Spicy galbijjim (braised beef short ribs) cooked in the pressure cooker! Enjoy tender ribs that are spicy, sweet and savory in a fraction of the time.
Galbijjim (갈비찜, braised beef short ribs) is something I cook over and over simply because everyone loves the sweet and savory taste of the delectably tender ribs. Lately, I’ve been making this spicy version with excellent results! It’s becoming a new favorite.
Until I bought an Instant Pot, I mostly used my slow cooker for braising tough meat because of its easy, hands-free cooking. The Instant Pot pressure cooking offers the same benefit, but in a fraction of the time! If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can always turn to my recipe for traditional stove top galbijjim or slow cooker galbijjim. Simply adjust the seasonings to make this spicy version.
How to prepare the short ribs
First off, look for short ribs with the most meat and less fat. I almost always use bone-in short ribs for braising simply because meat cooked on the bone tastes better. However, use boneless if that’s all you can find.
Even high quality short ribs will have some fat, which is not a bad thing. Trim off any thick layers of fat from the short ribs without removing the thin, tough skin that holds the rib together.
Korean cooks soak the ribs in water and parboil to remove the blood and fat for a cleaner taste. Here, I skipped parboiling and simply pre-soaked the ribs in cold water to draw out the blood.
How to prepare the braising liquid for spicy galbijjim
For this spicy version, I adjusted the braising liquid used for my slow cooker galbijjim to incorporate gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) and gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). If you like it really spicy, add more gochugaru, some dried whole red chili peppers, or fresh chili peppers.
I also grated all the aromatic vegetables for the flavors to penetrate the meat faster because the cooking time here is much shorter.
How to braise the short ribs in the Instant Pot
Traditionally, Korean braising does not involve searing the ribs, although more people do it in modern days. I didn’t sear the ribs in this recipe, but you know it’s easy with the “Sauté” function of the Instant Pot (see my Instant Pot braised oxtail), if you like rich browned meat flavor.
You can do all the prep work the night before, and turn on the Instant Pot when you’re ready to cook. This, of course, marinates the ribs, which is a flavor contribution as well. You can also cook the ribs ahead of time. The flavor of short ribs improves over the next day or two.
All you need is about 35 minutes (40 minutes if you like it fall off the bone tender) pressure cooking time, depending on how thick your meat is and how tender you want your meat. To let the meat rest and further tenderize, I usually wait 10 to 15 minutes for a natural pressure release before releasing the remaining pressure.
More Instant Pot recipes
Instant Pot kkorijjim (oxtail)
Instant Pot Dak Bokkeumtang (spicy chicken stew)
Instant Pot Nureungji Baeksuk (boiled chicken and rice)
Instant Pot kimchi jjigae (stew)
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
- 3.5 to 4 pounds English cut beef short ribs, galbi (갈비)
- 8 ounces Korean radish, mu (무) cut into large chunks
- 1 medium carrot cut into large chunks
- 3 to 4 dried shiitake mushrooms briefly soaked and quartered
Braising liquid:
- 1/2 medium Korean/Asian pear
- 1/2 medium onion
- 8 plump garlic cloves
- 1 inch long ginger piece
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin or dry white wine)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons gochugaru (고추가루)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (고추장)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar) Use 1 TB more if you like it sweeter
- pepper to taste
Other additions and garnishes:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 scallions roughly chopped (and some finely sliced for optional garnish)
- sesame seeds - optional
Instructions
- Trim off any thick layer of surface fat. Place the ribs in a large bowl with enough water to cover all the ribs. Add a couple of tablespoons of sugar and stir until dissolved. Let the ribs soak for about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse the ribs. Drain well while preparing the other ingredients.
- In a small blender, blend the pear, onion, garlic, and ginger well. You can separately grate them if you want. Transfer to a bowl. Mix it with the remaining braising liquid ingredients.
- Place the short ribs in the pot, and add the vegetables.
- Pour the braising liquid over. Toss everything well to coat the ribs evenly. Close the lid tightly. Press the “Meat” function, and using the “+” button, set the time to 35 minutes (or 40 minutes for fall off the bone tender meat). Make sure the pressure switch is turned to “sealing”. When finished, the Instant Pot will automatically turn to the “Keep Warm” mode. Leave the pressure cooker alone for 10 to 15 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure and opening the lid. You can leave it longer if you want.
- Stir in the scallion and the sesame oil. Remove the meat and vegetables from the pressure cooker. Spoon off the fat. Pour the sauce over the ribs to serve. You can also cool it in the fridge or freezer until the fat solidifies to spoon off, and then reheat the sauce. Garnish with the optional scallions and sesame seeds.
CANDY LEGORRETA. says
What brands do you use for cooking? Which do u recommend? I know all brands have different flavors and quality.
Sarah says
Hi Mrs. Hyosun!
