Galbitang is a hearty, nourishing soup made with beef short ribs. This recipe shows you how to make traditional galbitang with the delicately clean taste it’s known for.
Galbitang (갈비탕) is a clear soup made with beef short ribs (galbi, 갈비). It’s a hearty, nourishing soup with a delicate flavor. Typically, the ribs are boiled along with Korean radish (mu, 무), onion, garlic, and ginger until tender.
Beef short ribs are an expensive cut of meat, so this soup is considered a luxury among Korean soups and often served for special occasions such as wedding receptions.
How to make galbitang
Galbitang is fairly simple to make. However, you need to know a few tips to give the soup the nice, clean taste it’s known for.
First, soak the ribs in cold water to draw out some blood. Then, blanch them in boiling water to remove remaining blood and some fat, Rinse everything nicely before boiling them again. It should be boiled over high heat for the first 30 minutes to draw out flavor from the bones. The second part of the boiling is done over reduced heat until the meat reaches the desired tenderness, which takes about an hour, depending on the ribs.
A good soup soy sauce (guk ganjang,국간장) is also important for the flavor of this soup. If you don’t have Korean soup soy sauce, you can use light fish sauce or regular soy sauce. However, regular soy sauce can make the soup very dark, so just use a little bit and season with salt.
You can skim off any remaining fat or use a fat separator if you’re serving while still hot. If you have time, you can also let the entire pot sit in the refrigerator for the fat to solidify so it can be removed effortlessly.
It’s common to add starch noodles (dangmyeon, 당면) to the soup at the end of cooking.
Galbitang variations
In Korea, this soup is sometimes upgraded with abalone, especially at restaurants. Lately, I’ve been able to find fresh abalone from Korea around here, so I’ve been making abalone porridge and adding to this soup. Abalone nicely elevate galbitang to the next level! It’s really easy to add abalone to galbitang as they only take a few minutes to cook.
Sometimes, other ingredients such as ginseng, jujubes, chestnuts, etc. are also added to this soup.
More beef short rib recipes
Instant Pot galbitang
Galbijjim
Instant Pot Galbijjim
Instant Pot Spicy Galbijjim
Slow cooker galbijjim
LA Galbi (BBQ short ribs)
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
- about 3 pounds short ribs
- 1 pound Korean radish, mu (무)
- 1 medium onion
- 2 large scallion white parts
- 8 plump garlic cloves
- 3 thin ginger slices 1-inch rounds
- 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce Use 1 T if your soy sauce is dark
- salt and pepper
- 3 ounces starch noodles - optional dangmyeon, soaked in warm water for about 20 minutes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 scallions finely chopped
- 4 abalone - optional See note
Instructions
- Soak the ribs for 30 minutes in cold water. Drain.
- Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the ribs, about 8 cups. Bring water to a boil, and then drop the ribs in. Let it come back to a boil. Continue to boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return the ribs back to the pot. Add 13 to 14 cups of water, radish, onion, garlic and ginger. Add 2 tablespoons of soup soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of salt (use less if your soup soy sauce is dark and more salt). Bring it to a boil. Continue to boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Remove all the vegetables. Transfer the radish to a cutting board. Discard the other vegetables.
- Add 2 cups of water. Continue to boil, covered, for about an hour until the meat is tender. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and the optional noodles 3 or 4 minutes before turning the heat off. Cut the radish into thick bite size pieces and add to the soup. Bring everything to a boil again. Salt and pepper to taste. Skim off fat or use a fat separator to remove excess fat. Garnish with the chopped scallions to serve.
Nanette says
This is one of the best recipes for Galbitang~! I have made many versions of this soup but this one is by far the best.
Condolences for your hominy~!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe I am going to keep your blog for further recipes~! This is the best by far!!! I can’t thank you enough~!
Hyosun says
Thank you! So happy to hear this is by far the best!
Annemarie says
This recipe was soooo yummy! I’m half Korean and my umma is the best cook so I never felt the need to cook. But I love galbitang and sullung tang deep in my soul. I’ve made this twice now. The first time i made it I was so amazed that I could make galbitang at home without needing to go to a Korean restaurant if I’m not with my momma! Thank you, so empowering and delicious! <3
Hyosun says
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear you can make and enjoy galbitang at home.
Fajr Jaco says
I am so excited to serve this recipe to my family! I first had this in Korea and it was delicious I wanted to know if are you able to add carrots to the recipe I personally love carrots in my soup
Hyosun says
Not traditional but yes you can if you like.
