Korean Sweet and Salty Pork Ribs (Soy Sauce based)

Tender pork ribs braised and broiled in a sweet and salty soy sauce based marinade. This is the perfect party dish indoors or outdoors!

This dish is made super easy by the Instant Pot since you don’t have to watch it while it cooks to tender. It also makes the meat extra tender, fall of the bone in no time. But if you don’t have an instant pot, you can definitely still make this in a regular pot by cooking the pork on the stove – medium heat – for about 40-50 minutes until the pork is tender.

I am a super-fan of the spicy version that I made adapted from Baek Jong Won. The pork is so tender, and the spicy-cheesy variation made it a very popular dish at home-parties. Since the spicy version was so delicious I wanted to pair it with a non-spicy rib to offer. For a big party, make both side-by-side and it will offer a great spicy vs sweet and salty combination. Enjoy!

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Korean Sweet and Salty Pork Ribs (Dwaeji Galbi)

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: 2 servings

Jennifer | Chopsticks and Flour

Ingredients

• 2 lbs 4 oz (1 kg) pork ribs spare ribs, baby back ribs
• 1/4 cup mirim Korean cooking wine
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorn
• 2 green onion
• 8 garlic cloves
• 4-6 spicy dried red peppers optional*

Sauce

• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 6 Tbsp soy sauce (same as 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp)
• 1.5 Tbsp maesil chung Korean plum extract (can be substituted for about 2 tsp honey)
• 3 Tbsp rice syrup (ssal yeot) corn syrup (mul yeot), jo chung, honey
• 3 Tbsp mirim Korean cooking wine
• 3 Tbsp minced garlic

Instructions

Prepping the Pork for the Instant Pot

• Prep the pork. If you bought a rack, remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs, pulling it down the entire length.Separate the ribs by cutting the meat between the bones. (I prefer to buy pork ribs that are already separated to make it easier.)
• Parboil the pork to get rid of any of the meaty odors (often done in Korean meat dishes). Bring a large pot of water, enough to submerge the pork. Once it is boiling, add in the pork ribs, 1/4 cup mirim, 1 tsp whole black peppercorn. Continue to simmer for about 8 minutes with the lid off.
• Drain the water and wash the ribs under cold running water.

Instant Pot! (or Standard Pot)

• Place the clean ribs in the instant pot. Add in all of the sauce ingredients into the instant pot. Mix around the sauce in the pot and spoon it over the pork. Add in the garlic cloves, spicy dried red peppers and green onion.
  
• Close the lid and pressure cook on high! I found that 19 minutes was perfect (random minute). It was tender with slight chew.

  **You can do about 16 minutes if you want it chewier or up to about 24 minutes for it to be fall of the bone. When done, natural release for about 5 minutes or fully.
• Open the lid and turn the Instant Pot on to “saute”. This will continue to make the pot simmer and cook. Simmer and reduce the sauce looks very thick, about 7-8 minutes.

  *If you are not using an instant pot, use large pot and broil on medium heat, covered for about 50 minutes until tender. Since water reduces more in a regular pot, pour in more water as the pork cooks to continue softening. Once tender, take the lid off and reduce the sauce until thick.
  
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Broil and Serve

• *Optional to broil. In the meantime, heat your oven to broil.
• Move the pork to a cast iron or oven friendly dish. Brush or pour more of the sauce on top of the pork.

  Broil the pork dish about 4-6 minutes on one side. Flip the pork over and broil for about 3 minutes. Keep your on the pork as the strength of your oven will differ.
  
• The pork ribs are now ready to serve! Sprinkle the scallions. Enjoy with a warm bowl of rice. Enjoy!