Thick and Glossy Tteokgalbi (Grilled Minced Rib Patties)
A grilled dish made by kneading coarsely minced beef with seasonings, shaping it into thick patties, and simmering them until glossy.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This main dish features beef chopped coarsely for great texture, kneaded with sweet and savory seasoning, and grilled thick. Cooked through in a pan and simmered in a soy sauce glaze until glossy, it is great for holiday tables or as an appetizer with drinks.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Beef600 g
- Pine nut powdera little
Seasoning
- Onion1/2 (minced)
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 (minced)
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)4 tbsp
- Pear juice4 tbsp
- Sugar2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Ginger juice1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1 tsp
- Meat for tteokgalbi is traditionally made from rib meat, but you can just mince whatever cut of beef you have at home. Rather than buying ground meat, buy a whole cut and mince it yourself, or ask the butcher shop to mince it for you. If you grind it too finely, it loses its chew and can turn dry and dense, so mince it somewhat coarsely.
- Wrap the meat in cheesecloth to squeeze out the blood thoroughly, or press it out with paper towels.
- Once evenly mixed, let it marinate for about 30 minutes so the flavors soak in.
Steps
1. Meat for tteokgalbi is traditionally made from rib meat, but you can just mince whatever cut of beef you have at home.
Rather than buying ground meat, buy a whole cut and mince it yourself, or ask the butcher shop to mince it for you.
If you grind it too finely, it loses its chew and can turn dry and dense, so mince it somewhat coarsely.
Wrap the meat in cheesecloth to squeeze out the blood thoroughly, or press it out with paper towels.
2. Add the meat and all the seasonings, and knead well.
3. Once evenly mixed, let it marinate for about 30 minutes so the flavors soak in.
4. Shape them thickly to about half the size of your palm. You can shape them into squares, circles, or smaller sizes according to your preference.
5. Grease a pan with oil and pan-fry both sides until slightly browned. If they are thick, cover with a lid and cook over low heat so the inside cooks through.
6. If you have an oven, you can also bake them at 200 °C for 20-25 minutes.
Add regular soy sauce, corn syrup, and water, bring to a boil, then add the meat and simmer until glossy.
Ppunwife's tips
- If they are thick, cover with a lid and cook over low heat so the inside cooks through.
FAQ
Why should I mince the meat by hand instead of using ground meat?
If you use commercially ground meat that is ground finely by machine, it lacks a pleasant chew and easily becomes dry and dense, so it is better to buy a whole cut of meat and mince it somewhat coarsely.
Is there a trick to cooking thick tteokgalbi all the way through in a pan?
Grease a pan with oil, fry both sides until browned, and if they are thick, cover with a lid and lower to low heat to cook the center thoroughly.
What temperature should the oven be set to when baking?
Bake in an oven preheated to 200 °C for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Besides being a side dish for rice, how else can finished tteokgalbi be served?
Thickly grilled tteokgalbi can be used as a hamburger patty or enjoyed like a steak.
