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Try this recipe for Korean beef short ribs, then also check out out classic bulgogi. Also discover more ribs recipes, such as our BBQ peanut pork ribs, lamb ribs and miso-glazed ribs.

Su Scott is an award- winning blogger, having most recently won an OFM award in 2019 in the readers’ recipe category. Su was born and raised in Seoul and came to London a few months shy of her 20th birthday. She set up her recipe blog (babaganuj.com) after having her daughter, wanting to explore and hand down family recipes and traditions. Her recipes are influenced by her childhood in Korea as well as her time living in the UK, dishes that she and her husband, a London-based food photographer, recognise as “our food, from two continents and beyond”.


"This was the dish that appeared on special occasions, for birthdays, holidays and when close friends and family might gather, meticulously prepared by my mother or grandmother. Sometimes, meaty pork ribs were used instead of beef. More exuberant versions often included dried jujube, ginkgo nut, cylinder-shaped rice cakes called garaetteok or glass noodles called dangmyeon made from sweet potato starch. Here, mooli is our hero – it helps to tenderise the meat, adds wonderful depth and is so delicious when cooked. In our household, we fight over this humble radish. Traditionally, it’s cooked on the hob, but I think the consistent heat of the oven, and using a simple baking paper lid to pack in the flavour, give a much better result."

Ingredients

  • 6 (1.2kg) beef short ribs, fat trimmed and membrane removed
  • 2 dried whole red chillies
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 200g mooli, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
  • 100g shiitake mushrooms, large ones halved lengthways
  • 70g whole roasted chestnuts

MARINADE

  • ½ onion, roughly chopped
  • ½ apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
  • ½ pear, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 20g ginger, finely grated
  • 90ml soy sauce
  • 60ml mirin
  • 2 tbsp demerara sugar
  • ground to make ½ tsp black peppercorns

TO SERVE

  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 10g pine nuts, toasted

Method

  • STEP 1

    Soak the ribs in cold water for 1 hour to draw out any blood, changing the water halfway through, then drain. Put the soaked ribs in a large pan and add enough just- boiled water to submerge the meat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the meat to remove any scum. Preparing the ribs this way helps to achieve a rich, clean-tasting gravy.

  • STEP 2

    Whizz together all the marinade ingredients using a food processor or hand blender until smooth. Pour the marinade over the meat, cover and chill for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.

  • STEP 3

    Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the ribs, along with all the marinade, into a large ovenproof casserole. Add the dried chillies, cinnamon and 750ml of just-boiled water. Scrunch up large sheet of baking paper and run it under cold water. Squeeze out the excess water, then lay it directly on top of the stew, so there’s no gap between the ingredients and the paper. Cover the paper with foil and put the lid on to prevent moisture from escaping. Cook in the oven for 2 hours.

  • STEP 4

    Carefully remove the lid, foil and baking paper. Gently stir in the mooli, carrots, mushrooms and chestnuts. Return the baking paper, foil and lid, and cook for 1 hour or until the meat is meltingly tender.

  • STEP 5

    Carefully remove the meat to a serving platter and set aside. Use a ladle to remove any excess fat from the surface of the stew. If the sauce looks bit thin, put it on a rapid boil for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly. The sauce should have a pourable consistency.

  • STEP 6

    Tip the vegetables and sauce over the meat. Drizzle over the sesame oil, scatter over the spring onions and toasted pine nuts to serve.

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