib (we like to use a designated toothbrush to scrub them off). After all the ribs have been rinsed, give each rib another quick rinse.
- Whisk all ingredients together in large bowl. Measure out and reserve 1½ cups marinade. Add ribs to remaining marinade and toss to coat, then arrange ribs meat side down. Cover and refrigerate ribs (and reserved marinade) for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Add reserved marinade, carrots, and radish to electric pressure cooker. Lock lid in place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 7 minutes. Turn off pressure cooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Using slotted spoon, transfer carrots and radish to bowl and set aside.
- Add ribs, meat side down, and their marinade to pressure cooker. Add jujubes, bay leaves, and remaining ginger. Make sure bay leaves are submerged in marinade. Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off pressure cooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid.
- Turn on highest sauté or browning function, cover pot without locking lid, and cook for 15 minutes, flipping ribs halfway through cooking using tongs. Stir in carrots and radish and any accumulated juices (try to submerge them in sauce) and cook until vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes. Turn off pressure cooker and add green onions. Transfer ribs, vegetables, and sauce to serving dish. Serve.
for the ribs
for the marinade
Time
2½ hours, plus 2½ hours soaking and marinatingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Ribs
Marinade
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Ribs
Marinade
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Ribs
Marinade
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We love to use the Instant Pot to make these tender braised beef back ribs so that you don’t have to constantly check on the meat and can step away from the cooking to do other things. We created a flavorful marinade using three different fruit juices plus other bold ingredients. All that fruit juice tenderizes the meat instantly when pressure-cooked. Jujubes add subtle but distinctive sweetness. We added them whole, but you can pit them if you prefer.
Before You Begin
The best ribs to buy for this recipe are 5 to 7 inches long and have ½ to 1 inch of meat on them. We strongly prefer back ribs because they’re tasty and more affordable than short ribs (which are often used). You must submerge the meat in water for 30 minutes to get rid of the myoglobin, and the meat must be scrubbed and rinsed after boiling it in step 2 to avoid an off-aroma in the finished dish. To get the right size carrot pieces for this dish, look for jumbo carrots that are at least 1½ inches in diameter at the stem end. We like to trim around the edges of the carrots and Korean radish for this particular dish, a common practice in Korean cooking. This creates a smooth surface and nicer appearance when the vegetables are cooked tender. See “Trimming Vegetable Edges for Korean Stews“ for instructions on how to do it.
Instructions
- Dissolve the sugar in 3 quarts cold water in a large stockpot. Add the ribs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the ribs to a bowl and discard the water; clean the pot. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in the pot. Add the ribs, half the ginger, and the peppercorns; return to a boil; and blanch for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the ribs to a colander and discard the water; clean the pot thoroughly. Under cold running water, rinse each rib thoroughly, removing any coagulated particles at the end of each rib (we like to use a designated toothbrush to scrub them off). After all the ribs have been rinsed, give each rib another quick rinse.
- Whisk all ingredients together in large bowl. Measure out and reserve 1½ cups marinade. Add ribs to remaining marinade and toss to coat, then arrange ribs meat side down. Cover and refrigerate ribs (and reserved marinade) for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Add reserved marinade, carrots, and radish to electric pressure cooker. Lock lid in place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 7 minutes. Turn off pressure cooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Using slotted spoon, transfer carrots and radish to bowl and set aside.
- Add ribs, meat side down, and their marinade to pressure cooker. Add jujubes, bay leaves, and remaining ginger. Make sure bay leaves are submerged in marinade. Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off pressure cooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid.
- Turn on highest sauté or browning function, cover pot without locking lid, and cook for 15 minutes, flipping ribs halfway through cooking using tongs. Stir in carrots and radish and any accumulated juices (try to submerge them in sauce) and cook until vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes. Turn off pressure cooker and add green onions. Transfer ribs, vegetables, and sauce to serving dish. Serve.
for the ribs
for the marinade
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