Spicy Korean Short Rib Ramyun

This is basically a Korean version of Japanese Ramen soup noodles and in fact “Shin Ramyun” are a popular Korean brand of dried instant noodles (and my preferred brand regardless of what sort of ramen I make).

I am a bit of a ramen obsessive truth be told: I have it frequently for lunch and dream of the day when I make my own tonkotsu ramen. For now I make do with this sort of thing instead. But anyway, the point being, as a massive ramen fan when I saw this recipe on Serious Eats while browsing through the “Food Lab” I knew that I absolutely had to try it.

The original recipe called for a jar of cabbage kimchi, with its juices but I had neither the time nor inclination (I don’t like kimchi) to make the trip to buy some, so noticing a packet of kimchi flavour instant noodles in the supermarket bought them to use the flavouring sachet. I decided a bit of acidic fermentation juices were probably also in order though and so also added a little of the pickling vinegar from my jar of preserved lemons.

Do feel free to leave either of these out - obviously it would be best to leave kimchi in altogether (so again, if you like it, feel free to actually use it) as this is after all supposed to be Korean, but there you go. Oh, and by the way, this is absolutely amazing.


Spicy Korean Short Rib Ramyun
serves 2-3 (actually - lets face it, 2)

1 (3-inch) piece kombu (dried kelp)
30g katsuobushi (shaved smoked dried bonito)
4 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 tbsp groundnut oil
500-600g beef short ribs
1 small onion, cut in half
1 (2-inch) knob ginger, cut into three slices
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp Korean gochujang, plus more to taste
½ tbsp Sichuan bean paste (doubanjiang)
850ml chicken stock
150g daikon, cut into rounds
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic
½ tbsp Korean red pepper flakes (kochukaru), plus more to taste
1 kimchi seasoning sachet from a packet of instant noodles (see note)
1 tsp pickling vinegar (see note above)
½ tbsp soy sauce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2-3 servings ramen-style noodles
2 soft boiled eggs

Cover the kombu with 600ml cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to boil, immediately reduce the heat to low and add the katsuobushi.

Let steep for 15 minutes (making sure it doesn’t boil), then drain the broth into a jug and discard the solids.

Heat ½ tbsp oil in a cast iron casserole over a medium-high heat until lightly smoking then add the short ribs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total. 

You may have to do this in batches - just don’t crowd the pan else they’ll steam and not brown. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the onion (cut side down) and ginger to the pot and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside with the ribs.

Add 3 cloves garlic and the roughly chopped spring onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Return the short ribs, onion and ginger to the pot along with the gochujang and doubanjiang.

Stir to coat the vegetables and beef in the spice mixture.

Add the strained kombu broth as well as the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Bring to a boil then reduce to the lightest of simmers, partially covered until the beef easily separates from the bones, about 4 hours.

About 30-60 minutes before the cooking time is up add the daikon and continue to simmer.

For best results, remove from the heat after 4 hours, allow to cool and then transfer the pot to the fridge overnight.

When ready to continue, strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer (if it had been in the fridge overnight you’ll probably have to reheat it slightly until it liquefies) and transfer the liquid to a medium pot and skim off any excess fat. Pick out the short ribs and daikon (probably you’ll be picking out meat and bones separately - discard the bones and transfer the meat to a chopping board). Discard the remaining solids (or eat all bar the ginger slices as we did).

Roughly chop the meat and set aside.

Add the kochukaru, kimchi seasoning and pickling juice to the soup and then finely grate a garlic clove into it. Add soy sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper but also extra kochukaru and gochujang if you like. Bring to a simmer and keep warm.

Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil in a medium frying or sauté pan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. 

Add the chopped short rib and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisped in spots and well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions and divide these between individual pre-heated serving bowls. Top with the broth, followed by the crisped beef and mushrooms, sliced spring onions, daikon, and a soft boiled egg split in half. Serve immediately.