Spicy Korean Braised Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim) Made In An Instant Pot

Name: Galbi Jjim - Spicy Braised Short Ribs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds beef short ribs (bone-in); 10 cups water ((to blanch the bones)); 1 tablespoon salt; 2 cup water or beef broth ((add 1/2 cup more water if you like more sauce)); 8 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon ginger (minced); 8 small potatoes (peeled and cut in 2 inches); 3 carrots (peeled and cut in 2 inches); 1 onion (chop in cubes); 3-4 green onions (cut 4 inches lengthwise); ¾ cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoon gochugaru; 2 tablespoon gochujang; ¼ cup soju ((can sub with any cooking wine like shaoxing or sake)); ½ tablespoon honey; ½ tablespoon maesilaek korean plum extract ((can sub with half an apple)); ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; ⅓ radish ((optional)); cornstarch slurry (1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon corn starch) ((optional))

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Spicy Korean Short Ribs (known as Galbi Jjim) is super easy to cook during busy weeknights. All you have to do is put all your ingredients in an Instant Pot and press the button for the most tender and savory beef.

Braised beef with carrots and radish on a plate and steamed rice in a bowl .

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Spicy Korean Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim)
What if I Don’t Have an Instant Pot?
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Check Out More Beef Recipes
Galbi Jjim – Spicy Braised Short Ribs

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The recipe is inspired by the famous Galbi Jjim for the sweet and spicy flavor. Since the short ribs are pressure cooked the meat just falls off the bone.

Easy to make – throw your ingredients in the Instant Pot and let it do all the work. You can do some chores or watch TV while your dinner is cooking.
Authentic taste – use all my recommended Korean ingredients and the short ribs taste just like a Korean restaurant!

Ingredients

Here’s a look at what you need to make this Spicy Korean Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim). The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card.

Radish, potatoes, carrots, soy sauce, green onions, onion, black pepper, honey, garlic, ginger, beef, gochugaru, soju, korean plum extract, and gochujang laid out on a countertop.

Blanch Short Ribs

Beef short ribs – traditionally bone-in short ribs are used for this recipe. Sometimes they are cut in smaller pieces. However, I get mine from Costco and are larger! It is based on your own preference/availability on how large the beef ribs are.

Braised Beef

aromatics – garlic, onion, green onions and ginger are used to ensure that the beef and stock has lots of flavor.
potatoes – small yukon gold or baby tomatoes are used to soak up the delicious broth.
carrots – chopped for sweetness and soaks up the broth.
soy sauce – the base of the sauce. I recommend to use low-sodium so the sauce isn’t too salty.
gochugaru – korean red pepper powder adds spiciness to the beef. I have the less spicy red pepper powder that I got from the Korean grocery store (H-mart)
gochujang (fermented red pepper paste) – adds sweetness and spiciness to the beef. You can also buy from the Korean grocery store and choose your level of spiciness (I use Mild).
soju (can sub with any cooking wine like shaoxing or sake) – this helps with the gaminess of the meat. You can omit this if you want to.
honey – adds sweetness to the sauce. You can also use sugar if that’s what you have.
maesilaek korean plum extract (can sub with half an apple) – This adds a fruity sweet and sour taste that gives this the ‘authentic’ Korean taste. I highly recommend this for a good galbi jjim.
daikon radish (optional) – just like carrots, radish adds sweetness to the broth. Also delicious when it soaks up the broth. You can find this type of radish at all asian grocery stores.
cornstarch slurry (optional) – if you like your sauce on the thicker side, I recommend to make a cornstarch slurry after the beef is done cooking and it’s still hot. Mix everything together and the sauce will thicken.

Substitutions and Variations

If you don’t want to use short ribs, use beef roast or cut large chunks of beef (chuck, beef sirloin, ribeye) to add inside. It won’t be as tender and fatty as short ribs, but in this economy, it makes sense ◡̈
Add rice cakes or potato starch noodles! Since we’re making this in the instant pot, I recommend to add cooked rice cakes and potato starch noodles at the end so they don’t get mushy in the instant pot.
Add some cheese at the end! At some Korean-American restaurants, they grill some cheese at the top to add creaminess and make the sauce less spicy!

