· By Carley Sheehy
How to make Korean BBQ Short Ribs aka Kalbi
Take your BBQ to the next level with Kalbi, a popular Korean dish (Kalbi or Galbi means “rib” in Korean). The marinade is a balance between sweet and savory, and kinda tastes like teriyaki but waaay better. While Kalbi traditionally equates to fine dining, you may have had the fun experience of grilling it yourself at a Korean restaurant where the grill is a part of the table.
Kalbi is great for parties because they’re a total crowd pleaser and super easy to prep and grill. I remember first having these at a BBQ with my brother (one of those dishes that are totally memorable). I also served these at my son’s birthday party and they were a total hit. Now they’re one of our go-to grilling recipes. See for yourself…
Ingredients
Meat
- 5 Ibs Korean style beef short ribs
- These are basically short ribs cut lengthwise across the bone into thin strips of meat that are 8-10 inches long; You can readily find them at Asian markets like Ranch 99, or try asking your local butcher. Alternatively, the marinade is also great on chicken or steak
Marinade
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup mirin
- 1 small onion, grated
- 4 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp dark sesame oil
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Optional garnishes: green onions and toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Marinade meat, ideally overnight or at least 4 hours.
- Grill marinated ribs over medium-hot heat until nicely browned but juicy, about 3 minutes per side. They’re thin, so they cook fast! Alternatively, you can use the broiler.
See, I wasn’t joking, it’s that easy and delish!
SIDEbar: Kalbi is traditionally served as a wrap with lettuce, white rice, Korean pepper sauce and beef.
Other meal variations: Since the marinated meat is so flavorful, you can’t go wrong with good ol’ white rice as a side dish. If you want to stick to the Korean food theme, kimchi is another tasty side dish. Or, if you want to pretend like you’re in Aloha-land, serve with some macaroni salad, like I did!
Recipe adapted from Judiaann Woo