Kimchi Braised Short Ribs
Korean food has taken over! The flavors are on steroids, the dishes have incredible depth, and the variety of ingredients and recipes are vast. Living in NY has its perks when it comes to Korean food and experiencing its flavors. Aside, Korean restaurants have been popping up in smaller cities and towns across the country and for good reason.
We're here to make sure that you get exposed to an essential ingredient and flavor profile. Kimchi is everywhere now. It's a perfect side dish on its own and an even better enhancer when cooked with other ingredients. Kimchi is a salted and fermented cabbage dish from ancient times when food preservation at the end of harvest was crucial for survival in the winter months.
Fresh or old, sour or funky, Kimchi is a great way to ignite and level up your flavors whether in fried rice, stews, or sauces. Today, we're looking at a kimchi stew base that starts with a traditional dashi broth. We'll then use this flavor packed liquid to braise short ribs in until they are sticky, falling off the bone delicious. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
10 dried anchovies, heads & guts removed
4 in x 5 in square kombu
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
5 ½ cups cold water
½ cup apple juice
1 bunch green onions
4 lbs English cut short ribs
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup sake, Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
¼ cup kimchi brine
3 cups kimchi, chopped
1 TBSP gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes
2 TBSP gochujang fermented Korean chili paste
Removing the heads and dark guts of the dried anchovies. Place the kombu, dried anchovies, and dried shiitake mushrooms into a medium saucepan. Pour in the water and apple juice and soak for 30 minutes. Add in 2 green onion stalks and bring the dashi to the boil over high heat. Skim the surface of any foam that rises. As soon as the water starts to simmer, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the kombu and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Trim and remove excess fat from 4 lbs of short ribs. Generously season on all sides with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large dutch oven over high heat for 90 seconds. Add in the vegetable oil and sesame oil and brown the short ribs on all sides. Cook them in batches so that you don’t over crowd the pan.
Once browned, remove the short ribs and soak up all but 1 TBSP of fat with a paper towel. Add in the onion along with a pinch of Kosher salt. Sweat the onion for 5 minutes and add in the garlic. Cook for another minute stirring often and deglaze the pan with the sake and kimchi brine. Continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated.
Add in the kimchi and cook for 3 minutes over high heat. Pour in the strained dashi broth and add in the gochugaru, gochujang, and 1 TBSP of Kosher salt. Mix to combine and add in the short ribs. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover loosely, and place into a preheated 350F oven for 2 hours. Once the ribs are fork tender, remove them from the pot and bring the stew to a boil over high heat. Place the pan on one side of the burner and skim the fat off the top. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
