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    Home » Recipes » Beef » Korean Kalbi Short Ribs

    Korean Kalbi Short Ribs

    Published: Oct 20, 2019 · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

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    This Korean kalbi short ribs recipe is one of the best ways to serve up this cut of beef! Delicious and fun to eat, these short ribs are tender, have a sweet and salty flavor, and cook up in no time after marinating overnight.

    A white rectangular plate containing cooked beef short ribs topped with chopped green onions and white sesame seeds

    Are you in the mood for beef, but want something more than just a hamburger or steak?

    Do you want a beef dish that's got a tasty Asian twist to it, that can also be fun to eat?

    Then look no further than these Korean kalbi short ribs!

    The Beef

    Kalbi (or sometimes spelled "galbi") basically means "ribs" in Korean, and the dish uses a flanken cut of beef where thin slices are cut across the bones instead of parallel to the bones.

    This cut of beef has three to four small bones next to a strip of beef that is often marbled with fat (which is what makes this cut so tender and tasty!). Short ribs can be found easily in Asian food stores that sell fresh meat, or you may be able to find them frozen in larger supermarkets.

    A metal pan of red raw slices of beef strips with bones

    The Marinade

    Besides the usual Asian marinade ingredients like soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free), garlic, ginger, sesame oil, etc., this marinade also has a special ingredient: Asian pear!

    While offering a bit of sweetness to the marinade, the pear also acts as a tenderizer for the beef. If you don't have access to Asian pears, I have read that Bosc pair will also do the trick. All you need to do is grate the pear and mix it right in (juices, too!) with the other marinade ingredients.

    Collage of half a round pear, a pear being grated, grated pear in a blue bowl, and grated pear in a measuring cup with brown liquid

    Place the short ribs and marinade in a ziploc bag or shallow container, making sure all the meat has been well-coated on all sides, and let everything hang out overnight!

    Collage of raw meat with brown marinade in a sealed bag, raw beef short ribs on a grill on a pan

    On cooking day, you've got a few different choices on how to prepare them. Cook them on an outdoor barbecue grill, fry them in a skillet, or broil them in the oven. No matter which method of these you choose, the thin cut of these short ribs means you only need to cook them for a few minutes on each side. That's it!

    A dark round plate containing brown cooked beef short ribs, green vegetables, and white rice, topped with chopped green onion and sesame seeds

    Serve these ribs with simple sides like leafy greens and rice. Alternatively, you can make this more of a Korean style meal by serving them with Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae) and have some Korean Chili Sauce (Gochujang) on the side if you want to add some spice to the meat!

    My favorite part of the short ribs is actually eating right around the bones! My boys, however, do not find it as enjoyable as I do and instead, they'll devour the meat and give me and their dad the bone sections...more fun for us! Whether you like eating off the bones or not, you are going to love the flavor and these kalbi short ribs and how quickly you can cook them up any night of the week!

    ~ Lisa.

    Korean Kalbi Short Ribs

    This Korean kalbi short ribs recipe is one of the best ways to serve up this cut of beef! Delicious and fun to eat, these short ribs are tender, have a sweet and salty flavor, and cook up in no time after marinating overnight.


    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Meats
    Cuisine: Asian, Korean
    Keyword: beef ribs, flanken ribs, short ribs
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Marinate: 1 day
    Makes: 6 servings
    Calories: 418kcal
    Author: Lisa from A Day in the Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs. (908g) beef short ribs

    Marinade:

    • ⅓ cup soy sauce, tamari for gluten-free
    • ½ Asian pear, grated
    • ¼ cup mirin
    • 2 tbs honey
    • 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
    • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions

    • Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well.
    • In a ziploc bag, combine the beef short ribs and marinade, making sure the marinade coats the meat well.
    • Seal the bag, squeezing out most of the air, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

    Cooking Day:

    • Remove beef short ribs from ziploc bag and discard marinade.

    Oven Broiling:

    • Preheat oven broiler.
    • Place short ribs on a baking rack and broil short ribs for 3-4 minutes each side until sizzling. Keep watching them to make sure they do not burn!

    Oven Roasting:

    • Preheat oven 450 deg F (230C).
    • Place short ribs on a rack on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

    Pan Fry:

    • Heat skillet over medium-high heat and fry short ribs, a few strips at a time, for 2-3 minutes each side. Repeat with remaining pieces.

    Outdoor Grill:

    • Grill for 2-3 minutes each side.
    • Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

    Notes

    • You can easily find short ribs at your local Asian supermarket. Some other markets may also sell them and they might be called "flanken" cut ribs.
    • Gluten-free substitutes for the soy sauce in marinade are tamari, coconut aminos, or liquid aminos. Be wary of bottles labelled "gluten-free soy sauce" as they often contain other ingredients like sugar.
    • Marinating the meat overnight is best, but if you are short on time, marinate for 4  hours at a minimum.
    • If you can't find Asian pears to use for the marinade, I have read that Bosc pears are a good substitute.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 418kcal
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @dayinthekitchen or tag #adayinthekitchen!

    You might also like:

    Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae)
    Korean Steak Lettuce Wraps
    Korean Steak Lettuce Wraps
    Korean Stir-Fried Rice Cakes



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    1. Janice

      July 08, 2022 at 8:30 am

      This Korean Short Ribs Recipe was heavenly! The marinade made the meat tender and flavorful. I did not use the pear, but everything else. I used the stovetop method. 2 minutes on each side was perfect. I will make this again and again. It's the first time I've ever made Korean Short Ribs. I can't say enough about how good this was. I couldn't stop making mmmm noises as I ate it, and my dog took notice. She got the bones.

      Reply
      • Lisa

        July 09, 2022 at 2:18 pm

        Hi Janice! Thanks for your comments! I'm really happy that you AND your dog enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      November 02, 2019 at 4:33 am

      5 stars
      These look SO delicious!!! I love the ingredient list, so unique. We're pretty boring when it comes to our ribs so this looks like the perfect way to switch things up!

      Reply
      • Lisa

        November 03, 2019 at 8:27 pm

        Thanks, Katherine. Yes, it's a bit more work to put the marinade together, but it's worth it!

        Reply

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    I cook up big ideas in my small kitchen in Hong Kong! My recipes are big on healthy eating, real food, and international flavors that you can create in any size kitchen. I have a particular passion for creating traditional home-cooked Chinese dishes inspired by my childhood, as well as gluten-free cooking and baking, demystifying gluten-free and showing you how easy and delicious it can be!

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