Galbi Jjim-Braised Pork Ribs

Written by Joe Wabe.

According to legend, St. Valentine was a Roman priest who defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. In return, the newlyweds cooked a steaming pot of galbi jjim (갈비찜) for St. Valentine, and the dish became a symbol of love around the world – especially in Korea. Although it is hard to verify if this legend is true or not, what remains an absolute truth is Koreans’ love for short ribs or galbi.

Dwaeji galbi jjim (돼지 갈비찜), or braised pork short ribs, is a variation of ribs usually made with beef (galbi jjim, 갈비찜). The meat is simmered at medium heat for about an hour together with a marinade made of soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, minced garlic, among other ingredients. The original way of preparing jjim (찜, a steamed dish) was by using a steamer; however, the technique has changed to boiling the ingredients in a broth and reducing the amount of liquid.

Galbi was traditionally regarded as an upper-class dish because its price was more expensive than other cuts, so galbi jjim could only be enjoyed on special days such as Chuseok. As the living conditions improved in Korea, the dish became more popular and easier to access. Daegu is known as the original home of this dish, and the area of Dongin-dong has a reputation for serving the best galbi jjim in Korea, a reputation that dates back to the 1970s when it was a custom for restaurant owners to serve it together with makgeolli (막걸리, unrefined rice wine).

To celebrate the month associated with St. Valentine, and the international day of love and friendship, let’s put together some lovely braised pork ribs!

Ingredients (Serves 5)

1 1/2 kg. pork meat short ribs (with bones)

2 cups of water

2 medium-sized carrots

Dried jujube (about 6)

4 shiitake mushrooms

1 red apple

1/2 an onion

1/2 cup of soy sauce

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of honey

2 tablespoons of mirin

5 garlic cloves

Black pepper corns

Preparation

Soak the beef ribs in cold water for 30 minutes to remove the blood from the meat. Drain, rinse, and remove the extra fat from the ribs. Make some small cuts on the ribs – this will allow the sauce to penetrate much better. Boil the meat again for 10 minutes and add mirin; skim the scum then rinse one more time. In a blender mix the apple, half onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper corns. Place the meat in a pot and add the sauce with two cups of water. Let it boil on low-medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, and dried jujube, and cook for another 30 minutes. You can add more water if you wish to make the meat more tender, but keep in mind that there should be only a small amount of thick sauce left at the end.

THE AUTHOR

Joe Wabe is a Gwangju expat who has been contributing to GIC and the Gwangju News for more than 10 years with his work in photography and writing.