Soy-Braised Beef (Jangjorim)

Ingredients

• 800 g (1¾ lb) eye of round, in 2 or 3 large chunks
• 1.2 litres (5 cups) water
• 1 onion, halved
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 slices fresh ginger
• 2 spring onions, whole
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 125 ml (½ cup) soy sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp rice wine or mirin
• 2 tbsp corn syrup or honey
• 8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 8 to 10 shishito or mild green peppers (optional)

Steps

1. Put the beef in a pot with the water, onion, 2 garlic cloves, ginger, spring onions and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
2. Cover with the lid ajar and cook for 50 minutes, until the beef is tender when poked with a skewer.
3. Lift out the beef and let it cool a little. Strain the broth and measure out 500 ml (2 cups); save the rest as a soup base.
4. Tear the beef along the grain into thick strips about 1 cm (½ in) wide and 6 cm (2½ in) long.
5. Return the strips to the pot with the 500 ml of broth, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine and the remaining garlic. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by a third.
6. Add the eggs and green peppers. Simmer for 10 more minutes, spooning the sauce over them, until the sauce is glossy and syrupy and the eggs are dark brown.
7. Stir in the corn syrup and cook for 1 minute. Cool slightly before serving.

Notes

• Serving: a standard Korean side dish (banchan) served cold or at room temperature with rice.
• Make ahead: keeps 4 days in the fridge in its sauce; eat the eggs within that time. Freeze the beef and sauce, without eggs, for 3 months.
• Other cuts: this leaner cut shreds well; shank or flank also work and need slightly more time.
• Shortcut: use a pressure cooker for steps 1–2: 25 minutes at high pressure, then 10 minutes of natural release.
• Twist: for a spicy version, add 1 tsp gochugaru or 2 sliced chillies with the soy sauce.