LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Marinating
8 hrs
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
4
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Course
Main Course
LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)
Description
LA Galbi, or Korean BBQ short ribs, are prepared by rinsing and lightly pounding thin cross-cut beef ribs to tenderize and clean them. The marinade combines blended Korean pear (or apple) with grated onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, sugar, honey, rice wine, sesame oil, scallions, black pepper, and optional sesame seeds. The ribs soak in this mixture for 6 to 8 hours or overnight, allowing the flavors to penetrate and the fruit enzymes to tenderize the meat. The sweet and savory marinade creates a mild, balanced flavor rather than an overly sweet glaze.
Cooking methods include grilling over medium-high heat or broiling, turning once for a few minutes per side to develop slight char and caramelization. Alternatively, pan-frying with extra liquid can mimic braising, keeping the meat moist and preventing burning due to the sugars. Serving LA Galbi as grilled short ribs showcases the tender, flavorful meat with a subtle sweetness, fragrant from garlic and sesame oil, with a clean finish from the fruit marinade.
A helpful tip is soaking the ribs briefly in water to reduce bloodiness for a cleaner taste. Substitute Asian pear with apple if unavailable. Be cautious with tenderizers like kiwi, using small amounts to avoid over-tenderizing. Adjust sweetness using fruit or Korean plum syrup to suit taste. The marinade's character is mildly sweet and savory, highlighting the meat's natural flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 pounds beef short ribs about ⅓ - inch thick, cross-cut; flaken or LA galbi cut
Marinade
- 1/2 Korean pear You can blend the pear (or apple) together with the next 3 ingredients in a mini/regular blender, also known as Asian pear; or 1 apple; grated; see note 1 for substitutes
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced; about 6 plump cloves
- 1/2 onion medium, grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced; about 1 inch chunk
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 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 rice wine cooking type; Korean matsul mirim or mirin
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 callions 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
- Rinsing and soaking short ribs in water for 20 minutes removes excess blood for a cleaner flavor.
- If Asian pears are unavailable, apples make a suitable substitute in the marinade.
- Use kiwi sparingly as a tenderizer to avoid overly soft meat; about half a kiwi per 2 pounds is recommended.
- Adjust sweetness by reducing sugar and adding more fruit or Korean plum syrup according to preference.
- When pan-frying, add extra liquid to prevent burning from sugar in the marinade, letting the ribs braise briefly for tenderness.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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