source/inspo: Korean Bapsang

yap over the holidays, gabi and i decided to buy a multicooker (an Instant Pot, colloquially) for funsies, mostly because i thought it’d make meals and prepping easier! in particular, we wanted to make broths and soups; thus, this became the first recipe we followed, and it was great!

ingredients (4 servings) we halved it for ourselves!

  • 3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs
  • 1 medium onion cut into halves
  • 2 large scallions white parts
  • 8 plump garlic cloves (or 1 whole bulb) If using bulb, cut into halves crosswise
  • 3 thin ginger slices 1-inch rounds
  • 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 pound Korean radish cut into bite size pieces (about 1.5-inch square, ⅓ - inch thick)
  • 3 ounces starch noodles dangmyeon, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes - optional
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped garnish

steps

  1. first trim off any thick layer of surface fat on the ribs
  2. then, in a pot, rinse them in cold water a few times to remove surface blood + bone dust
  3. drain then fill the pot w/ enough water to cover the ribs, about 4 cups
  4. close the lid tightly, turn on manual + high pressure for 2 minutes, ensure pressure switch turned to “sealing/sealed”
  5. once done, discard the liquid (or save to use in the soup or future meals). strain to remove brown bits if you’re using it though! then, thoroughly rinse ribs and the pot clean.
  6. return ribs to pot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and soup soy sauce. add about 10 cups of water (ensure it’s below max fill line). then close lid tightly and pressure cook ribs for 35-40 minutes depending on thickness. NPR 10 minutes.
  7. once done, remove ribs, remove aromatic veggies w/ strainer, skim off fat
  8. then, put ribs back in along w/ cut radishes. change instant pot setting to “saute” and boil until radish turns translucent (about 10 min after boiling)
  9. add optional noodles a couple minutes before turning instant pot off. we cooked the noodles separately
  10. salt and pepper to taste! skim off or use fat separator to remove remaining fat if served hot. or just chill soup and discard the solidified fat. garnish w/ chopped scallions to serve!

tips

  • the strained cooking liquid in step 5 can make the soup taste more “beefy” if added back in!
  • removing scum and fat early on helps keep the broth clear and clean
  • a good soup soy sauce makes a big difference in the taste. you can also use light fish sauce or regular soy sauce, but the latter can make the soup very dark, so use small amount and season w/ salt
  • gabi recommends to still soak the short ribs beforehand to reduce the fat/scum in the initial cooking, making it easier to clean and continue onwards!