Korean recipes:

Beef short ribs (galbijjim)

Galbi jjim is one of the most popular Korean dishes. It’s made with beef short ribs and is often prepared for special occasions.

Ingredients:
2 lbs (about 1 kg) of beef short ribs, water, cooking wine, soy sauce, black pepper, brown sugar, garlic, green onion, onion, sesame oil, carrots, radish, shiitake mushrooms, and mulyeot (corn syrup).

  1. Soak 5 shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about 4-6 hours.
  2. Soak short ribs in cold water in a large bowl for at least 30 minutes and change the water a few times.
  3. Boil water in a large pot. Put in the short ribs. Boil for 5-10 minutes.
  4. Take out the ribs from the boiling water and wash them with cold water to remove unnecessary fat or floating bubbles.
  5. Throw away the boiling water and clean the pot.
  6. Place the clean  beef short ribs in the pot.
  7. Prepare a bowl to make seasoned water by mixing  2 cups of water, 4 tbs soy sauce, 8 cloves of minced garlic), ½ sliced onion, 1 tbs rice wine, and 1 tbs brown sugar.

    Add it to the short ribs in the pot.
  8. Boil it over medium heat for 20 minutes.
  9. While it boils, you can prepare the other ingredients:

    • Cut carrot and radish into 5 cm-size cubes and round the edges to make several balls (the size of the balls should be like ping pong balls )
    • Cut the soaked shiitake mushrooms into bite size.
      *tip: You can add several skinned chestnuts and gingko nuts
  10. Open the lid of the pot and add all ingredients (carrot, radish, shiitake mushrooms) to the pot. Let it simmer for about 1 hour over low heat.
    *tip: Stir the ribs and other ingredients with a wooden spoon from time to time. Pour the liquid from the bottom of the pot over top of the meat
  11. Open the lid and check if the meat is cooked fully. Use your chopstick to poke the meat. When it is smoothly going through the meat, the meat is tender enough.
  12. Add 2 tbs of moolyeot (corn syrup), 1 tbs sesame oil, ½ ts black pepper, and heat it up over high heat. Mix it well until liquid evaporates
  13. Transfer galbijjim to a platter before serving.

138 Comments:

  1. sassygirlsujung My profile page joined 7/10
    Posted July 16th, 2010 at 5:16 am | # |

    Hi Maangchi…

    I’m going to teach my friend’s hubby how to cook this one but I want to cook one more dish..What can I cook? What’s the best partner of galbijim?

  2. joyeous lee lee north hollywood My profile page joined 6/10
    Posted July 6th, 2010 at 8:58 pm | # |

    i just want to say i am soo glad that i found your site because everytime i tried looking for recipe for korean food it would direct e to a american site with amercanize korean cooking, i did not like it but your recipe is actually a korean recipe

    thanks maanchi
    p.s how often do u add new recipe

  3. chloegberrya My profile page joined 4/10
    Posted June 1st, 2010 at 12:53 am | # |

    정말 도움 많이 얻고 있습니다 thank you

  4. dcjhyunju9 Busan, South Korea My profile page joined 5/10
    Posted May 15th, 2010 at 8:53 am | # |

    Hi Maagchi,

    I have tried making so many dishes from your website since were in the Philippies and they all turned out good. Now were in Korea, it was a great help since we’re living with my parents-in-law. Well, im just a beginner in cooking, but with your website’s help… my family and friends say i’m a good cook (hihi..) Your english recipes are lot of help especially for foreign nationals. Searching for ingredients is also an adventure. Looking forward to more dishes… Thanks much!

  5. empresslilo28 Los Angeles My profile page joined 2/10
    Posted May 14th, 2010 at 1:46 pm | # |

    can I use potato instead of the radish?

  6. empresslilo28 Los Angeles My profile page joined 2/10
    Posted April 30th, 2010 at 3:01 pm | # |

    do i have to be 21 to purchase the cooking wine? cause i wanna try it but idk if i could purchase it.

  7. luisainfante Singapore My profile page joined 4/10
    Posted April 26th, 2010 at 5:18 am | # |

    Annyong Haseyo!

    I love your recipies & easy to folow videos! Its really helped me improve my cooking skills & expand my personal menu! haha…
    For this recipie, can we use pork ribs instead?

