This Instant Pot short ribs recipe helps you create authentic Korean flavors with fork-tender braised beef swimming in a savory yet sweet and fruity sauce. It’s perfect for any night of the week! I want to introduce you to one of my favorite Korean dishes, Galbi Jjim. It’s a dish of braised short ribs that seemingly melt right in your mouth! When you make them in your Instant Pot, you’ll make short work of them for sure. By braising the beef in this true-to-Korean sauce, you get this unbelievably tender meat that satisfies both the sweet and savory sensors on your palate. It’s one of the most popular dishes in Korean cuisine and while it might look complicated, it’s so easy. I’ve also included a bonus recipe below, teaching you how to make a scrumptious bowl of short rib noodle soup in 10 minutes!
Ingredients
The secret to both the sweetness and the buttery texture of the beef comes from the use of the Asian pear. If you can’t find one, you can always use an apple instead. Another distinctive ingredient in the original Korean recipe is soju, a vodka-like alcohol very popular in South Korea. Sake and mirin are fine replacements if you can’t find any soju near you.
Cooking process
Soak the short ribs in cold water
This step will remove the blood from the short ribs and enhance the taste of the dish. The color of the ribs turn pink once soaked and drained. It’s possible to skip this step if you’re short on time, but I highly recommend it for the best result.
Blend the ingredients
I used the Vitamix to blend the ingredients into a very smooth sauce. If you’re using a less powerful blender, the sauce might not come out as smooth. But don’t worry – it won’t affect the taste. NOTE: if you blend the sauce too early, it might separate over time. Simply blend it again before adding it to the pot when you’re ready to cook.
Cook the short ribs
NOTE: It’s possible to blanch the short ribs in the Instant Pot using the Saute function. However, I prefer to do it on the stovetop. It’s easier to control the heat without the broth splashing and making a mess.
Finish up
The sauce will come out perfect once the Instant Pot is done cooking. It will be rich, creamy, and ready to serve. Depending on the short ribs you use, the cooking might render a lot of fat out of the ribs. You can skim the oil from the sauce using a ladle or use a gravy separator to remove the fat. If you wish to add veggies, you can remove the ribs and cook the veggies in the sauce using the “Saute” function. NOTE: you don’t have to add the radish and carrots to your Galbi Jjim, although they are usually included in the traditional recipe. I like to add the veggies, because they soak up the beefy savory sauce and become so flavorful.
Bonus recipe: 10 minutes Short Ribs noodle soup
Perhaps my favorite thing to do with the remaining Galbi Jjim is make beef ribs noodle soup. It’s a hearty soup that can make a full meal all on its own, and it takes just minutes to make. The bonus recipe follows below.
4 oz (120 g) thin wheat noodles2 cups broth or water 4 tablespoons sauce from braising(Optional) 1 teaspoon minced ginger 1 tablespoon soy sauce3 pieces leftover short ribs with radishesSalt to taste(Optional) Chili garlic sauce or any hot sauce you prefer(Optional) green onions for garnish
How to make Korean short ribs without Instant Pot
Don’t have an Instant Pot? You can make galbi jjim on the stove top as well.
After step 2, the parcooked beef and sauce should go into the pot along with 2 cups of the reserved stock or plain water. Bring the broth to a boil, then cover and boil over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, over low heat for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetables and simmer for another 40 minutes to an hour, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. If the meat is just about done but the sauce isn’t reduced to your liking, you can remove the lid and raise the heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce is properly reduced.
NOTE: It’s more important to trim off the excess fat chunks when cooking the stovetop version, as the braising won’t melt the fat down as well as the Instant Pot does.
Afterthought
I love to make this Instant Pot short ribs recipe on the weekend for a magnificent meal. It’s very freezer-friendly, so you can portion it out and save it for a busy night. My Instant Pot short ribs have such an amazing flavor that will have your home filled with the delightful aromatics of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sweet fruit. It gives you something to look forward to after a long day and makes enough leftovers that you can enjoy many different ways, from freezing it to making soup! Want to learn more about Chinese Cooking? Sign up my newsletter to receive the 5-Day Chinese Cooking Crash Course and recipe update! If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
More Asian Instant Pot recipes
Instant Pot Whole ChickenInstant Pot Vegetable SoupInstant Pot Butter ChickenInstant Pot Lentil Soup (Chinese Style)Instant Pot Meatballs (Chinese Style)Instant Pot Pork Chops with Black Bean Sauce
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
