Korean Grilled Short Ribs (Galbi)

About This Recipe

Galbi are Korean-style short ribs, cut thin across the bone (LA-style) so a sweet soy-pear-garlic marinade penetrates quickly and the meat cooks fast over high heat, caramelizing at the edges while staying tender within. It's one of the most recognized dishes of Korean barbecue, whether cooked at home on a grill pan or at a tabletop restaurant grill. The pear in the marinade plays the same tenderizing role it does in bulgogi, and scoring the meat lightly before marinating helps the flavors penetrate more evenly through the thicker sections near the bone.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgLA-style short ribs(cut thin across the bone)
• 0.5Asian pear(grated)
• 0.5 cupsoy sauce
• 3 tbspbrown sugar
• 2 tbspsesame oil
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 0.25 cupwater
• 1onion(grated)
• 2scallions(sliced, for garnish)
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep the ribs

   Soak short ribs in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out excess blood, then drain and pat dry.

2. 2

   Make the marinade

   Combine grated pear, onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and water.

3. 3

   Marinate the ribs

   Add the ribs to the marinade, coating thoroughly. Marinate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

   Massage the marinade into the meat around the bone, where the pear-based tenderizing matters most.

4. 4

   Heat the grill

   Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

5. 5

   Grill the ribs

   Grill ribs 3-4 minutes per side until caramelized and cooked to your preferred doneness.

   Watch closely — the sugar in the marinade can burn if the heat is too high or the ribs are left too long.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let rest 3 minutes, then garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with rice and lettuce for wrapping.

Variations

• •

  Use boneless short rib or flanken cut if LA-style bone-in isn't available.

• •

  Add a splash of Coca-Cola or Sprite to the marinade, a common home-cook trick for extra tenderness and sweetness.

• •

  Serve wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang for a full ssam-style meal.

Storage

Refrigerate marinated raw ribs for up to 2 days before cooking, or refrigerate cooked ribs for up to 3 days, reheating gently to avoid drying them out.

Frequently Asked Questions