Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs - Galbi Jjim

Galbi Jjim or Kalbi Jjim is a Korean style braised short ribs that takes a long time to make. But when you use the Instant Pot, it takes half the time and the meat becomes fall-off-the bone tender. It's a perfect family meal that everyone will enjoy!

What Is Galbi Jjim?

Galbi Jjim is a Korean grilled ribs recipe. It's also called Kalbi and is just as popular as kimchi. This Korean style short ribs usually takes a very long time to make.

Are Korean Braised Short Ribs Common In Korea?

This is a funny question that I had to answer before giving you the recipe. You see, it's a really popular Korean dish in America, but not everyone in Korea can afford to eat it.

Beef is really expensive in Korea so only the "rich" can afford to eat meat. Most of us "common" folks eat 'meat of the earth', fermented soybean paste, Doenjang, as if it's the best food on the planet. And it is 'the best food on the planet' in many ways but let's face it; it's not meat.

It wasn't until I came to the U.S. when I started eating Kalbi; maybe once a month. If at that.

The Perfect Korean BBQ Recipe

Anyway, when I eat Kalbi, it's usually in the summer when outdoor grilling is easy. The smokey and savory aroma of grilling kalbi wafting through the neighborhood always makes my neighbors wonder why their steaks don't smell the same.

But when the weather gets colder, we take the same flavors "inside" because we need to nourish our bodies with good fats and protein. And I thank my Korean ancestors for coming up with this way to enjoy short ribs in the winter....even if I had to wait until I came to America to enjoy it. Oh the irony.

Are Braised Korean Short Ribs The Same As Galbi Jjim?

I see a lot of recipes with titles that say "Braised Korean Short Ribs" and it's misleading because technically, it's not 'braised' since you don't brown the meat before cooking. It's simply simmered (definition of 'jjim') for hours to break down the protein to tenderize the meat and to lock in all the flavors until they are happy together.

It's kinda how I make my fighting children make peace. Keep them in the same room until they work out their differences. It makes me a monster mom but it works. It's the same with Kalbijjim....being in the same pot for hours, the meat and spices have no choice but to get along REALLY well together.

Speed Up Galbi Jjim Cooking Time With An Instant Pot

The downside of making Kalbijjim is the HOURS it takes to simmer on the stovetop. You can't leave the house and you go bonkers smelling the deliciousness for hours while your stomach growls.

Enter the pressure cooker.

Now I use a pressure cooker to simmer for less than an hour. And of course, making it in the Instant Pot is even better since it's stainless steel and unlike my old stovetop pressure cooker, I don't have to babysit it. It is a game changer.

The beauty of making this dish in the Instant Pot is that you can use frozen meat! How great is that? Did I say it's a game changer?

Which Type of Ribs Are Best To Use In the Instant Pot?

One note on the meat. You can use this sauce for any type of meat but make sure it has some fat on it. If it's too lean, the meat gets too dry and chewy even in the pressure cooker.

That's why short ribs work really well for this recipe. Some people cut out the bony part of Prime Rib and save them to make this. I think it's brilliant!

Stove Top Method

If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can simmer for at least 1-2 hours in a heavy bottom pot, like Le Creuset or Staub.

You will have to baby the pot on the stove and watch to make sure it' doesn't overflow or burn. And it'll cook in twice the time as the electric pressure cooker. But, if you don't, that's ok. I still like you so I provided the instructions below in the recipe card.

Slow Cooker

I used to LOVE my slow cooker because I'd throw in all the ingredients and go to work. Then, I'd come home to house filled smell of galbi simmering. So I get the convenience of a crockpot but honestly, it took some planning. Again, I get why people love their crockpots so I provided the instructions below in the recipe card for y'all crockpot loving cooks.

Ok, enough of storytelling and here is the recipe using different methods.