Mai says
I am vegetarian and never had galbitang before, but thanks to the clear recipe I was able to make a wonderful soup for my father who really enjoyed it. I followed all the steps and found it very easy – so I recommend this recipe. Thank you again for putting it online for everyone!
Skim says
Hello,
How long will this keep for in the fridge?
Thank you!
Raymond says
I am such a fan of this recipe, I bought the ingredients and followed the recipe and it
turned out so well, It was very tasty, Thankyou!
Hyosun says
Oh nice! Thanks for letting me know.
Rea says
Every time I feel sick, this is the stew I order from my restaurant. Since it was getting too expensive, I’ve decided to make my own. I’m so glad it tasted similar. Thank you so much!
Ploy says
Hello!☺️
Thannks for all the good recipe. I am curious that have you ever tried to make galbi tang by using slow cooker? Are we able to do it like the chicken nappa soup? I can only imagine how to remove the oil at the end but not sure about the scrum. Do you have any recommendation? Thank you.
Hyosun says
Certainly doable. You can par-boil the ribs in a pot as I showed in my galbijjim recipe, rinse them, and cook in the slow cooker. But be aware the broth may not be as rich and flavorful since the bones need some rapid boiling for that.
Reiko says
Can I use simply “beef ribs” (not much meat on them) in place of the short ribs? This soup sounds delicious, and I have been craving a big bowl of delicious broth. Thanks so much.
Hyosun says
Sure! The meat of the ribs makes this soup very hearty but you’ll get delicious broth from the bones.
Skim11 says
Hello! This was delicious! How long will this keep in the refrigerator?
Hyosun says
Happy to hear it was delicious! Should be fine up to 4 days. It also freeze well.
Melody says
Thanks for the recipe! I tried this and the flavor was great, but the meat was really tough… I followed your instructions and and even tried cooking low and slow for longer at the end, but the meat was still tough. Could I have boiled it too high for too long? And is there anyway to fix it? 🙁
Hyosun says
It also depends on your meat. Some short ribs are tougher than others. The recipe says the second boiling over medium heat, covered, for about an hour. That’s not too high heat. Maybe your heat was too low. Slow cooking over low heat will obviously take much longer. To fix it, try cooking longer, covered, over medium to medium low heat, depending on the strength of your stove. Hope this helps.
Linh says
Hi there! If I use frozen short ribs, do I need to first defrost it and then soak it in water for 30mins? Thanks !!
Hyosun says
Yes that’s how I would do. Defrost in the fridge, and then soak in cold water for best results.
David C Smith says
Hyosun,
I have spent several years total in South Korea and really love the cuisine. Kalbi Tang and Yukae Jang are two of my favorite soups. I made your version of Kalbi Tang for my family last week and it was a hit. Served with a side of steamed rice as if I had ordered it from a restaurant. I love your blog and visit it several times a week.
I have tried to share your site with some Korean friends, but they speak but do not read English very well. Do you have a version of your blog written in Hangul?
Suvendu Das says
Hello sir good morning my name is suvendu das from India iam i have saw your recipe very nice send me new new recipe my mail address thanks have a nice day
della says
Will this work with big cuts of bone-in short rib? The pieces of short rib I got are really long and I was wondering if it will work.
Hyosun says
oh yes! Koreans call that wanggalbi, meaning King size ribs.
Angela says
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! I have made it many times and it is so comforting and nourishing each time.
Mike says
I love this recipe! I can’t help but remember my 선생님 who cooked this for us during our Sejong Hakdang days. Exactly tastes the same. Thank you for sharing.
Lucie says
Is it possible to do this with boneless short rib, if so, how much shorter would I have to cook it? Thanks!
Hyosun says
Yes it’s possible, but the bones add lots of flavor. I’d recommend you cook the same time or a little less, depending on the size. Just try a little bit toward the end to see if it’s tender enough for you.
Lucie says
Thank you so much for the reply. I’m scared my Galbitang won’t be as good since I don’t have the bone. I hope I come close to it by just adjusting the cooking time. Thank you!
Anna says
This recipe is on point and super amaaaazing! I made it today! Thank you so much for sharing this. Its so easy to make! I used korean radish and Sempio soup soysauce and it turned out super delicious. The meat was so super tender and my husband loves it! Im so proud of myself for making this!
