Galbi Jjim Birria Tacos (Korean-Mexican Fusion Recipe)

I love birria tacos and I love Galbi Jjim — so why not combine them? A fusion creation of my two favorite dishes from my two favorite cuisines - GALBI JJIM BIRRIA TACOS.

Galbi Jjim is a classic delicious Korean stewed meat dish that is often eaten on special occasions and in group gatherings. Popular restaurants, such as Sun Nong Dan in Los Angeles and Dae Ho in San Francisco have been serving the dish with a topping of torched cheese, adding a unique and delicious twist to the classic favorite. Quesabirria tacos consist of stewed beef topped with delicious melted Oaxacan cheese and fried in a tortilla. It's also often eaten as on celebratory occasions in Mexico. Given the similarities in stewed meat, cheesiness, and celebratory fun between the two dishes, I thought that combining the two to make these delicious Galbi Jjim birria tacos would be a fun recipe. And I was indeed rewarded with the most delicious mouthwatering cheesy birria tacos, complete with the spicy and comforting flavors of Korean cooking.

📋 Ingredient Notes

Galbi Jjim Braising Liquid

• 1 clove Garlic
• ¼ Onion, diced
• 4 tablespoon Soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Gochujang
• 1 tablespoon Gochugaru (Adjust based on spice preference)
• 1 tablespoon Mirin
• 2 teaspoon Sugar
• ¼ Korean pear
• 1 teaspoon Pepper
• ½ cup water

Galbi Jjim

• 0.25lb Chuck steak
• 1 carrot
• 3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms

Taco

• Oaxacan cheese (As needed)
• 2-3 Low Carb Tortillas (Mission brand or brand of choice)
• Scallions
• Furikake

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🔪 Step by Step Instructions

1. Gather the braising liquid ingredients and the galbi jjim ingredients.
2. Soak the shiitake mushrooms and set aside for at least 15-30 minutes.
3. Cut the beef into small, bite sized pieces. Season liberally with salt and pepper. If using an instant pot, turn the instant pot onto sear mode, spray the pot with cooking spray, and sear the beef pieces until each side is slightly charred, then remove from pot. If you don't have an instant pot, you can do the same thing on a skillet or cast iron skillet.
4. Prepare the garlic, onion and pear by mincing them into tiny pieces. Mix together with the rest of the marinade ingredients.
5. Skin and cut the carrots into bite-sized pieces.
6. Pour the braising liquid, along with the beef pieces, sliced carrots, and mushrooms into the instant pot. Set to cook on high pressure for 40-45 minutes and let it come to natural release for about 10-15 minutes.
7. Once the meat is done, remove from heat and use 2 forks to shred the meat.
8. Pour out the remaining braising liquid into a bowl and set aside. Put the remaining taco meat into a separate bowl. Leave both in the fridge overnight -- this will give the meat extra time to soak in the delicious marinade juices. For the braising liquid, this will allow it to form a layer of fat on the top, which will be crucial for putting together the tacos later.
9. Now it's time to put together the tacos! Gather the taco ingredients and the shredded meat and consomé. Tear the cheese up into small sized shreds.
10. Get a cast iron skillet and put it over high heat. Use a spoon to take some of the solidified fat from the consomé and drop it into the skillet. The purpose of the fat is to provide a distinct flavor to fry the tortilla in, similar to how you would fry something with a more traditional fat compound such as oil or butter.
11. As the fat melts, place a tortilla on the skillet and begin to add in the shredded meat, then the Oaxacan cheese. Let the taco cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese melts. While cooking, you can spoon on some additional consomé to really bring how the flavor. Fold over the taco and cook on each side for about a minute or so each, or until at desired consistency. The taco should be crisp and golden. Repeat again to create each additional taco.
12. Similar to how Galbi Jjim is topped with scallions, chop up some scallions and sprinkle them onto the taco. I also added some furikake.
13. Serve with the heated consomé, dipping the taco into the broth with each bite. And enjoy your delicious fusion creation!

💡Tips and Tricks

Why store the taco meat overnight? Isn't it better fresh?

Taco meat is actually known to taste even better after stored overnight given that it gives the meat extra time to soak in the juices.

What does Oaxacan cheese taste like? Can I use other types of cheese?

Oaxacan cheese is a stringy white cheese that is often likened to mozzarella. It is often what's used in quesabirria tacos and is a great melter cheese. You can also use other types of cheese as well, including cheddar, pepper jack, and American to name a few.

What does the low carb tortilla taste like? What other tortillas can I use?

Low carb tortillas actually taste like normal flour tortillas which a fraction of the calories, which is why I always choose to use them. You can also opt for corn tortillas if you'd like, but I found it personally hard to fold the tortilla without breaking it unless you used more than one tortilla, which is not ideal if you're trying to keep calorie consumption at a minimum. I know birria tacos are quite high in calories anyway but why add fuel to the fire!

If you liked this recipe, check out the following:

• Kalbi Taco -- Another delicious Kor-Mex fusion recipe!
• Check out my Fusion Favorites recipe collection for more delicious combos of my favorite cuisines.
• Kalbi Tacos
• Healthy Chicken Burrito

This recipe utilized Korean Bapsang's Instant Pot Spicy Galbi Jjim recipe and Guga food's birria taco video to come to fruition. Thank you both for your amazing recipes!