Related recipes

• Kimchi Pork Fried Rice
• Blender Marinade for Korean Kalbi BBQ
• Korean Beef BBQ Bulgogi
• Authentic Kimchi Recipe

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Kalbijjim or Galibijjim - Simmered Korean Short Ribs

Galbijjim is a Korean style braised short ribs that your family will enjoy. Cooking in the pressure cooker make the meat fall of the bone tender but also, it'll take half the time as on the stove top. But check the various methods you can use if you don't have the Instant Pot.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Course : Entree

Cuisine : Korean

Keyword : Beef

Servings: 8

Calories: 770kcal

Author: Dr. Karen Lee

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker
• Mealthy Multipot
• Le Creuset
• Staub
• Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 4-5 lbs Grassfed Short Ribs

Sauce

• 1 c Bone Broth preferably homemade or water
• 1 large onion roughly sliced
• 8 cloves of garlic smashed
• 1 large Apple cored and quartered
• ½ c White Wine or Rice Wine
• 1 tablespoon Molasses
• ¼ c Soy Sauce or Tamari Coconut Aminos if Paleo or regular soy sauce if you don't have gluten issues
• 1 inch Ginger skinned and roughly chopped

Vegetables to Add

• 4 Carrots roughly sliced into chunks
• 1 c Radish or daikon in approx 2"x2"x2" cubes or chunks
• 1 c Raw peeled chestnuts optional
• 1 c Scallions cut in 1" length
• 1 tablespoon Sesame oil

To garnish

• 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep the meat

• Slice the meat in between the bones as pictured.
• In a large pot, place the ribs pieces and cover with cold water and let them soak for an hour or so. This is to clean any bloody residue or other foreign pieces from the bones.
• Drain the water and fill the pot with water and rinse the meat pieces until the water is clean. Fill the pot with enough water to immerse all the short ribs.
• Turn on the stove top to High heat. Place the pot on the stove and cook until the water boils.
• Discard the water with all the brown scum.

Sauce

• Blend all the ingredients listed under 'Sauce' until smooth in a blender or a food processor and set aside.

Electric Pressure Cooker Method

• Add the meat and the sauce to the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
• Make sure the silicone ring is in placed properly and the pressure release valve is closed.
• Close the lid tightly.
• Choose Beef/Stew setting and increase the time to 40 minutes.
• When the timer stops, use Quick Release (QR) and open the vent.
• When the venting stops, open the lid carefully.
• Add the vegetables and sesame oil.
• Close the lid tightly, make sure the release valve is CLOSED.
• Click on MANUAL and timer for 15 minutes.
• When the timer goes off, use Natural Pressure Release (NPR).
• When it stops, open the lid, and plate the ribs with sesame seeds and finely chopped scallions as garnish.
• Serve immediately with rice.

Stove Top Pressure Cooker Method

• Prep the meat and make the sauce as per directions above.
• Put the meat and sauce in the pressure cooker and put it on the stove top on HIGH heat until the pressure release valve starts to move. It should take about 10-15 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium heat.
• Cook for about 15 minutes.
• Release the pressure valve and open the vent.
• Open the pot when the pressure is completely released.
• Add the vegetables.
• Close the lid and put the pressure cooker back on the stovetop on HIGH for 10 minutes after the vent valve starts to move.
• Turn off the heat until the pressure is released naturally.
• Plate the meat and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
• Serve immediately with rice.

Stove Top Method

• In a heavy bottom pot - heavy bottom stainless steel pot, enamel coated dutch oven or cast iron pot - place half of the vegetables in the bottom of the pot and meat on top.
• Add the rest of the vegetables, the meat, and the remaining sauce on top. 
• Close the lid tightly and place the pot on the stove on high heat. Bring to boil 
• When the liquid boils, lower the temperature and simmer for an hour. 
• Check for doneness after simmering for an hour. Turn the meat and vegetables over and mix them gently. If the meat is still tough, simmer for another 30 minutes. The meat should fall apart. 
• Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds before serving. 

Slow Cooker Method

• Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and mix. 
• Cook for 6 -7 hours on HIGH or 8-9 hours on LOW.   
• When the meat falls off the bones, plate the ribs, garnish with sesame seeds and scallions before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 770kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5240IU | Vitamin C: 16.7mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3.7mg

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What do you do with short rib bones?

After you've cleaned out the meat, save the bones to make bone broth! I freeze them until there are enough bones to add to the joint bones to make broth. No wasting food around my kitchen!