Spicy Dwaeji Galbijjim (Braised Spicy Pork Ribs)
A Daegu Dongin-dong style spicy dwaeji galbijjim braised spicy with plenty of coarsely ground garlic.
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 →
Inspired by Daegu Dongin-dong style, this main dish is braised with plenty of garlic and gochugaru for a fiery kick. Marinating the meat in the seasoning first lets the flavors soak in, and adding coarsely minced garlic in two separate additions brings out its pungent aroma to the fullest. Making 4 to 5 servings, it is great for a generous weekend dinner or as a snack with drinks.
- Servings
- 4–5 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Very spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pork ribs1.5 kg
- Dried kelp (dasima) broth2 cups
Ingredients for parboiling ribs
- Bay leaves4 leaves
- Whole black peppercorns1/2 tbsp
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalk
- Soju1/2 cup
- Water7 cups
Seasoning
- Peeled garlic20 cloves
- Onion1/2 (medium)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)3
- Ginger1/2 knob
- Pear juice1 1/2 cups
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)6 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang)) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))4 tbsp
- Oyster sauce3 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)3 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Sugar2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- Soak the ribs in cold water for over 1 hour, changing the cold water periodically, to draw out the blood.
- Only 10 tteokbokki-sized rice cakes were used, but you can also slice thick garaetteok into round pieces and add them.
- You can grate apple or pear to use, or prepare 1 1/2 cups of pear juice drink.
- For the kelp broth, steep 2 sheets of 5 cm square dried kelp in 2 cups of water for over 30 minutes.
Steps
Draw out the blood from the ribs
Soaking the ribs in cold water to draw out the blood helps remove any gamey odor.
Soak for over 1 hour, changing the cold water periodically, to draw out the blood.
Parboiling
Parboiling
Add large green onion, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and soju to 7 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes to infuse the aromatic vegetables, then add the ribs.
Once the water returns to a rolling boil, impurities from the ribs surface, and the exterior looks cooked, remove from the heat, rinse thoroughly under running water, and drain in a colander.
Making the sauce
Making the sauce
Chop the peeled garlic coarsely with a knife or pulse it in a food processor.
Pour pear juice over the onion, Cheongyang chili pepper, and ginger, and blend finely with a blender.
Marinating in sauce
Marinating in sauce
Place all the ribs in a pot, pour in the blended sauce, and add all of the 6 tbsp gochugaru, 4 tbsp regular soy sauce, 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 3 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp corn syrup, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.
Add only half of the garlic. The remaining half will be added during the braising process to highlight the aroma and flavor of the garlic.
Mix evenly and marinate for about 2 hours.
If you make it the day before and marinate for about a day, it is even more delicious.
Braising
Braising
Pour 2 cups of dried kelp broth or water over the marinated ribs.
For the kelp broth, steep 2 sheets of 5 cm square dried kelp in 2 cups of water for over 30 minutes.
Since it needs to be braised thoroughly, pour enough so that the ribs are submerged.
Once it begins to boil vigorously over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer until the liquid reduces by about half.
Because there is a lot of seasoning, stir occasionally all the way to the bottom to keep it from scorching.
Remove the lid and braise until the liquid is reduced to a shallow level, then add the reserved garlic and rice cakes, and simmer briefly over low heat to finish.
Ppunwife's tips
- You can add only half the garlic first and add the remaining half during the braising process to highlight the aroma and flavor of the garlic.
- When marinating in the sauce, making it the day before and marinating for about a day makes it even more delicious.
- Because there is a lot of seasoning, stir occasionally all the way to the bottom to keep it from scorching.
FAQ
Why is the garlic divided and added in two additions?
Half is added to the sauce initially to infuse the base flavor, and the remaining half is added at the final stage of braising to enhance the uniquely pungent aroma of the garlic.
Can fresh fruit be used instead of a pear drink?
You can grate fresh apple or pear with a grater or blender and use it as a substitute in the sauce ingredients.
What should I do to prevent the ribs from scorching at the bottom while braising?
The amount of sauce is on the larger side, so stir frequently all the way to the bottom of the pot with a spatula while it simmers to prevent it from sticking and scorching.
How long is appropriate for marinating the meat in the sauce?
It is best to marinate for at least 2 hours, and mixing it with the sauce the night before to mature for a day yields an even deeper flavor.
