Recipe: Kalbi jjim

Kalbi jjim is literally steamed beef ribs ("jjim" means"to steam"). To most, it is a braised dish, which is also true, but the idea behind the cooking of the ribs, is that it is "steamed" in the pot. This may sound a bit weird, but it's no different from when you cook steamed mussels in white wine, wherein you add the white wine then cover the pot in order to steam the mussels. The idea is the same here. When you braise the beef ribs, you also steam it inside the pot. Thus, when adding the liquid/sauce/marinade into the pot, it shouldn't cover the meat. While cooking, the meat will render its fat, gelatin, and juices into the sauce, and the sauce will also flavor the meat. The end result should be a slightly thick and syrupy rich sauce. A crucial ingredient in this dish and many Korean dishes is pear juice. Pear juice, preferably from Korean or Asian pear, is used to tenderize the meat and give it that subtle sweet flavor that is common in such dishes as Kalbi kui and Bulgogi. This is a basic version of Kalbi jjim. Other versions may include mushrooms, Korean red dates, jujubes, and water chestnuts.

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Kalbi jjim

Ingredients:

Beef ribs
Pear juice (preferebly Korean or Asian pear)
Rice wine

Sauce and marinade:
7 tbsp pear juice
7 tbsp soy sauce (do not use Kikkoman)
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 inch piece of ginger

1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium potato, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium daikon radish, chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
sesame seeds
korean red pepper powder
1 tsp green onion, minced

Procedure:

Score ribs on both sides. Soak in cold water for at least 2 hours to remove blood. Drain and rinse well. Cover in pear juice and a few tablespoons of rice wine and let sit in the refrigerator at least overnight. Combine ingredients for marinade and marinate beef ribs at least overnight. Take beef ribs and place in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Add 4 tbsp of water to the marinade and pour to just a little over halfway of the beef ribs. Cover tightly with lid, bring to a very low simmer, lower heat to lowest setting, and cook for at least 3 hours. Skim off a bit of the fat. Add carrots, potato, onion, and daikon then cover pot and continue cooking until they are tender. If sauce is too thin, remove cover, bring to a boil and reduce until sauce is slightly thick or syrupy. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Done.