I first discovered Korean-style grilled short ribs (galbi) in college. Korean classmates introduced me to the bold flavors of Korean cuisine: spicy pickled side dishes (banchan), and the sweet-salty depth of the marinades. A Korean BBQ with all the fixings remains one of my family’s favorite meals.
My daughters who lived in New York told me they saved money by shopping at Whole Foods — which sounded odd to me in California — and they urged me to try the short ribs when on sale. They were right. When short ribs are discounted I buy both flanken-style Korean short ribs and traditional short ribs in bulk. I freeze portions of marinated flanken for quick weeknight grills, and I use the thicker traditional short ribs for slow-simmered dishes like red-wine braised ribs in an Instant Pot.
Tips for making Korean grilled short ribs (galbi)
Meat
Flanken short ribs are cut across the bones so you see a row of cross-cut bones in each slice. Thickness varies: some shops cut them very thin (about 1/2″ / 1.27 cm), others a bit thicker (about 3/4″ / 1.9 cm). I prefer slightly thicker slices for better texture and bite. When choosing ribs, pick smaller bones if possible — you’re paying for the meat, not large bone segments.
Some butchers leave “bone dust” — tiny bone fragments — on the meat. To remove these, rinse the ribs well or soak them in a bowl of water for a few hours, then rinse thoroughly before marinating.
Marinade
A classic galbi marinade balances soy sauce, brown sugar, onion, and an acid. Asian pear juice is traditional, but apple or pineapple juice can work, and rice wine (mirin) helps tenderize. The traditional method calls for grating the pear and onion, which is time-consuming. A faster option is to put the marinade ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. The blended mixture looks lighter, but yields the same tenderizing and flavoring result.
Blend all marinade ingredients until smooth.
Marinate the flanken short ribs at least 12 hours, preferably overnight, so the flavors penetrate the meat. Thicker slices may require a longer marinating time. I often portion and freeze marinated ribs in freezer bags for easy thaw-and-grill meals on busy nights.
Grilling
Flanken-style galbi are thin, so cook them through — aiming for medium-rare is impractical with this cut and can leave the texture a bit sinewy. Grill over medium heat until fully cooked; the caramelized marinade delivers flavor and tenderness even when the meat is cooked through. Keep kitchen scissors handy to cut pieces between the bones for easy serving and eating.
Accompaniments
Serve galbi with a variety of banchan, such as kimchi, pickled cucumbers, soybean sprouts, seasoned spinach, or japchae noodles. Rice and simple vegetable sides complement the sweet-salty ribs well.
Roasted seaweed
My daughters like rolling rice, galbi, and banchan in Korean roasted seaweed. If you can find seasoned Korean roasted seaweed (different from unsalted Japanese nori), buy either individual portion packs or larger sheets. Larger sheets are more economical; you can fold and quarter them to create individual portions and break the crispness so they separate easily.
KOREAN SHORT RIBS (GALBI)
Use this marinade to make delicious Korean short ribs. Marinate a large quantity and freeze portions for convenient future meals.
Recipe details
- Prep time: 15 mins
- Marinating: 12 hrs
- Total time: 12 hrs 15 mins
- Serves: 4
- Calories: 417 kcal (per serving)
Ingredients
- 1 kg flanken short ribs
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup juice or water (Asian pear, apple, or pineapple juice works)
- 2 Tbsp mirin (cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/2 small Asian pear (or substitute juice)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the ribs to remove any bone dust; soak and rinse thoroughly if needed.
- Place ribs in a large pan or container for marinating.
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Spread the marinade over the ribs, ensuring each piece is well coated.
- Allow to marinate for at least 12 hours, preferably overnight. Thicker slices may need more time.
- Grill ribs over medium heat until cooked through and caramelized.
- Portion and freeze any excess marinated ribs in freezer bags for future quick meals.
Nutrition (per serving, approximate)
- Calories: 417 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Fat: 22 g
- Sodium: ~997 mg
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment to share how it turned out or ask any questions. If you post photos, tag your shots with your preferred social channels and enjoy sharing your galbi creations.