Web Extra: Korean Braised Short Ribs

Korean Braised Short Ribs (Kalbi Jim)

This recipe is adapted from one published in the popular The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook.  Says senior editor Lori Moffatt, who made this dish successfully at home, “The original recipe adds ¼ cup pine nuts at the finish, but I didn’t have those, so I skipped that step. Also, it calls for a garnish of omelet triangles—you’re supposed to make a very thin omelet with three eggs, roll it up, then slice it into triangles. When I made the dish at home, it didn’t seem worth the trouble, though it would have looked pretty. I skipped that, too. And if you can’t find Chinese red dates (called jujube)—which are available in well-stocked Asian markets—I’d use prunes or even dried apricots.”

This recipe serves 6-8 people.

• 8 beef short ribs, bone-in, cut into 3-inch lengths
• salt as needed
• freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 1 ½ cups mirin  (sweet rice wine)
• ¾ cup light soy sauce
• 2 cups large-dice yellow onion
• 2 slices of ginger root (1/4-inch thick), lightly crushed
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• ½ cup jujube, also called Chinese red dates
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in warm water (for at least a half hour) and chopped
• 2 cups sliced daikon radish
• 2 cups thinly sliced carrots, cut on the diagonal
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 T dark sesame oil

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and place in a casserole or Dutch oven. Add the mirin, soy sauce, onion, ginger, garlic, jujube, and enough water to just cover the ribs. Bring the liquid to a boil and then immediately lower the heat until the broth is at a gentle simmer. Simmer for at least two hours, turning the ribs occasionally, until they are very tender.

When the meat is fork-tender, add the mushrooms, daikon, and carrots, and simer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the crushed ginger. Season to taste with additional soy sauce and sugar.

Stir in the sesame oil and simmer another 5 minutes. Serve!