Galbi Jjim

Galbi jjim is Korea's grandest celebratory braise — a dish reserved for the Lunar New Year table, Chuseok harvest festival, and milestone birthdays. Deeply lacquered in a soy, pear, and sesame sauce, the ribs become fork-tender while chestnuts, jujubes, and ginkgo nuts lend festive colour. This slow-cooker version makes the centrepiece dish achievable on any weekend.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1.2kg (2¾ lb) bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 6cm (2½-in) sections
• 200g (7 oz) daikon radish, cut into 4cm (1½-in) cubes
• 150g (5 oz) carrot, cut into 4cm (1½-in) pieces
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked 30 minutes, stems removed, caps halved
• 80g (½ cup) chestnuts, peeled (vacuum-packed is fine)
• 8 jujubes (dried Korean dates), optional
• 3 tbsp (20g) toasted sesame seeds, to serve
• 2 spring onions, sliced, to serve

Braising Sauce

• 120ml (½ cup) soy sauce
• 120ml (½ cup) water
• 1 Asian pear, grated (about 180g/6 oz) — or ½ cup apple juice
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp (8g) fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tbsp (45ml) honey or rice syrup
• 2 tbsp (30ml) sesame oil
• 1 tbsp (15ml) mirin
• ½ tsp (2g) black pepper

Instructions

1. Submerge ribs in cold water for 1 hour, changing the water once, to draw out blood. Drain.
2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Blanch the ribs 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and trim any excess fat. Score the meat between the bones in a cross-hatch pattern 1cm deep.
3. Whisk together all braising sauce ingredients in a bowl.
4. Place ribs, daikon, carrot, mushrooms, and chestnuts in the slow cooker. Pour sauce over everything and turn to coat.
5. Cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours, until the meat is pull-apart tender and pulls easily from the bone.
6. Add jujubes (if using) in the final 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning — the sauce should be sticky-sweet and deeply savory.
7. Skim any fat from the surface. If the sauce is too thin, transfer it to a small saucepan and reduce over high heat 5–8 minutes to a glossy glaze, then pour back over.
8. Serve in a deep platter with steamed short-grain rice, scattered with sesame seeds and spring onions.

Cook's Notes: Grating the pear and onion directly into the sauce is the traditional tenderizing technique — the enzymes break down the meat fibers. Galbi jjim only improves overnight; make it a day ahead and reheat gently.