LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)
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.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 pounds cross-cut beef short ribs (flaken or LA galbi cut) about ⅓ - inch thick
Marinade
- 1/2 Korean/Asian pear (or 1 apple), grated (see note 1 for substitutes) You can blend the pear (or apple) together with the next 3 ingredients in a mini/regular blender.
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 plump cloves)
- 1/2 medium onion, grated
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger (about 1 inch chunk)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 -4 tablespoons sugar You can reduce sugar and add more pear or maesilcheong (Korean plum syrup) to taste - see note 1
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup cooking rice wine (Korean matsul mirim or mirin)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 scallions finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional
Instructions
For the ribs:
- Rinse the ribs to wash off bone dust and remove some blood on the surface. See note 2. Drain well. Pound the meat lightly with a meat tenderizer, or stretch it out with your hands. This second part helps tenderize the meat, but you can skip it if you want.
For the marinade:
- Blend the pear (or apple) together with the onion, garlic, and ginger in a mini/regular blender as fine as possible. Mix all the marinade ingredients well in a large bowl or container.
- Add the meat to the marinade and coat each rib with the marinade. Marinate the meat for 6-8 hours (overnight for best results). Flip them over half way through. The thicker the meat, the longer you’ll want to marinate.
Cooking the ribs
- Grilling: Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Grill the short ribs, turning only once, 2-3 minutes on each side. You can use charcoal or wood charcoal (soot bul) grill, gas grill or a grill pan over the stove top.
- Broiling 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.
- Pan-frying: Preheat a large non-stick pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Lay the short ribs in a single layer, 4 or 5 ribs depending on the size of the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. When the pan is getting dry, add the marinade through a strainer. Flip them over and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until all the sauce is gone and the ribs are nicely browned. See note 3.
Notes
- If you cannot find Korean pears, use an apple instead. Korean maesilcheong (매실, green plump syrup) or apple or pineapple juice (about 1/4 cup) can be a good substitute for Korean pear. If using kiwi, use a small amount so you don’t over-tenderize the meat as kiwi is a very strong tenderizing agent. I'd use a half of a kiwi (1/3 if large) for every 2 pounds. The traditional flavor profile of the Korean galbi marinade is mildly sweet and savory - not too sweet and too salty. If you're concerned about the sugar, use more fruits or 100% fruit juice (or your choice of sweetener) and reduce or omit the sugar.
- You can soak them in water for about 20 minutes to further remove the blood. It's a Korean technique to remove excess blood for cleaner tasting ribs.
- Because of the sugar and fruit in the marinade, the ribs can easily burn in the pan. The pan-frying technique here is almost like a quick braising. Extra liquid keeps the meat from burning. The ribs soak up all that sauce so they are very flavorful and tender. This cooking method is especially good when you don't have long enough time to marinate.