How to Make Spicy Korean Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim)

Beef short ribs are submerged in water in a pot on the stove.

Step 1: Add 10 cups water beef short ribs and salt and make sure they submerge in the water.

A pot with beef and water is boiling on the stove.

Step 2: Set Instant Pot to ‘Saute’ on Custom Setting on High Temperature. Let it boil for 15 minutes to get all the impurities out.

On a plate, chopped carrots, radish, green onions, garlic, and ginger, and on a wooden chopping board, halved small potatoes.

Step 3: While the beef is boiling, chop your aromatics such as onion, garlic, ginger, potatoes, carrots, and green onions. (Optional) Chop radish.

Beef short ribs in a pot with running water pouring in.

Step 4: After 15 minutes of boiling, you will see that the water has become grey, and the impurities have risen to the top. Pour out the water and rinse the beef ribs until they look clean and there’s no blood stuck to the beef. Set aside. Wash you Instapot so it’s extra clean too and wipe it dry.

In a pot, beef short ribs, chopped radish, chopped carrots, halved potatoes, chopped onion, green onions, garlic, and ginger.

Step 5: Next, add the beef, water, chopped onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes, carrots and green onions in the Instant Pot. Turn settings to pressure cook on low for 1 hour (custom setting). Press start button.

A measuring cup contains a sauce mixture made with soy sauce, gochugaru, gochujang, soju, honey, and Korean plum extract.

Step 6: Don’t put the lid on just yet. It takes a while for the pot to heat up. During this time, make the sauce so we can be extra efficient! Mix together soy sauce, gochugaru, gochujang, soju, honey and korean plum extract (can sub with half an apple) and add in the pot. Now close the lid and wait for the magic to happen.

Step 7: When the beef is done, open the lid and carefully skim the oil (there’s a lot) in a small bowl. You can use it for cooking or toss it out.

Cornstarch slurry is being poured into a pot of cooked Galbi Jjim.

Step 8: (optional) Once your short ribs are ready and you want a thicker sauce, you can make a cornstarch slurry by mixing ¼ cup water with 1 tablespoon corn starch. Pour in the slurry while the pot is extra hot and mix together.

Galbi Jjim on a plate and steamed rice in a bowl beside it.

What if I Don’t Have an Instant Pot?

No worries. You can also make this in a Dutch Oven or large pot. Follow all the instructions of the sauce and chopping vegetables. Ignore the Instant Pot Instructions and do this instead. Here are the instructions:

Boil the beef short ribs for 15 minutes on high heat. You will see the impurities of the beef and the water turns grey.
Wash the ribs under running water and wash the pot.
Heat your pot to high heat and add your short ribs, sauce, chopped aromatics/vegetables in the pot as well (add everything!).
Once boiling, cook for 15 minutes on high heat with a cover. Next, cook the short ribs for 45 minutes on low heat (also covered).
Your short ribs will be extra tender and soft. If you want it more soft, you can keep cooking on low for 15-30 more minutes. The purpose of these ribs should be soft but not shreddable.

Expert Tips

Boiling the short ribs in water for 15 minutes helps remove bone shards, blood and impurities. It is more tedious but it really ensures that the beef tastes clean and not so gamey!
Add rice cakes and potato starch noodles to soak up the yummy sauce! It adds chewiness in contrast to the soft beef.
Make sure you use authentic Korean ingredients like the gochujang and gochugaru to ensure that your broth tastes as authentic as possible. The secret ingredient is the plum sauce (or sub with an apple).

Recipe FAQs

What is Galbi Jjim?

Galbi Jjim is a traditional Korean braised short rib dish made with beef, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and vegetables. It’s known for its rich, savory-sweet flavor and fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

What do you serve with Galbi Jjim?

Usually galbi jjim is very hearty and savory so white rice is perfect to soak up the delicious sauce. You can also serve with side dishes like kimchi, wood ear mushroom salad, fish cakes, and crab jeon (korean seafood pancake).