Healthy Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Beef)

Ingredients

• 2 lb beef stew meat (lean cut; use the tip of a knife to make small slits for better marination)
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns (for the initial boil to reduce meat smell)
• 2 tbsp cooking wine (matsul; for the initial boil)
• 2 tbsp mirin (2 parts)
• 2 tbsp matsul (Korean cooking wine; 2 parts)
• 4 tbsp soy sauce (4 parts)
• 1 tsp oyster sauce (a tiny bit)
• 1 tbsp sugar (1 part)
• 3 tbsp honey (3 parts; can substitute with maple syrup)
• 0.5 tbsp minced garlic (1/2 part)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 2 carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 1 sweet potatoes (large, peeled and cut into chunks; or yams)
• 0.5 radish (Korean radish or daikon, cut into chunks)
• 2 green onion (large ones, cut into long segments)
• water (enough to just cover the meat in the pot)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the beef stew meat by using the tip of a knife to make small slits across the surface of the meat to allow the sauce to penetrate deeply.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add whole peppercorns and cooking wine (matsul).

3. 3

   Add the meat to the boiling water and blanch briefly to reduce the meat smell. Drain the meat and rinse it thoroughly with cold water.

4. 4

   Place the rinsed meat back into the pot. Add 2 parts mirin, 2 parts matsul, 4 parts soy sauce, a tiny bit of oyster sauce, 1 part sugar, 3 parts honey (or maple syrup), 1/2 part minced garlic, and black pepper.

5. 5

   Pour in enough fresh water to just cover the meat.

6. 6

   Add the prepared carrots, sweet potatoes (or yams), radish, and large green onions to the pot.

7. 7

   Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat without a lid.

8. 8

   Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for about an hour until the meat is super tender.

Notes

The author uses a 'parts' system for the sauce (e.g., 4 parts soy sauce to 1 part sugar). For a standard batch using 2 lbs of meat, a 'part' is roughly equivalent to 1 tablespoon. Using stew meat makes this a great meal-prep option that fits well into fitness macros.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Korean
• beef
• stew
• healthy
• high-protein
• meal-prep
• slow-cooked