Sweet and Spicy Sogalbijjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs)
Sogalbijjim braised sweet and spicy in a marinade made with gochugaru and pear juice.
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 showstopping dish features beef short ribs, thoroughly drained of blood and trimmed of excess fat, marinated in a special gochugaru seasoning and braised until tender. Using Cheongyang chili flakes adds a delightfully pleasant kick, and using fruit-tenderizing techniques helps keep the texture chewy and succulent.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Beef short ribs1 kg (for braising)
- Kelp broth (or water)1 cup
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)4 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)5 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)3 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- Pear juice1.5 cups
- Onion juice1/2 cup
- Submerge the ribs in cold water to thoroughly draw out the blood. Soak them for about 2-3 hours, changing the water if a lot of blood seeps out.
- You can prepare your favorite ingredients like potatoes, onions, chestnuts, or carrots and add them while braising.
- Add the marinade to the ribs and let them marinate for about 5 hours.
Steps
1. First, trim away any excess fat attached to the ribs,
and soak them in cold water to thoroughly draw out the blood, which causes off-flavors. Soak them for about 2-3 hours,
changing the water if a lot of blood seeps out.
Today, I am not adding extra ingredients and only preparing the ribs with a spicy marinade,
but you can prepare your favorite ingredients like potatoes, onions, chestnuts, or carrots and add them during the braising process.
2. If the rib meat is thick, make shallow cuts into it so the seasoning absorbs well.
3. Bring enough water to submerge the meat to a rolling boil, then add the ribs and blanch briefly.
This removes impurities and excess fat.
4. Rinse in cold water and drain in a colander.
5. Add all of the specified marinade ingredients and mix well.
If you like it sweeter, you can add about 1 tbsp of sugar or corn syrup.
For your information, I used Cheongyang chili flakes for half of the gochugaru amount.
6. Add the marinade to the ribs and let them marinate for about 5 hours.
You can also add pineapple or kiwi, which are great for tenderizing,
and for every 1kg of meat, 1/2 a kiwi or 1 slice of pineapple is suitable.
No matter how large the quantity of meat is, never add more than 1 kiwi.
If you add kiwi or pineapple, marinating for too long can cause the meat to melt away rather than stay chewy,
so it is best to add them 1 hour before cooking.
7. Pour 1 cup of water or kelp broth over the marinated ribs so that the meat is sufficiently submerged...
I added 1 cup, but the amount of water added at this point is to cook the meat evenly,
so you can add more until the meat is fully submerged.
8. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Once it starts boiling, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat so the ribs cook thoroughly to the center.
It took about 15-20 minutes.
10
9. Although the liquid reduced while the meat was cooking, there is still plenty of broth,
so from here on, open the lid, raise the heat to medium or higher, and braise.
Braise while turning them front and back.
If you are adding chestnuts, potatoes, carrots, and the like, you can add them at this stage,
though you will need to add a bit more water at the very beginning.
10. Once only enough sauce remains to keep the braised ribs moist, it is done.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you like it sweeter, you can add about 1 tbsp of sugar or corn syrup.
- You can also add pineapple or kiwi, which are great for tenderizing, and for every 1kg of meat, 1/2 a kiwi or 1 slice of pineapple is suitable. No matter how large the quantity of meat is, never add more than 1 kiwi.
- If you add kiwi or pineapple, marinating for too long can cause the meat to melt away rather than stay chewy, so it is best to add them 1 hour before cooking.
FAQ
What should I keep in mind when adding kiwi or pineapple to tenderize the meat?
For 1kg of meat, about half a kiwi or 1 slice of pineapple is suitable; marinating for too long can cause the meat to turn mushy, so it is best to add it 1 hour before cooking.
How can I adjust the recipe to make it spicier or sweeter?
To adjust the heat, replace part of the gochugaru with Cheongyang chili flakes, and if you prefer it sweeter, add about 1 tbsp of sugar or corn syrup.
At what stage should I add vegetables like potatoes or carrots?
You can add them when the meat is cooked through and you open the lid to reduce the sauce over medium heat or higher.
