Korean Beef Kimchi Jjigae (stew) in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker

A deliciously spicy and comforting stew that's quite simple to make.

Bored of your traditional beef stew or beef curries? Fancy trying something a bit different for a change, that's easy to make and really tasty? Oh, and pretty healthy too, especially if you serve it with fresh kimchi which is full of probiotics and low in calories (my recipe is 48 calories per 100g, so no need to be shy!)

You can either cook this in the pressure cooker to save time, or leave it to languish in a slow cooker overnight or during the day. If you're not into gadgets, you could just simmer it on the stove top for a couple of hours instead, before the final hour's simmer.

Whichever way you cook it, it's incredibly tasty, and although it is a spicy dish, despite the different forms of chilli, I really don't think it's too spicy - I'd call it medium. Delicious served with kimchi (especially if fresh), and steamed or boiled rice on the side. Fast day? Serve yours with cauliflower 'rice' at only 38 calories per 100g.

Makes 12 servings, easily halved, or perfect for freezing in portions for future easy meals in minutes.

364 calories per serving.

Fussy about meat? Haven't cooked with beef shin before and a bit worried about what it looks like? Don't worry, I'm REALLY fussy too. If I have a steak, I will cut off all of the fat, and anything that looks remotely gristly, as I don't like the texture of it. Beef shin, however, you have no need to worry about. Although you can see a lot of connective tissue in the raw meat, all of this melts away during the long cooking period, to leave you with the most delicious, tender, melt-in-the-mouth meat, nothing at all to worry about, no chewiness or gristle, just go for it! It is THE best cut of beef for long, low and slow cooking (or pressure cooking to the same effect). You will love it!

Ingredients 

• 1.6kg beef shin in 2-3cm cubes (you can buy cubed in 400g packs from e.g. Sainsbury's, or in thick slices from Morrisons) [2,640]
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil [373]
• 2 onions, peeled, quartered and sliced [82]
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunky slices (about 450g) [117]
• 1 mooli/daikon, peeled, halved lenghthways and cut into chunky 1cm slices (about 350g - if you can't get hold of a mooli you could just use normal radishes, halved if large) [63]
• 500g Kimchi, plus extra to serve (preferably fresh/chilled if you can get it - see here for my recipe if you want to make your own - you can buy fresh from oriental supermarkets or even Ocado, or jarred from some mainstream supermarkets) [240]
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed [24]
• 50g gochujang (Korean chilli paste - I use this* brand which is gluten free) [88]
• 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red chilli flakes / coarse powder - I use this* brand, which I also use to make my kimchi) [32]
• 50ml rice wine (mirin) [145]
• 350g mixed fresh oriental mushrooms, cleaned and sliced if large e.g. shitaake, oyster, enoki [165]
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil [124]
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, or to taste (gluten free available if required or use tamari) [16]
• 12 spring onions (1 per person/serving), thinly sliced on the diagonal just before serving [42]
• 4 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted (1 tsp per serving) [226]

Method

1. In a large, non stick pan (or two, to halve cooking times!) brown the beef in batches, using up to 2 tbsp of the oil (I do 4 batches with 1/2 tbsp each batch). Add to pressure cooker (or slow cooker). Put a full kettle on to boil.

2. Fry the onion, carrots and mooli/radishes in the remaining 1 tbsp oil (you may need to do this in 2 batches / or 2 pans if you started off using 2 pans, depending on the size of your pan) for a couple of minutes, until just starting to colour.

3. Add the kimchi and garlic to the vegetables, and cook for a further 4-5 minutes, and then add the gochujang, gochugaru and rice wine and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.

4. Add to the beef with 1.4 litres hot water, and stir ensuring the beef is covered with liquid.

5. If using a pressure cooker, put the lid on (sealed), and cook for 40 minutes on high (set to manual on Instant Pot and adjust to 40 minutes) and then release pressure naturally (leave for 15 to 20 minutes then release any remaining pressure). If using a slow cooker, bring to a simmer and then cook on either high for 5 hours, or low for 9 to 10 hours. Alternatively simmer on the stove top for a couple of hours, covered.

6. Add the mushrooms to the beef stew, and simmer uncovered for a further hour (Instant Pot, use saute on high for the first half hour cycle, then normal sautee for a further half hour) until the sauce has reduced and thickened a little (it should reduce by at least a quarter, but still be a relatively thin consistency) and the beef is deliciously tender.

7. Add the toasted sesame oil and season to taste with the soy sauce (you may need more depending on how much your sauce has reduced), and serve in bowls garnished with the spring onions and toasted sesame seeds, with extra kimchi and steamed rice (or cauliflower 'rice') on the side. Enjoy!

If you liked this recipe, please do leave me a comment below to encourage others to have a go at cooking it! Thank you.

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