Yullan Tteokgalbi (Sweet Chestnut Paste-Filled Grilled Short Rib Patties)
Recreate Chef Um Tae-cheol’s Signature Yullan Tteokgalbi from ‘Youn’s Kitchen’ with Park Seo-joon Style
This recipe brings the highly acclaimed Yullan Tteokgalbi, a traditional Korean dish, to your home kitchen. Featured on the popular TV show ‘Youn’s Kitchen’ and taught by Chef Um Tae-cheol to actor Park Seo-joon, this dish is known for its intricate preparation but rewarding results. It perfectly balances a sweet and savory marinade with a smooth, creamy sweet chestnut paste filling (Yullan), enhanced by a subtle hint of cinnamon. While it requires effort, the resulting delicate flavors and elegant presentation make it ideal for special occasions.
Main Ingredients for Tteokgalbi- 750g beef short rib meat
- 500g chestnuts
- 15g fresh chives (yeongyang buchu), trimmed
- 1/2 medium onion
- Appropriate amount of tteokguk (rice cake soup) rice cakes
- Appropriate amount of pine nuts
Tteokgalbi Marinade- 5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp honey (or corn syrup/oligosaccharide)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (e.g., Mirin)
- 1 Tbsp onion juice
- 2 Tbsp pear juice
- 2 Tbsp minced green onion
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp ginger wine (or Korean rice wine/Sake)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
Yullan (Sweet Chestnut Paste) Ingredients- 220g cooked and shelled chestnuts
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp oligosaccharide (or honey/corn syrup)
Chive Salad (Muchim) Dressing- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste) (a tiny amount)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp honey (or corn syrup/oligosaccharide)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (e.g., Mirin)
- 1 Tbsp onion juice
- 2 Tbsp pear juice
- 2 Tbsp minced green onion
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp ginger wine (or Korean rice wine/Sake)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
Yullan (Sweet Chestnut Paste) Ingredients- 220g cooked and shelled chestnuts
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp oligosaccharide (or honey/corn syrup)
Chive Salad (Muchim) Dressing- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste) (a tiny amount)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste) (a tiny amount)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare 750g of beef short rib meat for the tteokgalbi. If using pre-packaged vacuum-sealed short ribs, it’s helpful to partially freeze them for about an hour to make mincing easier.
Step 2
Trim any visible bones and excess fat from the partially frozen short ribs. Then, instead of using a food processor, finely mince the meat by hand with a knife. This method helps retain a pleasant texture for the tteokgalbi.
Step 3
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. It’s important not to use too much marinade, as an overly wet mixture can make it difficult to form the patties.
Step 4
Add the prepared marinade to the finely minced beef and knead the mixture vigorously with your hands for 15-20 minutes until it becomes elastic and well-combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to deepen.
Step 5
Boil 500g of chestnuts until tender. While still warm, peel them and scoop out the flesh. Mash 220g of the chestnut flesh until smooth. Mix in 1 Tbsp of ground cinnamon and 1 Tbsp of oligosaccharide (heaped). You can adjust the cinnamon amount to your preference, but a subtle hint is recommended to complement, not overpower, the tteokgalbi flavor. Shape the mixture into small, round, flattened patties, about 20g each, forming the ‘Yullan’.
Step 6
Take about 80g of the tteokgalbi meat mixture and flatten it. Place one Yullan (chestnut patty) in the center and carefully wrap the meat around it, ensuring the chestnut filling is completely enclosed. Gently press and shape the patty with your hands to create a cohesive, round form.
Step 7
You have now successfully created the tteokgalbi patties, with the sweet chestnut filling encased within.
Step 8
Prepare a glaze (yoo-jang) by mixing 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp honey, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Brush this glaze thinly over the surface of each tteokgalbi patty. Place them on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes.
Step 9
After baking, to add a smoky flavor, you can carefully char the surface of the tteokgalbi. If you have a cast-iron pan, heat it until very hot, place the tteokgalbi on it, and briefly grill it. Alternatively, use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the surface for a professional finish. (If neither is available, a quick sear in a hot pan will add flavor.)
Step 10
For the chive salad (muchim), combine all the dressing ingredients (1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1/4 Tbsp doenjang, 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp sesame oil) in a bowl. Add the thinly sliced onion and trimmed fresh chives, and gently toss to coat. Cut the tteokguk rice cakes into strips and pan-fry them until golden brown. If using dried lotus root, lightly fry it in oil until crispy.
Step 11
Serve the finished Yullan Tteokgalbi beautifully plated with the chive salad, pan-fried rice cakes, and crispy lotus root. Homemade tteokgalbi offers a depth of flavor that is truly incomparable, a testament to the care and tradition of Korean cuisine. Enjoy this exquisite taste of Korean culinary heritage.
