Marinated in a perfectly balanced sweet and savory sauce, the galbi meat will be tender and succulent while still being nicely browned and caramelized on the outside.
Cut of meat — galbi (beef short ribs)
Galbi marindade
These days, people use all sorts of things to tenderize short ribs, which are a tough cut of meat, including kiwi, pineapple, cola, etc. My favorite is Korean/Asian pear, which is a traditional ingredient used for galbi. Grated onion and alcohol, in the marinade, also tenderize the meat. These ribs have a smooth balance of sweet and savory flavors!
If you cannot find Asian pears, use an apple instead. Some Korean chefs swear by kiwi or pineapple but you will have to make sure you don’t over-marinate the meat as these are very strong tenderizing agents.
Don’t rush the marinating part! The meat should really marinate the meat for 6 – 8 hours, otherwise it will not be as tender and flavorful as is could be. The thicker the meat, the longer you’ll want to marinate.
Which side dishes shall I serve along with my LA Galbi?
Aside from rice, any of the traditional side dishes (banchan) on my site will do, but pickled dishes complement the meat especially well as their acidity enhance the meat’s umami.
Try my Cucumber Kimchi, my Bok Choi Kimchi Salad , or my Green Onion Kimchi.
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Make the best LA Galbi (Korean BBQ short ribs) at home using my tried-and-tested recipe for the perfect galbi marinade. It’s best to grill the marinated beef short ribs over charcoal, but a gas grill or a grill pan heated on the stove top works well too.
- 3 - 4 pounds cross-cut beef short ribs about 1/3-inch thick
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup rice wine or mirin
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 Korean/Asian pear grated
- 1/2 medium onion grated
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional
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Rinse the ribs to wash off bone dust, and drain well. Pound the meat lightly with a meat tenderizer, or stretch it out with your hands. This step helps tenderize the meat, but you can skip it if you want.
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Mix all marinade ingredients well. Marinate the meat for 6 – 8 hours (overnight for best results). The thicker the meat, the longer you’ll want to marinate.
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Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Grill the short ribs, turning only once, 2 – 3 minutes on each side. It’s best to grill over charcoal or wood charcoal (soot bul), but a gas grill or a grill pan over the stove top works well too. (See note for the oven broiling method.)
To broil galbi in the oven, set the oven to broil and preheat. Lay the meat in a single layer on a broiling pan and place it on the top rack of the oven, usually about 6 inches below the broiler. Cook until the ribs are slightly charred and caramelized, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip them over and cook for an additional 3 – 4 minutes. Watch closely not to burn them.
Oh by the way, this is off topic but when I watch Korean drama/variety shows, I sometimes see people eating brown eggs usually on trains or at the sauna. They look like boiled eggs but they're brown after peeling. How are they cooked?