Flo Lum is a Vancouver-based food creator and the author of The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook, a title that reflects just how deeply she has explored what pressure cooking can do. Her YouTube channel — warm, practical, and refreshingly unintimidating — has earned her a loyal following of home cooks who want real flavors without the fuss. When Flo turns her attention to Galbi Jjim, the beloved Korean braised beef short rib dish, the result is something that honestly punches far above its weeknight weight class.
About the Recipe
Galbi Jjim occupies a special place in Korean culinary culture. Traditionally reserved for holidays, family gatherings, and celebratory tables, it demands time — long, slow braising in a sauce built from soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and the gentle sweetness of Asian pear. The collagen in the bone-in short ribs slowly transforms into silky gelatin, coating every surface of the meat in a rich, lacquered sauce. It is, in short, one of those dishes that tastes like effort.
Flo's Instant Pot approach changes the calculus entirely. By harnessing the power of pressurized steam, she coaxes out that same depth of flavor and that same fall-off-the-bone tenderness in a fraction of the traditional time. The sweet-savory braising liquid becomes intensely concentrated, and the ribs emerge with the glossy, restaurant-quality finish that normally requires a full afternoon in the kitchen. It is hard to overstate how good this smells while it is cooking.
Key Highlights from Flo's Technique
- Blanching the short ribs before pressure cooking removes impurities and keeps the braising sauce clean and crystal-clear rather than murky — a step that genuinely improves the final presentation.
- Asian pear, grated directly into the marinade, does double duty: it tenderizes the meat through natural enzymes while adding a quiet, floral sweetness that balances the saltiness of the soy.
- The braising liquid is reduced using the Sauté function after pressure cooking, transforming it from a cooking medium into a proper, spoon-coating sauce.
- Bone-in ribs are non-negotiable here — the bones release collagen that gives the sauce its signature glossy body.
- Flo adds carrots and daikon radish toward the end of the cook time so they stay tender without falling apart, preserving both texture and color.
Watch Flo Make It
Flo's instruction style is calm and precise — exactly what you want when you are attempting a dish with as much reputation as Galbi Jjim for the first time. Watch her walk through every stage, from the blanch to the final sauce reduction, and you will feel completely ready to try it yourself.
A Cookware Note
While your Instant Pot handles the braising, it is worth thinking about the rest of the meal. A proper Korean Galbi Jjim spread calls for steamed rice and a handful of simple side dishes — banchan like steamed egg or blanched greens. Artisan Cookware Co.'s Stackable Insert Pans were made for exactly this moment: stack them inside your Instant Pot and you can steam your rice and a vegetable side simultaneously, keeping everything separate and perfectly cooked without running a second appliance. It is the kind of one-pot efficiency that makes a celebratory meal feel genuinely achievable on a Tuesday.
Give It a Try
Galbi Jjim has earned its reputation. With Flo Lum's Instant Pot method, you do not need a special occasion to make it — just a few hours on a weekend afternoon, or even a busy weeknight if you are feeling ambitious. The result is the kind of dish that makes everyone at the table stop talking and start eating. That is always a good sign.
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