Korean Beef with Kimchi

Your taste buds are going to be so happy today.  Well, they'll be happy if you make this recipe anyway.  Korean beef prepared in my favorite kitchen tool, the crock pot!  Just mix the seasonings in the crock pot, plop in the meat, and turn that baby on and let it cook all day!  In addition, I am sharing a recipe for kimchi (pronounced kim-chee).  Several years ago my husband and I discovered the deliciousness that is kimchi.  Kimchi is a spicy pickled cabbage and is the national dish of Korea!  There are actually hundreds of different ways to make it and it can be made with cabbage, cucumber, radish or scallion.  Traditional kimchi is allowed to ferment underground in jars for months.  We won't be doing that.  Ha!  This recipe for kimchi is quick and easy and you get the flavors of kimchi without a lot of fuss.  I usually make it in the morning and store it in the fridge for dinner that night.  Mine is only mildly spicy but feel free to add as much crushed red pepper as you like to amp up the spice factor.  I serve the beef over brown rice (although its pictured here with white because I was out of brown) with the kimchi on the side.  Kimchi is also delicious on top of grilled pork chops!  Enjoy!

Korean Beef with Kimchi (beef adapted from crockpot.com and kimchi adapted from eatingwell.com)

For the beef:

1 c. soy sauce

1 c. water

1/2 c. rice wine vinegar

1/4 c. sesame oil

10 cloves garlic

1 T. dried ginger

6 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1 t. crushed red pepper

2 lb. beef chuck roast (or 4 1/2 lb. beef short ribs)

Combine the soy sauce, water, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger, onions and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker.  Add meat and turn to cover all sides with mixture.  Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.  Shred the beef and serve with brown rice and kimchi. 

For the kimchi:

1 small head napa cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch squares

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. water

2 T. white vinegar

1 T. toasted sesame oil

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

1 t. dried ginger

3 scallions, sliced

1 carrot, peeled and grated

Combine cabbage, garlic and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring once or twice, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, oil, salt, crushed red pepper and ginger in a large bowl.  Add the cabbage, scallions and carrot to the bowl and toss to combine.  Refrigerate for at least 25 minutes before serving.  I usually make mine in the morning and refrigerate it all day.  There's something about the warm meat with the cool cabbage that makes the combo delicious!

6 servings (518 calories each serving including rice) according to my calculator on loseit.com