I have to tell you I’ve been frequently using your instant pot recipes for the winter and the meals have been coming out amazing! I love how fast and tender the meat comes out. I’ll put everything in the instant pot a couple of
hours before the kids come home so the meat has time to absorb the juices. I have no issues with burning or running out of liquid when I follow the measurements of the recipes. I love all the tips and advices. It’s made meal preps so much easier. Just made the spicy galbijim (love that it’s not too sweet), fresh cooked rice in the rice cooker, and about to put asparagus in the oven. Thank you for sharing your recipes! I even had time to make chocolate chip cookies for the family. ❤️
Fraser says
I followed your recipe exactly as it is written and I’ve got to the stage where the braising liquid and the vegetables are in the pot. Your picture shows a fair bit of liquid in the pot and my braising liquid is very thick there is no liquid coming up the side like there is in your picture. Can you please advise?
Hyosun says
If you have the amount of liquid as shown in the step 2 for the amounts of the ribs that’s called for, it should be fine. The photo is taken from the above and it doesn’t look like much comes up to the side.
Tee says
Wow! This was delicious! Need instant pot for success!!
Jeanie says
The recipe calls for no more than 1 cup of liquid ( soy sauce, mirin etc). Is that enough liquid to cook the meat and vegetables in the instant pot. My meat burns every time when I use such small amount of liquid.
Kati says
Does this recipe and measurements only serve 4 people? About how many can this feed?
Hyosun says
It really depends on the serving size. I’d consider about 2 rib pieces per serving.
Donald says
This looks like a wonderful recipe, and I can’t wait to try it.
Question – 35 mns of Instapot time seems about right for the ribs but it seems as though it would obliterate and overcook the vegetables. Is that not the case? Might you cook the vegetables separately and then add them in?
Thanks for any reactions!
Hyosun says
It will, but the vegetables are more for flavoring the ribs in the braised dish. You can add some more vegetables separately cooked if you want.
YL Home Cook says
I made this without the chili peppers and the gochujang/garu (cuz of kids), and cooked in pressure cooker for about 40 minutes. This recipe is as good as restaurant quality! When restaurants charge $50 or more (in 2022) for an order of anything, I start looking around for home recipes. My wife, who loves Korean food, also loved this recipe. Thank you!
Hyosun says
So happy to hear that!! Yes this type of food is expensive at restaurants. Plus, you can adjust to your taste if cooking it yourself. Thank you so much for trying it out and leaving me the feedback!
Catherine Huang says
Hello! I have 4.5lbs of meat. Do you think I can use the same amount of ingredients in this recipe? Thanks!
Hyosun says
Yes you can, but be heavy-handed with your measurements.
Esther says
Thank you for this recipe! Do you think it would be okay with pork spare ribs?
Hyosun says
Definitely!
AMDF says
If I parboil the ribs, does it change the cook time in the Instant Pot? Thank you!
Hyosun says
Depending on how long you boiled, yes you can reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.
A says
I halved the recipe (added a little water also) and cooked in pressure cooker for 20 min just in case – it came out really burned 🙁 was it the halving?
Hyosun says
Must be if you used all the vegetables and liquid that are called for in the recipe. As you can see from the photo, the recipe yields a lot of liquid at the end. What size Instant Pot did you use?
Michael says
Hello,
What should I do if I want to make this using a regular stovetop? Do I follow your regular stovetop galbijjim recipe? As in boiling the ribs first using 5 cups of water, then adding 2 cups of the reserved stock to the ribs & braising liquid.
I’ve been making your galbijjim many times and it’s always been a hit with my family! Thank you very much for teaching us how to cook legit Korean food!
Hyosun says
You got it! That’s how I’d do it. The same method with the different seasoning. So happy to hear the other galbijjim is a hit with your family! My family loves it so much as well. My pleasure to be helpful! Happy Korean cooking!
Michael says
Hello,
I’d like to make this but I don’t have an instant pot or slow cooker, so I’ll be using a stove top instead. My question is, do I follow the steps for the stovetop galbijjim for this recipe? As in boiling the ribs first with 5 cups of water, then adding 2 cups of the reserved stock to the ribs & braising liquid.
I’ve been making your stovetop galbijjim many times and it’s always been a hit with my family! Thank you very much for teaching us how to cook legit Korean dishes!
Stephanie says
I tried this today and really like the turn out! I preboiled the ribs, and put them in instapot for 35 minutes. I would put it for maybe 5-8 minutes longer next time since I prefer it to be more tender. But overall a great recipe and definitely easy to make! Highly recommend.
Sam F. says
We made this today and was delicious! We marinated the meat with the sauce overnight and flavors were amazing and spice level was perfect!
Has anyone tried cooking this with other beef cuts?
Sarah says
I used tri tip from Costco and it came out delicious!
Hyosun says
oh that’s great to know! Thank you for letting us know!!
SarahW says
This recipe made the most delicious galbijim and rivals the best galbijim specialty restaurants I’ve eaten at in Los Angeles and Seoul! I live with people who can’t handle too much spice, so I omitted the gochugaru, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Superb – thank you so much!
Hyosun says
Wow thank you so much for such generous words! I really appreciate it.
