Korean braised short ribs

INGREDIENTS

* 2 pounds of either: 1/4 inch flanken cut beef short ribs or 1 inch cross cut beef short ribs, separated and butterflied.
* salt

Marinade

* 1/2 cup natural brewed soy sauce
* 1 small onion
* 1 small Nashi (Asian) pear or semi sweet apple
* 6 cloves garlic
* 1 inch fresh ginger
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar or 3 tablespoons honey
* 4 spring/green onion
* 2 teaspoons pure toasted sesame seed oil
* 1 tablespoon rice wine
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* water as needed

Additional Ingredients for Galbi Ssanju Ssam

* 4 bunches red leaf lettuce
* “sticky” rice
* 6 cloves garlic
* 5 fresh jalapeño peppers

Ssamjang

* 4 tablespoon of soybean paste (Korean-doenjang/Japanese-Miso)
* 4 tablespoon medium ground red chili powder
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 2 green/spring onion
* 4 cloves garlic
* 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
* 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon rice wine
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix Marinade:
2. Cut onion, pear/apple, and ginger into small pieces and place in blender with garlic and just enough water to blend into a smooth pourable paste. Pour into medium mixing bowl.
3. Trim root and top 1/8 inch of green onion, rinse in cold water, and finely chop. Add to bowl.
4. Add all other ingredients. Mix well and let stand for at least fifteen minutes.Note: If marinade is very thick, you can thin it by adding water and soy sauce in a 1 to 1 ratio.

5. Prepare Meat:


1. 1/4 inch flanken cut: (L. A. Style)
Very lightly salt each slice on both sides and let stand for ten minutes.

2. 1 inch crosscut ribs:(Traditional Style)
If your meat counter can not butterfly the ribs;

Separate the ribs by slicing down the center between ribs.

Next, with a small thin knife, slice into the “meaty” side at the center of the rib section, stopping just before cutting through the membrane. Turn your knife 90º (perpendicular or flat to the bone) right and carefully slice the meat at roughly 1/8 inch thickness outward until just short of slicing through, roll the loosened flap of meat away from the knife, and continue slicing until again just short of slicing through.

Repeat until you reach the “end” of the meat. Do the same for the left side and repeat this with each rib section.

Very lightly salt each section on both sides and let stand for ten minutes.

3. Place meat into a bowl, pour in enough marinade to just cover the meat and mix well. (Any leftover marinade may be refrigerated for later use)
4. Cover and place in refrigerator. Let meat stand in marinade for at least one hour.Meat may now be placed in zip lock style bags and frozen for later use. If not freezing at this point, let stand in marinade for 6 to 24 hours.

5. Cooking:
Heat grill on high heat. Grill until well browned on both sides.(about two minutes per side)

Serve with steamed white rice and ban chan.

6. Kai Bi Sangjju Ssam (Kai Bi in loose leaf lettuce rolls)
Prepare Kai bi as above.

7. While marinating:
Mix the Ssam jang -

Finely chop the garlic and green onion. In a small mixing bowl, add all Ssam jang ingredients and mix well. Add a small amount of water if needed to maintain a mixable paste.

Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

8. Separate lettuce leaves, rinse, and drain. Gently pat dry and place on a serving plate.Thin slice the garlic and peppers, and place in separate small dishes.

9. Cook the kai bi as above.
Serve with one bowl of rice for each person.

10. How to Eat -
Put one leaf of lettuce in one hand, add a little rice, a piece of kai bi (cut from the bone), some sliced pepper and garlic, a bit of kimchi, and a bit of the Ssam jang.

Carefully close your hand, forming the lettuce into a ball around the “stuffing”, and eat the whole roll in one bite. A little practice may be needed to get that “one mouth full” size right.