Galbi (Korean Grilled Short Ribs)
A family favorite weeknight cook: thin flanken-cut short ribs in a sweet soy, pear and garlic marinade, grilled hot and fast over charcoal.
Galbi is a family favorite here and an easy weeknight win. Flanken-cut short ribs are sliced thin across the bones, so they marinate quickly and cook in minutes over a hot fire.
I grill some the usual marinated way and some with just salt and pepper, so you can taste the beef on its own. Both are great. The marinated ones caramelize into sweet, savory, charred edges that are hard to stop eating.
The classic marinade uses grated Asian pear. Its enzymes help tenderize the meat and add a gentle sweetness.
Watch the cook
Beef
Galbi (Korean Grilled Short Ribs)
A family favorite weeknight cook: thin flanken-cut short ribs in a sweet soy, pear and garlic marinade, grilled hot and fast over charcoal.
Print- Prep
- 15 minutes plus 4 hours marinating
- Cook
- 10 minutes
- Total
- About 4½ hours
- Yield
- 4–6 servings
- Method
- Grilled over charcoal
- Wood
- Charcoal
Ingredients
Marinade
Ribs
Instructions
- Rinse the short ribs briefly to remove any bone fragments and pat dry.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients, add the ribs, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Build a hot charcoal fire.
- Grill the ribs for 2–3 minutes per side, until caramelized and charred at the edges.
- Cut between the bones with kitchen shears, top with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve with rice.
Pitmaster Notes
- For the plain version, just salt and pepper the ribs and grill the same way.
Times and temps are my starting points. Every cooker and every cut runs a little different, so cook to temperature and feel, not the clock.
