Sweet and Spicy Deunggalbi Jjim (Braised Pork Ribs)
A hearty braised dish made by marinating parboiled pork baby back ribs in a sweet and spicy sauce, then simmering until tender.
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 →
Pork baby back ribs are soaked and parboiled to remove blood and impurities, marinated in a special sweet and spicy sauce, and then simmered until tender. After gently braising, they are boiled down over high heat until the glossy sauce clings tightly to the meat for deep, savory flavor. The meat falls tenderly off the bone, making it perfect as a side dish for rice or as a snack with drinks.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Cook time
- 25 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pork baby back ribs1 stalk, 800 g
- Bay leaves5 leaves
- Soju1/2 cup
- Ginger1 clove
- Whole black peppercorns1 tbsp
Rib marinade
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Ketchup2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Oyster sauce1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Water2 cups
- Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes to draw out the blood.
- Add the seasoning ingredients, mix well, and let marinate for 30 minutes.
- If you bought a whole slab of ribs that has not been separated, cut between the bones, but be sure to remove the membrane on the surface of the ribs first.
- When parboiling the ribs, you can also use doenjang, onion, large green onion, or mirin.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
I prepared 1 rack (800g) of pork baby back ribs, separated into individual bones.
If you bought a whole slab of ribs that has not been separated, cut between the bones, but be sure to remove the membrane on the surface of the ribs first.
Related post on the blog (Korean)blog.naver.com/ppunwife/223768389834Please refer to the photo above for how to remove the membrane and details on prepping the pork baby back ribs.
Pre-treat the ribs
Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes to draw out the blood.
Changing the water as you soak helps eliminate the gamey pork smell.
Parboil the soaked ribs with aromatic ingredients (you can also use doenjang, onion, large green onion, mirin, etc. in addition to what I prepared).
First, pour enough water to submerge the ribs and bring to a boil with 5 bay leaves, 1 ginger piece, 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns, and 1/2 cup soju.
Add the ribs and parboil for about 5 minutes to release impurities and excess fat.
Rinse thoroughly under running water, rubbing them clean, and drain well.
Season the ribs
Place the ribs in a deep pan, add 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 2 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), and a little ground black pepper, then mix well and let marinate for 30 minutes.
Simmer
Pour in 2 cups of water, and once it comes to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.
Once the meat is tender and the flavors have soaked in, raise the heat to high to reduce the sauce.
When the sauce thickens and reduces, stir frequently so it does not burn, and braise at the end until the glaze clings tightly to the ribs.
Complete
Sweet and spicy deunggalbi jjim is done.
As the steam cooled slightly while plating, the sauce stayed put like a magnet without running.
Ppunwife's tips
- Changing the water as you soak helps eliminate the gamey pork smell.
- When the sauce thickens and reduces, stir frequently so it does not burn, and braise at the end until the glaze clings tightly to the ribs.
- If you reduce or omit the gochugaru, kids can enjoy it comfortably too.
FAQ
How do you prep a whole rack of ribs?
Before cutting between the bones, you must first peel off the membrane adhering to the surface.
What is the pre-treatment method to remove unwanted pork odors?
Soak the ribs in cold water for about 30 minutes, changing the water occasionally to draw out blood, then parboil for about 5 minutes in boiling water with ginger, bay leaves, soju, and whole black peppercorns.
How do you adjust the seasoning if it is too spicy for children?
When making the sauce, you can reduce the amount of gochugaru or leave it out completely to make it non-spicy.
Can I use other ingredients instead of the aromatics listed for parboiling?
In addition to bay leaves and ginger, you can use doenjang (Korean soybean paste), onion, large green onion (daepa), or mirin to help remove off-odors.