Edward says
This recipe was fantastic! I used a lot more garlic and onion as well as more sugar since I like it a little sweeter. Thank you so much for sharing!
Steve says
It is really good!!! No more eating this dish at a restaurant. Thank you very much.
Hyosun says
Aww awesome! Thank you so much for trying it and letting me know.
Grace says
Hello!
This tasted great. The meat fell off the bone but was actually a little chewy. What can I do to make it more tender next time?
Hyosun says
Try cooking for 5 more minutes and longer NPR. If possible, try to get short ribs with good marbling. I’m also working on another Instant Pot galbijjim recipe, so stay tuned!
Jason says
Just made this tonight. I didn’t have short ribs but used some chuck roast I had cut into similar sized pieces. Such a good recipe. Nice balance of sweet, spicy and savory. Thank you!!!
Mike says
I followed most of the steps, but it did not come out as I expected. We don’t need to add water at all?
Hyosun says
Can you tell me specifically what was not as expected? As you can see from the photos, the braising liquid has lots of liquid, and it yields enough sauce after cooked.
Bo McCoy says
I just left a review about your tteokbokki recipe and regaled a story about how I came about trying it out. I talked about going to Sun Dong Nan in Rowland Heights and trying their amazing galbi jjim and how my wife asked that I recreate it.
After searching far and wide at recipes, I came across yours and tried it out. Needless to say, the recipe is AMAZING and my wife was making num-num noises (a good sign). She absolutely devoured it.
This recipe, much like your tteokbokki recipe, will be a stable in my rotation.
One huge recommendation for those who want to cook this recipe. Do not use the America cut of short ribs. If you have a Korean market nearby, go there. They have a cut where the meat is nearly a 2in by 2in block that sites atop the rib bone.
I also par-boiled the ribs versus just letting them sit in water. This helped tremendously in removing the scrum from the ribs as well as at lot of the extemporaneous fat. The resulting sauce did not need to have the fat skimmed from it.
I never leave recipe reviews and you are two for two. I am definitely a fan. I need to see if you have Dak Galbi recipe!
Hyosun says
Thank you so much! Par-boiling is certainly a good thing to do, and I showed that with some of my other recipes. I just wanted to simplify the recipe a bit here.
Joey says
this looks amazing! i do have a question. I see that you are using the larger short ribs for the stew. I currently have a hefty amount of thin-sliced short ribs, like the ones serve at korean bbq places. would there be a difference in cooking time? or any other recipe changes?
Hyosun says
Yes, they will take much less time to cook. Depending on the amount of ribs you’re using, you might have to adjust the amount of seasonings, proportionately. Hope this helps.
Linda says
I tried this recipe today! The flavor is very good! Only exception, the radish is very bitter. Do you know why every time I put radish in pressure cooker, it came out bitter?
Hyosun says
Summer radish tends to be bitter. It should be okay with fall or winter Korean radish. You can use potato instead if you want.
Stephanie says
Can you make the braising liquid the night before, perhaps? Would it keep alright in the fridge for one night?
Hyosun says
Of course! Very good idea.
Rufus Williams says
The recipe is okay, like the comment above how it taste like sun dong Nan… It does not. Not even close. It’s pretty good though.
David N says
I want to add Korean rice cakes to it. Any recommendations on when and how long I should them?
Hyosun says
In step 5 after removing the ribs and vegetables, you can add rice cake pieces and cook until tender on the Saute setting. The time required will really depend on your rice cake, 5 to 10 min. You will need to add some water or broth (about 1/2 cup).
Joy says
Can you take out the gochujang and gochugaru if you want just a normal galbijjim?
Hyosun says
Yes! You can a little more soy sauce to supplement the salt level gochujang provides or simply use the braising liquid in the slower cooker galbijjim recipe.
Grace says
Thank you for posting this recipe! I was wondering if I wanted to double the recipe, would I double the ingredients or should I cook it twice? I have a 6 qt. instant pot.
Hyosun says
I’d suggest you do it in two separate batches. You can use a little more meat to this recipe, but doubling the recipe in 6 qt would be too much to cook at once.
Jason says
Looking forward to making this tonight! Is it okay To use fresh shiitake instead of dried?
Hyosun says
oh yes definitely! Enjoy!
Daniel Chui says
Just tried your recipe and it was absolutely delicious. I used Bartlet pear and regular beef ribs since it’s what I had on hand. The spice level was perfect for me!
Thank you Hyosun!
Hyosun says
That’s great to hear, Daniel! Love to hear you made it work with whatever ingredients you had on hand. Thank you so much for the great review!
Grace says
What kind of instant pot do you use? 🙂
Hyosun says
Instant Pot 6 Qt
Ann Truong says
Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes.
Looking at a photo of your Instant Pot, I noticed the Max line is quite close to the edge. It is unlike my newly bought Instant Pot (6 in 1 pressure cooker), where the max line stops at 2/3 of the pot.
Can you please let me know the size of your pot (3, 6 or 8 quarts) and its model.
Thank you.
Hyosun says
Mine is 6 qt. It could be due to the camera angle.