Michelle Lee says
Can you recommend other type of noodles that I can put in the soup rather than glass noodles you used? My husband isn’t a big fan of glass noodles. Thanks.
Hyosun says
Somyeon will be good, or skip the noodles entirely.
Michelle Lee says
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Soup came out great. Your recipes are easy to follow and detailed ingredient measurements are great life saver!!
Jen says
Making this recipe as we speak! When you say take out all the vegetables, do you mind the ginger, garlic, and etc. too? Thanks!
Hyosun says
Yes remove them all.
Tom Garcia says
Trying now will up date
Terry Dreher says
Can I substitute beef shanks for short ribs in your Galbitang recipe?
Hyosun says
Sure. It will be a different dish, but still be delicious!
Karla Torres says
making this soup now- we eat it often at a Korean store in Chicago, but with a family of 4 seems better to try to make it at home! So excited, can’t wait!!
Holly Baker says
Fantastic! Thanks for the recipe.
Hyosun says
Thank you!!!
Buster Epperson says
Hyosun,
When folks serve kori kom tang (oxtail soup), they usually have a paste of pepper (kochu jang or kochu karu, I’m not sure which. Could you please clear that up for me?
Also, what do you put in yang nyeom jang?
Buster
Hyosun says
It’s mostly gochugaru and garlic. Some people also add fish sauce, salted shrimp, sugar, etc., depending on their taste preference. Yangnyeom jang varies widely too, depending on the use and preference. See my kongnamul bap recipe or dubu salad for yangnyeomjang. Hope this helps.
Buster Epperson says
Thank you, you are a real life saver. I’d forgotten about your version of yangnyeomjang as I’m not a huge fan of tubu (dubu). Sorry, I’m still trying to understand how one transliterates a kyeok ja as the initial letter into a g sound. To my ear it sounds like a K. (nat noh kko, kyeok ja ddo molla hehehe, that’s me)
Myung Moon says
Instant pot version?
ANNA LEE says
Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes! I am going to make this again tonight – perfect for the cold weather in NYC. 🙂
Hyosun says
My pleasure! Yes it will. Enjoy!
Arti says
Thank you for the recipes.. i made this soup and my family like it..
Gomawo ?
Nhung Nguyen says
I love your writing. I believe the lady was very happy because of your delicated soup.
Thank you for sharing the beautiful review and story to us.
Ely says
I come from time to time to visit your blog. Love it! Never left a message.. today is the day. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Karen says
My condolences. I’m very sorry to hear about your loss.
I made this rib soup today and my boyfriend really liked it! http://i63.tinypic.com/jh7hw1.jpg
Thank you for the recipe!
Hyosun says
Thanks! I am glad to hear your boyfriend liked it! Thanks for the photo and taking the time to leave me comments!
Karen says
You are welcome, Ms Hyosun. I have a question: Why does my dish’s broth looks so much darker than yours? I did not put in daikon, wondering if that’s the problem?
Eun Ju says
Hello!
I came upon your blog and your recipes are a reminder of my mum’s cooking (except with measurements!) When my mum is describing her recipes, it has no measurements so your blog is a God-send to me 🙂
Hyosun says
Hi Eun ju – That’s very nice to hear! I am happy to be helpful.
Daniel Chui says
Hi! Thank you for the great recipes! My little brother and I made this galbitang and also the slow-cooker pork belly.
My condolences for your grandmother. Thank you for sharing your story!
Hyosun says
You’re welcome, Daniel! Thank you for using my recipes and for the condolences!
Hemangini says
Excellent recipe and looks very appetizing.
I am very sorry to hear about your Mother in law . My condolences & sympathy to you and your family.
Hyosun says
Thank you, Hemangini!
Latha says
I am so sorry to hear of your loss, Hyosun. May your mother-in-law rest in peace.
Hyosun says
Thanks, Latha!
Angie G says
Hyosun, I am so sorry to hear of your family’s loss. What a beautiful, and gracious thing for you to do for your sweet MIL, preparing for her this soothing and nutritious soup and feeding it to her. What a loving gesture… Thank you for sharing this recipe with us, and for sharing your grief as well. Deepest sympathies to you and your family.
Hyosun says
Thank you, Angie!
De M says
Could you recommend some soy sauces? I just bought one that was so salty and no flavor…
Thank you
Hyosun says
Please see my ingredient tab on the blog.
Emily J says
Thank you for sharing your recipes! I was wondering if there was a way to make this in the Instapot?