Galbi Jim – Korean Braised Short Rib Stew

Galbi Jim  갈비찜
Korean Braised Beef Short Rib Stew
with Shiitake, Chestnut, Dried Jujube, Ginkgo Nut, Daikon, and Asian Pear

Inspired by the Chefs and traditional ingredients at last week’s Top Chef Korean Food Challenge in San Diego, Galbi Jim was the first of many Korean dishes I’ve prepared since arriving back home.  It was my pleasure and honor to be invited to the event as one of six food blogger judges. There, I discovered a new love, Hansik (Korean food)!

Shiitake, chestnut, dried jujube (red date), ginkgo nut, and daikon are just some of the exotic ingredients that flavor this intoxicating stew. Beef short ribs are marinated in a mixture of grated Asian pear, with soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and sesame. The meat is braised over low heat with the vegetables and fruit and the sweet/savory broth is reduced into a rich complex sauce…

Galbi Jim Recipe

The Asian pear helps to tenderize the beef and add another layer of delicate sweetness to the sauce.

Marinade

• 1/2 grated Asian pear
• 4 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 t. sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 T. grated ginger
• 1 T. sesame seeds
• 4 t. sesame oil
• ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients.

Marinate about 2 1/2 lbs. thinly sliced short ribs of beef for about an hour.

Vegetable & Fruit for the Stew:

• 6 shiitake mushrooms  (stems removed and quartered)
• 1/2 onion (rough chopped)
• 1/3 daikon radish (peeled and sliced into discs)
• 8 chestnuts (whole peeled and cooked)
• 8 dried jujubes

Combine marinated short ribs plus all the marinade with the vegetables and fruit. Add enough beef stock to come half-way up on the ingredients in the pan. Bring to a boil, add 1/4 c. mirin. Cover and simmer about 1+ hour.

After cooking for about one hour, add cubed potato and sliced carrot. Cook for another half hour until the meat is tender and the potatoes and carrots are cooked through.

Meanwhile, shell ginkgo nuts.

Cook nutmeat in a small pan with vegetable oil for about 4 minutes. Place the nuts on a paper towel. Gently rub the nuts in the paper towel to remove the skins.

Season ginkgo nuts with sea salt.

When the stew is ready, remove the beef and vegetables from the pan, keep warm. Strain the liquid, then skim the fat. (I use a fat separator). Place the defatted liquid in a clean sauce pan and reduce by half, adjust seasoning. Place meat and vegetables in shallow warm bowls, pour sauce over the top. Garnish with ginkgo nuts and sliced scallions.

Galbi Jim is a popular feast dish, often enjoyed on New Year’s Day. We loved the combination of  the red dates, shiitakes, daikon and chestnuts in the stew. The ginkgo nuts added a curious bitter counterpart, semi-crunchy texture and unique yellow-green color. The sauce was simultaneously earthy, sweet and savory. It was an extraordinary dish!

Extending a special thank you to my new friends at the Korea Tourism Organization and  www.buzz-KOREA.com for the immersion into this wonderful cuisine…

Kamsahamnida 감사합니다

Please stop by next week for my complete review of the exciting Top Chef Korean Food Challenge and to see how the Chefs prepared these Korean dishes:

• bibimbap – beef & mixed vegetable rice with fried egg
• tuk bokki – spicy rice cake with vegetables
• galbi jim – braised short rib stew
• dak galbi – spicy stir-fried chicken
• gu jeol pan – royal nine section pan with meat, vegetables, and thin wheat pancakes
• kimchi – fermented cabbage

UPDATE: Top Chef Korean Food Challenge now posted here.