Fail-Proof Tender Braised Short Ribs (Sogalbijjim)

Ingredients−3servings+

• Beef Short Ribs2 kg
• Green Onion1 stalk
• Shishito Peppers7 pieces
• Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms3 pieces
• Chestnuts5 pieces
• Jujubes5 pieces
• Carrot1 piece
• Dried Chili Peppers2 pieces
• Licorice Root1 piece
• Red Chili Pepper1 piece
• Water for Parboiling1.8 L
• Sugar for Parboiling1/2 cup
• dark soy sauce1 cup
• mirin1/2 cup
• Minced Garlic1 tablespoon
• Minced Ginger1/2 tablespoon
• Brown Sugar1/2 cup (80g)
• Water for Sauce1 L
• Onion (for blender)1/2 piece
• Large Asian Pear (for blender)1/4 piece
• Water for Blender160 mL
• toasted sesame oil1 tablespoon
• Sesame Seeds1 tablespoon
• Black Pepper2 pinches

Directions▶ Start cooking

1. Rinse the defrosted beef short ribs thoroughly under running water to remove any bone fragments.
2. In a pot, add 1.8 L of water for parboiling and 1/2 cup of sugar for parboiling, then bring to a rolling boil.
3. Once the water boils, add the beef short ribs and parboil for 5 minutes.⏱ 5m
4. Remove the parboiled beef short ribs, rinse them under cold water to wash off impurities and excess fat, then drain them in a colander.
5. Remove the core and peel from 1/4 of a large Asian pear and slice it. Slice 1/2 an onion into appropriate sizes. Put both into a blender with 160 mL of water and blend until smooth.
6. Place the blended ingredients into a cheesecloth and squeeze out only the juice.
7. To the squeezed pear and onion juice, add 1 cup dark soy sauce, 1/2 cup mirin, 1/2 cup (80g) brown sugar, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger, then mix to create the sauce.
8. In a pot, add the parboiled beef short ribs, the prepared sauce, 1 L of water, 2 dried chili peppers, and 1 piece of licorice root, then heat over high heat.
9. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.⏱ 40m
10. Meanwhile, clean and prepare the chestnuts, jujubes, shiitake mushrooms (score them decoratively), and carrot (round off the edges).
11. After 40 minutes, reduce the heat to low, add the prepared carrot, chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, and jujubes, then simmer for another 30 minutes.⏱ 40m
12. After simmering for 30 minutes, remove and discard the dried chili peppers and licorice root that were added earlier using a sieve.⏱ 30m
13. Add 1 stalk of diagonally sliced green onion, 1 red chili pepper, and 7 shishito peppers, then simmer for another 10 minutes.⏱ 10m
14. Finally, turn off the heat, add 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, and 2 pinches of black pepper, then gently mix everything to finish.

Tips

• Frozen short ribs must be slowly defrosted in the refrigerator for a day to ensure the meat becomes tender and blood drains well.
• Adding sugar during parboiling helps tenderize the meat, resulting in tender, not tough, braised short ribs.
• Dried chili peppers cut through the richness of fatty beef short ribs, while licorice root adds umami, creating a deep, satisfying flavor.
• If you continue to simmer over high heat, the meat will become tough. Be sure to adjust to medium and low heat to braise thoroughly for a tender texture.

🧑‍🍳 Recipe analysis notes

Supplementary notes from the video analysis. Please check the original video before cooking.

⚠️ Where this goes wrong

• If you don't thoroughly rinse the parboiled short ribs in cold water to remove impurities and fat, they may develop a gamey odor.
• If you continue to simmer over high heat, the meat will become tough, making it difficult to achieve a tender texture if you miss adjusting to medium and low heat.
• If the pear and onion juice are not squeezed out sufficiently, the sauce may taste dull or lack sweetness.

🔄 Substitutions

• If you don't have an Asian pear, you can blend 1/2 an apple with 160 mL of water, squeeze out the juice, or substitute with 2-3 tablespoons of pineapple juice to help tenderize the meat.
• Instead of mirin, you can use 1/2 cup of sake or white wine mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar to achieve a similar flavor.
• Instead of chestnuts, you can add the same amount of boiled potatoes or sweet potatoes to enhance the soft texture and sweetness.

🎚️ Adjusting the taste

• To reduce spiciness, omit or reduce the amount of dried chili peppers, red chili pepper, and shishito peppers.
• To reduce saltiness, use 3/4 cup dark soy sauce instead of 1 cup, and adjust seasoning at the end.
• To reduce sweetness, decrease the amount of sugar for parboiling and brown sugar by about 1/3 each when cooking.

✔️ Verification notes

• Ensure the meat is cooked enough to separate easily from the bone, guaranteeing a tender texture.
• Taste to ensure the sauce is not too thin or salty, and that it has reduced appropriately and coated the ingredients well.

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