Tender LA Galbi Gui (Grilled Beef Ribs) in a Pressure Cooker
Tender LA galbi gui sweetened with fresh Korean pear and onion juice, braised to perfection in a pressure cooker.
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 →
Finely blend Korean pear and onion and strain only the clear juice to make a clean, sweet, and savory marinade. Steaming the ribs briefly with the sauce in a pressure cooker before simmering them down yields tender, succulent meat that pulls easily from the bone for both children and elders. It makes a generous 5-6 servings of beef short ribs, perfect for holidays and dinner parties.
- Servings
- 5–6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- LA galbi (flanken-style beef short ribs)2 kg
Seasoning
- Korean pear2 (medium)
- Onion2 (medium)
- Minced green onion1/2 cup
- Minced garlic3 tbsp
- Minced ginger1/2 tbsp
- Gin (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 cup (regular soy sauce)
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1/2 cup
- Corn syrup (mulyeot) (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong), oligosaccharide syrup (oligodang))4 tbsp
- Sugar2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil2 tbsp
- Water2 cups
- Use fresh Korean pear if you have it, or feel free to use commercial canned Korean pear drink from the market. When using store-bought pear juice, use 2 cups, and use 1 cup of store-bought onion juice.
- For ribs thawed overnight in the refrigerator, soak them in water for about 1 to 2 hours, changing the water occasionally, to draw out the excess blood and eliminate gamey beef odors.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
The LA galbi comes frozen and vacuum-packed.
Prepare about 2 medium Korean pears and about 2 onions.
How to prep LA galbi
For ribs thawed overnight in the refrigerator, you need to draw out the excess blood to remove any gamey beef smell.
Soak in water for about 1 to 2 hours, changing the water occasionally. Once the blood is drawn out, drain in a colander to remove any remaining water and blood.
Make the rib marinade
Adding Korean pear and onion to beef rib marinade provides sweetness and also naturally tenderizes the meat.
Roughly chop the peeled pear and onion, place them in a blender, and blend finely.
Press firmly through a cotton cloth or fine-mesh sieve to collect only the clear juice.
If the pulp is included, the sauce thickens too quickly and looks messy when simmered down.
Thinly slice the large green onion for the marinade. You will need about 1/2 cup of minced green onion.
Add the sliced green onion to the fruit juice, along with 3 tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp minced ginger, 1 cup regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1/2 cup mirin (cooking rice wine), 4 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), 2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 2 cups water, then mix well until combined.
If using commercial pear juice, use 2 cups, and 1 cup of onion juice is enough.
This marinade is also delicious when used for beef bulgogi.
How to marinate LA galbi
Place a layer of meat in a container and pour the marinade over it.
Continue layering in this manner so that the meat is lightly submerged in the marinade.
Marinating overnight in the refrigerator allows the flavors to soak deep into the meat; it helps to flip the top and bottom layers once midway through.
You can marinate a large batch at once, divide it into meal-sized portions, freeze them as they are, and then transfer a portion to the refrigerator the day before eating to thaw naturally before cooking.
Cook the meat
Pre-cooking and braising LA galbi in a pressure cooker makes it tender and easy for elders and children to enjoy.
Add the meat and marinade to the pressure cooker and close the lid.
Once the weight begins to jiggle vigorously, reduce the heat to medium-low, cook for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave it alone until the pressure releases completely.
Open the lid and simply simmer down the remaining liquid over medium or slightly higher heat. It is best to turn the meat back and forth so it glazes moistly as it cooks down.
Finish
My meat was slightly thick, so I used a pressure cooker.
It turns out much more tender and succulent than simply braising it in a regular pan.
The seasoning is neither overly salty nor too sweet, and it tastes truly delicious.
Ppunwife's tips
- If the pulp is included, the marinade thickens too fast and becomes messy during simmering, so it is best to extract clear juice using a cotton cloth or fine-mesh sieve.
- When marinating overnight, it is good to flip the top and bottom layers once halfway through.
- It is convenient to marinate a large batch at once, freeze it divided into single-meal portions, and let it thaw naturally in the refrigerator the day before cooking.
FAQ
Can I use commercial juice or canned drinks instead of fresh Korean pear?
You can use canned crushed pear drinks or commercial pear juice from the market. When using commercial pear juice, use 2 cups, and adjust commercial onion juice to 1 cup.
Why do you strain the pear and onion juice instead of adding the pulp?
If the pulp is added, the sauce thickens too quickly when simmered over heat and makes the finished dish look messy, so only the juice is strained and used through a sieve or cotton cloth.
What is the key technique for cooking the meat in a pressure cooker?
Pour in the meat and marinade, close the lid, and once the weight starts jiggling vigorously, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it rest until the steam is completely released, then open the lid and simmer down the sauce.
How do you store and thaw leftover marinated ribs?
Portion the ribs into single-meal servings and freeze them. Transfer a portion to the refrigerator one day before eating to thaw naturally before cooking.
