Photo: Amy Sinclair
Chef Ann Kim.
“Korean braised short ribs (galbi jjim) is a dish I grew up eating,” says Ann Kim, the executive chef of the Garden & Gun Club at the Battery Atlanta. “My mother would always cook me this dish for special occasions, and she would serve it with traditional Korean side dishes, including cooked greens.” That’s what made it feel like a natural fit as a recent addition to the Club’s menu, alongside favorites like turkey neck gumbo and buttermilk fried quail. She slowly braises the seared beef ribs in a soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil mixture, then pairs them with grits and collard greens, two classics of her adopted home in the South. “I wanted to share one of my favorite Korean dishes that I knew Southerners would love, too,” Kim says.
Two pro tips if you want to up the presentation ante: First, make the sauce just a little more luxurious. “At the restaurant we strain the sauce and add butter to make a glaze for the meat,” Kim says. Before serving, ladle the sauce through a sieve to separate the solids, then whisk in a tablespoon or two of butter. Second, add a garnish for visual appeal. “I do a quick pickled salad of fennel and cucumbers at the restaurant,” Kim says, “but you could easily do jarred kimchi at home.”