  8. TrickyTree Seoul My profile page joined 4/10
    Posted April 23rd, 2010 at 8:39 am | # |

    Hi Maangchi

    I have been using your site for a year or more now. My wife is Korean Australian and we have come back to Korea for 6 months to get married and so I can build a relationship with her parents. You have helped me out heaps as I have regularly cooked for my wifes parents when they come to visit. I am nowhere near as good as my Mother-in-Law, who is an amazing cook, but it still makes me happy that the parents enjoy my food, (heh heh… your food!!) Although, my Father-in Law thinks it is terrible that I cook and not my wife. He’s always giving her a hard time. Cooking in Australia is a passion for me, so it has been great to come here and learn all these new Korean dishes, with a lot of help from you of course.
    Anyway – my question to you. The one dish I haven’t done yet is Gamjatang. How do I ask for the Pork Spine in Korean so I can get it from the local butchers?

    Once again – thank you

    • TrickyTree Seoul My profile page joined 4/10
      Posted April 23rd, 2010 at 8:41 am | # |

      Sorry Maangchi, wrong question, I mean how do I ask for Beef Short Ribs in Korean because I haven’t done Galbijjim yet!! Oh confusing! And can I use Doegi Galbi for Galbijjim and how do I ask for that?

      Thank you!!

      • Maangchi New York City My profile page joined 8/08
        Posted April 23rd, 2010 at 6:15 pm | # |

        “Although, my Father-in Law thinks it is terrible that I cook and not my wife. He’s always giving her a hard time..” lol, you have lovely father-in-law! He loves you! But cooking is not always for women. : )

        Here are some words in Korean that you asked.
        pork neck bones: doeji mok ppyeo
        Pork spine: doeji deung ppyeo
        pork ribs: doeji galbi

  9. kaychan45 Honolulu My profile page joined 4/10
    Posted April 16th, 2010 at 12:46 pm | # |

    This is my first time on your website and all the recipes look so good!!!! I cant wait to make this for my BF :)

  10. yummytummy Cheyenne, Wyoming My profile page joined 4/10
    Posted April 4th, 2010 at 7:44 pm | # |

    I was starving so I tried this recipe using the boneless beef short ribs I had in the refrigerator. I followed your recipe except I cut the boneless beef into slices across the grain and skipped the pre-boiling. Delicious. I’ll have to go out and buy me some bone-in short ribs too!

  11. altodemanila Manila, Philippines My profile page joined 3/10
    Posted March 25th, 2010 at 1:57 pm | # |

    Dear Maangchi,

    In the Philippines we usually have Galbi jim in a “saucier” or “brothier” version. What do we have to do to achieve this?

  12. jtlaharder My profile page joined 3/10
    Posted March 17th, 2010 at 3:45 pm | # |

    Can I use boneless short ribs?

  13. hwangsnook My profile page joined 2/10
    Posted February 28th, 2010 at 5:48 pm | # |

    Thanks for having a wonderful website of delicious recipes. I’ve tried several galbi recipes and yours was easy and great tasting. I’ve taken several Korean cooking classes in Korea with foreigners and it was so much fun that I’m longing to have one. Most of my foreign friends are back home so I’ll try to connect online w/your website. I’m so glad it’s in English, too… Great job, I’ll spread the news..

  14. crownzeal My profile page joined 2/10
    Posted February 10th, 2010 at 10:59 pm | # |

    Oh wow, your site is so great! I can’t wait to try this recipe out. Thanks!

  15. Amber727 New Jersey My profile page joined 7/09
    Posted February 8th, 2010 at 1:23 am | # |

    Hello,

    Could I make this with only potatoes and carrots or with no veggies? I love veggies, but my boyfriend does not. I want him to try something new. lol I thought this would be a good dish to try.

  16. 부엉이
    Posted January 8th, 2010 at 9:14 am | # |

    와. 한국에 소개되서 방문하는 사람이 많겠어요. 정말 좋네요.
    올해 구정때는 갈비찜 해봐야겠어요!
    행복하게 사세요! 우리 엄마 같아요^^

  17. Kyung
    Posted January 4th, 2010 at 8:14 pm | # |

    Thank you so much for your website! I have been going crazy with cooking Korean all last week and this week. I made galbijjim tonight and it was amazing! I’ll have to send you pics of all that I made so far.

    Not sure if anyone brought this up, but I found that using a microplane grater to be really convenient for shaping the carrots and radish into little spheres. (And you can use the radish gratings to put into memilgooksu! Kinda out of season but still delicious!)

  18. Joyce from Hong Kong
    Posted December 4th, 2009 at 12:42 am | # |

    maangchi!!! i love your website so much!!!!

  19. Nan
    Posted December 1st, 2009 at 10:22 am | # |

    Hey Maangchi,

    If I use beef stew meat instead what should I reduce the cooking time to so that it isn’t hard and overcooked?

  20. elle in california
    Posted November 24th, 2009 at 1:17 am | # |

    i looked at the galbijjim picture and just had to ask my mom if i could make this when i go home this week. can’t wait! i’ve been telling her to experiment more with other dishes instead of making the same food for last several years. =P

    i can’t wait until next year when i move into a kitchen dormitory to make hankukeumshik for dinner. :D

  21. Julie
    Posted October 20th, 2009 at 7:17 pm | # |

    Can you cook the galbijjim in the crockpot?

