Delicious Tteokgalbi (Korean Grilled Short Rib Patties)
How to Make Tteokgalbi: A Perfect Side Dish for Kids!
Here’s a recipe for tteokgalbi that everyone from kids to adults will love. It’s a sweet and savory Korean grilled short rib patty. Making a generous batch at once and storing it in the freezer means you’ll have a quick and easy side dish ready whenever you need it. Simply take one out and grill it! Its tender texture and rich juices are sure to delight your taste buds.
Main Ingredients
- 600g ground beef (with a moderate amount of fat)
- 300g ground pork (with some fat)
- 1 medium onion
- 2 white parts of green onions
- 50g carrot
- 3 shiitake mushrooms (fresh or dried)
Tteokgalbi Seasoning
- 50g minced garlic (approx. 3.5 Tbsp)
- 1 clove ginger (minced or grated)
- 5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 150g pear (grated and juice strained)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
- 5 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of sesame oil
- 50g minced garlic (approx. 3.5 Tbsp)
- 1 clove ginger (minced or grated)
- 5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 150g pear (grated and juice strained)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
- 5 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables that will add flavor to the tteokgalbi. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and finely mince the caps. Finely mince the onion and carrot so there are no large pieces. Similarly, finely chop the white parts of the green onions. Set everything aside.
Step 2
Heat a pan with a little oil over medium heat. Add the minced vegetables in this order: carrot, onion, shiitake mushroom, and green onion. Stir-fry until fragrant, then add a pinch of black pepper. Continue to stir-fry until the moisture from the vegetables has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely. (Mixing hot vegetables with the meat can cook the meat prematurely!)
Step 3
Let’s make the essential seasoning for delicious tteokgalbi! In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, strained pear juice, minced ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, corn syrup, cooking wine, and black pepper. Stir well with a spoon until the seasoning is smoothly incorporated.
Step 4
In a large bowl, add the ground beef and ground pork. Add the stir-fried and completely cooled vegetables, the prepared seasoning, 5 Tbsp of glutinous rice flour, and 2 Tbsp of sesame oil. Mix everything together thoroughly using your hands, kneading the mixture well until it becomes sticky. Thorough kneading is crucial for the patties to hold their shape when cooked and not fall apart.
Step 5
Divide the well-mixed dough into portions of about 100g each. To form the tteokgalbi patties, repeatedly slap the dough against your palm. This technique makes the texture tenderer and stickier. Then, flatten and shape each portion into a round, flat patty.
Step 6
Prepare the formed tteokgalbi for freezing. Line a large plate or tray with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place the patties on the liner, leaving some space between them so they don’t stick together. Once completely cooled, portion them into freezer bags or stack them on the tray to freeze. After they are frozen solid, transfer them to a ziplock bag for easier storage and retrieval.
Step 7
When grilling the tteokgalbi, it’s important to use medium-low heat. Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan and cook slowly. If you use high heat, the outside will burn before the inside is cooked through. After placing the tteokgalbi in the pan, don’t flip them immediately. Cover with a lid and let them cook gently until the inside is done.
Step 8
When one side is golden brown, lift the lid and carefully flip the patties. Cover again and cook the other side until it’s also golden brown and cooked through. Your delicious, juicy, and tender tteokgalbi is now ready! Enjoy it with a warm bowl of rice.
