Korean Braised Beef Shank

Quick answer

Total time: 145 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Satae jjim is a Korean braised beef shank dish that begins with soaking the meat in cold water to draw out blood before any heat is applied.

The shank is then simmered slowly with aromatics for well over two hours, a duration that is not optional but essential. Shank is dense with connective tissue that turns unpleasantly tough under short, high heat, but extended low heat dissolves that tissue entirely, leaving the beef soft enough to pull apart along its grain with minimal effort. Soy sauce and sugar build a deeply savory-sweet braising liquid that penetrates the meat as it cooks, glazing the exterior with a dark, lacquered sheen. Radish is added in the later stages so it can absorb the concentrated broth without completely losing its texture, contributing a clean, refreshing contrast to the richness of the meat. The finished braise tastes noticeably better after a night in the refrigerator, when the seasoning has fully permeated every fiber and the chilled gelatin, once reheated, naturally thickens the sauce.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

beef shank900 gg

korean radish250 gg

onion150 gg

soy sauce5 tbsptbsp

sugar1½ tbsptbsp

minced garlic1 tbsptbsp

ginger15 gg

water1200 mlml

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Soak 900 g beef shank in cold water for 40 minutes.

If the water turns very red halfway through, replace it once to draw out more blood and reduce any heavy meaty odor before cooking.
2

Control

Put the shank into boiling water and blanch it over high heat for 3 minutes.

Rinse away the foam and residue from the surface so the braising liquid stays cleaner and less cloudy later.
3

Control

Place the shank in a pot with 1200 ml water, 15 g ginger, and 150 g onion.

Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer gently for 70 minutes, keeping the liquid at small bubbles.
4

Control

Stir in 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic.

Add 250 g radish in large chunks, then braise over medium heat for 35 minutes so it absorbs the broth without breaking apart.
5

Prep

Spoon the liquid over the meat from time to time so the surface darkens evenly.

When the radish turns slightly translucent and a chopstick slides in, turn the pieces gently so they do not crumble.
6

Control

When the liquid has reduced and tastes concentrated, lower the heat and cook 10 more minutes.

Turn off the heat once the beef separates along the grain and looks glossy, then rest briefly before serving.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Satae jjim breaks down the dense connective tissue of beef shank into tender pieces over a two-hour, low-heat simmer.
Finish cue: Turn off the heat once the beef separates along the grain and looks glossy, then rest briefly before serving.
Avoid this: When the radish turns slightly translucent and a chopstick slides in, turn the pieces gently so they do not crumble.
Storage and reheating: Flavor deepens if chilled overnight and reheated.