Best Kalbi Recipe: Korean BBQ Shortribs

in Eating In, Eats & Drinks • March 24, 2015

Photo: My dad’s perfect kalbi

It’s almost BBQ season! No Korean BBQ dishes is complete without Kalbi Gui, grilled marinated beef short ribs. By definition, kalbi means “ribs,”and gui means “grilled.”

You will often find these short ribs in two different cuts – the first is a flank cut, when the ribs are thinly cut (about 1/4 inch thick) across the bones and the English cut, when the ribs are separated and cut into short lengths. The English cut is the traditional Korean way but the flank cut aka “L.A Kalbi” is getting popular in America. Why is it named after the great city of Angels? The two theories out there is because:

1. It is named after the city where many Korean immigrants

2. It is cut in a LAteral way

Not only is it quite popular with many Korean families, as long as I can remember, my dad has been the Kalbi King aka best Korean BBQ griller in our family. Sure, my mom is an amazing cook but my dad, let me tell you, has Korean BBQ magic fingers. Every Korean dinner parties my parents have thrown over the years has always included their one special main dish, my dad’s killer Kalbi.

Want to know the secret on adding pears to my dad’s recipe? …he adds Korean pears. The enzymes in the pears are activated by the soy sauce, which together, acts as a tenderizer to the rather tough short ribs.

Sure, most people only add sugar and it’s sufficient but if you want amazing Kalbi, you must add grated pears. I promise your dish will be on a whole new level, if you do. Others use use kiwi, but I would highly advise against it since that will break down your meat.

Regardless of what cut you use, you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!

Best Kalbi Recipe: Korean BBQ Shortribs

Print recipe

Ingredients

4lb Beef short ribs
½ cup Soy sauce (Can be gluten-free soy sauce)
¼ cup White sugar
1½ heaped tablespoon Honey
¼ cup Rice Wine
¼ cup Korean/Asian pear grated (American pears will work)
¼ cup Onion grated
2 tablespoons Minced garlic
1 tablespoon Minced ginger
2 tablespoons Sesame oil
½ teaspoon Black pepper

Directions

Step 1
Rinse the ribs and drain water. Trim the excess fat, if needed.
Step 2
Mix all of the marinade ingredients well. Marinate the meat for at least 8 hours (overnight for best results).
Step 3
grill over charcoal or wood charcoal (sootbul), but a gas grill works well too. Grill over medium high to high heat, turning only once, 2 – 3 minutes on each side.
Step 4
If you only have an oven, set the oven to broil and preheat. Lay the meat in a single layer on a broil pan and place it on the top rack of the oven. Cook for 6 minutes. Flip then cook for an another 4 minutes until nicely charred.