Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe & Video - Seonkyoung Longest (2024)

FAQs

Can you cook braised short ribs too long? ›

When it comes to cooking these chunks of beef, there is a right way and a wrong way. If they aren't braised long enough, they can be super tough to eat; if they are cooked too long, the meat will just fall apart.

When the rib bone is cut into a 3-to-6-inch (7.6 to 15.2 cm) length, left as a section of meat (a "plate") containing three or four ribs or cut into individual ribs with meat attached, the short rib is known as an "English cut". They may also be known as barbecue ribs, braising ribs, or fancy cut ribs.

Choosing the right cut of short rib:

First of all, pick the correct cut, English cut. Flanken or Korean style will not be good for this recipe. Look for well-marbled, bone-in short ribs with a good amount of meat versus fat. This marbling adds flavor and keeps the meat moist during the cooking process.

Many non-Korean friends ask what are the difference between Kalbi and Galbi. NO DIFFERENCE! Galbi and Kalbi is the English Alphaphabet phonetic spelling difference of the Korean word 갈비.

Short ribs are commonly cut into 2x3-inch rectangles, giving you a cross-section view of the layers of fat, meat, and flat rib bones. You can also purchase boneless short ribs. Either way, short ribs require long, slow cooking for tender results because they start out so tough.

Yes, you can undercook and overcook a braise.

Short ribs that are cooked completely submerged in liquid will come out with a thin, watery sauce, while those cooked in just a thin layer of liquid—enough to provide a moist environment under your Dutch oven's lid—will produce a rich, flavorful sauce.

The Classic Braise: Beef Short Ribs

You don't have to sear the meat if you don't have time, but it really does make the dish better, setting the protein in the meat (so that no foam or gunk will come out of the meat) and adding flavor.

Immediately after adding oil, add the beef ribs. Place them face down on the meat side (not the bone side). Make sure they are not on top of each other and they are fully touching the bottom of the pan.

What is the best way to tenderize beef short ribs? ›

Braising is an ancient means of cooking tough cuts of meat to tenderize them, and is also quite simple. Start with meat, and brown it well. Browning gives the whole braise flavor, especially the meat itself. Those Maillard-browning byproducts are what make everything taste meaty, so don't skimp on the browning stage.

Butchers cut beef short ribs in two dominant fillets: flanken and English. We also know flanken short ribs as crosscut ribs, kosher ribs, and Korean-style ribs. Chefs may refer to English cut short ribs as braising ribs, barbeque ribs, or fancy cut ribs because of the dense slab of meat perched atop their bones.

You can serve with just rice, or go all out restaurant-style and serve with red lettuce leaves for wrapping, spicy bean paste, slices of garlic cloves, sliced up scallions and kimchi.

As galbijjim is usually made from only the center part of ribs from a calf while the rib ends used to make soup stock, galbi was more expensive than other cuts of beef in South Korea, and has been regarded as a high-class dish.

Galbi means “ribs” in Korean, and is a popular Korean dish served in many places. LA galbi is a style of galbi – barbecued beef short ribs – cut thinly (about ¼ inch thick) across the bones.

Don't Overcook the Beef.

Believe it or not, it is possible to braise short ribs for too long. While you want the short ribs to be fall-apart tender, cooking them too long will result in ribs that are mushy. There's a fine line, but it is there.

Cooking low and slow breaks down the tough meat so it's tender and delicious. Check on it occasionally. The liquid level needs to remain the same, so add more if necessary. It will take about 1 1/2 to 3 hours to become fork-tender.

One thing is certain about ribs and pork: If you overcook them, they do become dry and tough. There is something very important to learn with the “low and slow” cooking method employed here. Food is ready when it's ready. Not to be evasive, but for the most part, you cannot judge simply by cooking time.

Braise in the oven until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Rest the meat. When the meat is done, rest in a covered pan for 20 minutes before serving. Serve by gently tugging the chunks of meat away from the bone and spooning the saucy onions over top.