Korean Kalbi Beef Short Ribs
Flanken-cut beef short ribs marinated overnight in soy sauce, Asian pear, garlic, and sesame oil, then grilled hot and fast for a perfect char. A crowd-pleasing Korean BBQ recipe that's mostly hands-off and on the table in minutes.
Equipment
- Grill Charcoal, Gas, Pellet or even your Blackstone Griddle
- Box Grater
- Ziplock Bag Gallon size
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Water
- ¼ cup Mirin
- 2 tbsp Dark Sesame Oil
- 4 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Asian Pear Finely Grated (Can be Substituted with a Sweet Apple or Pear)
- 1 Small Onion Finely Grated
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 3-5 lbs Flanken Cut Short Ribs
Garnish
- Green Onions
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Marinade
- Make the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk or stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Grate the pear and onion directly into the bowl — a box grater works great here, and yes, your hands will smell like onion for a while. Worth it.
- Coat the ribs. Add the short ribs to the marinade and turn them to make sure every piece is well coated. Transfer everything to a gallon zip-lock bag, press out the air, seal it up, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Flip the bag once or twice if you think of it, but it's not critical.
Grilling
- Get the grill hot. When you're ready to cook, pull the ribs out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes before grilling to take the chill off. Fire up your grill on high and let it preheat for at least 15-20 minutes. You want it as hot as it'll go.
- Grill or griddle the ribs. Remove the ribs from the marinade and let any excess drip off — you don't want too much liquid hitting the grates or griddle or you'll get flare-ups on the grill or burning on the griddle. Grill over high heat or medium heat on a griddle for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through with good char marks and some caramelization on the edges.
- Garnish and serve. Pull the ribs off the grill and let them rest for a couple of minutes. Top with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve over steamed white rice.
Video
Notes
What to Serve with Kalbi
Kalbi is traditionally served as part of a Korean BBQ spread, but it works just as well as a standalone weeknight dinner or party main. Here's what I like alongside it:- Steamed white rice — non-negotiable, in my opinion. You need something to soak up all that sauce.
- Kimchi — the fermented tang cuts through the richness of the beef perfectly.
- Quick cucumber salad — thinly sliced cucumbers with rice vinegar, a little sesame oil, and a pinch of sugar. Takes 5 minutes and pairs beautifully.
- Lettuce wraps — grab a piece of rib, a scoop of rice, and wrap it in a butter lettuce leaf. That's a meal right there.