Korean Braised Beef with Pickles and Jammy Eggs
A incredibly simple yet immensely flavorful braised beef, made Korean-style thanks to the addition of soy sauce, cabbage, pickles, sesame oil, and served up with eggs, kimchi, and other amazing aromatics. This one tastes as beautiful as it looks. (I’ve given the simple slow cooker alternative method below).
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch pieces (brisket and eye of round also work)
6 whole garlic cloves - 3 scallions, chopped with white and green parts separated
- 2/3 cup spicy bread and butter or spicy dill pickles
- 2/3 cup soy sauce, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon beef stock concentrate
- 10 to 12 large leaves Napa cabbage, shredded (this will cook down dramatically)
- 3 to 4 cups water
- Lots of freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 eggs
- Hot cooked white rice, for serving
Additional serving suggestions/options: kimchi, scallion greens, chopped cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, fresh/cold thinly sliced cucumbers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position.
- Put the beef into a large Dutch oven, followed by the garlic cloves, scallion whites (save the green parts for topping!), pickles, cabbage, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, stock concentrate, 2.5 cups water, and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Put the lid on the pot and let it cook for 3 hours, undisturbed.Â
- To make the soft boiled eggs: Fix a bowl of ice water (to hold the cooked eggs). Boil a small pot of water. Gently put the eggs into the boiling water and boil for exactly 6 minutes. Immediately transfer them to the ice water. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel them and slice them lengthwise.Â
- Optional sauce thickening step: When the beef is finished transfer it to a plate, leaving the sauce in the pot (with the pickles). Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small bowl with 3 tablespoons of the hot braising liquid. Stir until smooth, and pout into the pot, stirring to ensure no clumps form. Allow the sauce to come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. This will thicken it nicely, making it very glossy and luscious. It’s optional, though.Â
- To build your braised beef and rice bowls, put some rice in a bowl and top with some of the braised beef (and lots of sauce!). Top with whatever you like really, but especially a jammy egg, some chopped scallions and cilantro, kimchi, and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
This can be made in a slow cooker, if preferred. Simply put all of the ingredients, through the pepper – along with 2.5 cups water – and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. You can transfer the beef to a plate and thicken the sauce in a sauce pot on the stove, as instructed in the directions above.