  22. tata
    Posted October 14th, 2009 at 7:05 am | # |

    Maangchi,few weeks ago i tried Korean curry in a restaurant,i was very delicious.Please,when you get the chance ,show how to make it
    Thank you

  23. tata
    Posted October 13th, 2009 at 5:15 pm | # |

    Maangchi,im cooking beef short ribs now
    cant wait to taste it)

    • Maangchi New York City My profile page joined 8/08
      Posted October 13th, 2009 at 6:49 pm | # |

      Is it too late to say, “My fingers are crossed!”?

      • tata
        Posted October 14th, 2009 at 7:00 am | # |

        OMG ,Maangchi it was realy tasty!!!
        Thank you so much for sharing this recipes with us!!!

  24. port vila
    Posted October 12th, 2009 at 7:36 pm | # |

    I just joined your helpful site. I made the japchae yesterday and my friends loved it. I can’t wait to cook this short ribs tomorrow! thx!!

    • Maangchi New York City My profile page joined 8/08
      Posted October 12th, 2009 at 7:39 pm | # |

      Wow you already made japchae and it turned out great! I’m sure your galbijjim will be delicious, too! Let me know how it goes.

  25. pw
    Posted October 12th, 2009 at 1:26 am | # |

    i really want to try this recipe but only have boneless short ribs in my fridge. can this recipe be used for boneless short ribs? and would the recipe need to be adapted in any way? thanks!

  26. Tina
    Posted October 12th, 2009 at 12:36 am | # |

    Thank you for your helpful videos! I have had great success with your recipes.

  27. Marine
    Posted September 20th, 2009 at 11:45 am | # |

    hi, Maangchi
    I am Armenian (not sure if you heard ) – Armenia is one of former Soviet republics.
    I am addicted to Korean B-B-Q and make them at home. I even bought stove top grill. I found your recipes very useful. I love cooking & experimenting in the kitchen.
    About this recipe – can we use canned water chestnuts and if answer is yes at what stage we can add them to the meat – since chestnuts alrady cooked .

    thank you. Marine

  28. yean
    Posted September 18th, 2009 at 8:23 pm | # |

    여기도 2주뒤면 추석이예요
    갈비찜 맛나보여요..
    한복을 결혼식 이후론 안입었는데..
    갈비찜 시식에서 한복을 보니 새삼 이쁘네요..
    즐거운 하루 보내세요..
    제가 영어를 잘못해서.. 한글로 인사남겨요..

    • Maangchi New York City My profile page joined 8/08
      Posted September 18th, 2009 at 10:53 pm | # |

      I’m translating what you are saying for my other readers because I think your comment will make other people feel good!

      “2 weeks later, we will have Chuseok holiday here
      The galbijjim looks delicious…
      I have never worn my hanbok (korean traditional costume) since my wedding day…
      Your hanbok looks pretty when you eat the galbijjim..
      Have a nice day..
      As my English is poor…I am leaving my comment in Korean”

      Thank you very much! Happy Chuseok!

      • Jeannie Chang
        Posted September 24th, 2009 at 11:41 pm | # |

        Hi Ms. Maangchi (I don’t know your real name and I am not good in typing Korean).
        I became your fan; you are such a good cook and explained in detail (very easy to follow) and your ingredients are easy to find. Also your cooking is fun to watch as well.
        I like to try everything you showed on internet.
        I always worried when it’s time to cook meals, but now no more worries, because I can depend on you.
        Thank you very much.
        Jeannie

  29. Linda
    Posted September 15th, 2009 at 1:05 pm | # |

    i tried this last night and it came out very well.

    i love your website!!

  30. Julia
    Posted September 15th, 2009 at 10:50 am | # |

    An yong ha se yo maangchi!

    I love your recipes.
    By the way, I was finding for a korean dish for years and I still haven’t got a clue. I’ve eaten a korean dish in korea few years ago, and they used pork and cabbage. It’s sort of like a korean bbq, but it’s not spicy. The waitress kept adding cabbages when i was eating. And it tasted awesome.
    Do you happen to know what dish is that?

    Thank you!!!

    • Karyn
      Posted September 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm | # |

      Hi Julia,

      I’m just another reader, but what you had sounds like sam gyup sar. It’s pork belly meat that’s usually grilled unmarinated (although various marinated versions are also available). It is accompanied by a dipping sauce composed of sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. They usually throw kimchi on the grill along with the pork belly and eat it together. Does this sound about right? Hope this is helpful.

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