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Grilled Korean-Style Short Ribs (Kalbi)

KoreanMain CourseMedium
Prep
30 min
Cook
15 min
Total
570 min
Serves
10
  • 5 lbflanken-style (about ½-inch-thick) beef short ribs
  • 0.33 cupsake
  • 0.25 cupgranulated sugar
  • 1 cupsoy sauce
  • 4scallions (white parts and 2 inches of green parts only), finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
  • 7large garlic cloves, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
  • 3 tbspdark brown sugar
  • 0.5 tspsesame oil
  • 1.33 cupwater
  • 2 tbspvegetable oil
  • 0.25 tspblack pepper
  1. 1Place ribs in a large glass baking dish or enameled roasting pan; stir together sake and granulated sugar, and rub on both sides of ribs. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.
  2. 2Meanwhile, stir together soy sauce, scallions, garlic, brown sugar, and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Add 1⅓ cups water and stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in vegetable oil and pepper. Pour soy mixture over ribs and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Return ribs to room temperature before cooking. Discard marinade.
  3. 3Open bottom and top vents of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes. When briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour onto bottom grate of grill, then push to one side. Working in batches, place ribs on oiled grates directly over coals and grill, uncovered, until meat is seared, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer ribs to the side of grill without coals and grill, uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from grill and repeat with remaining ribs. Alternatively: preheat broiler with oven rack 3 inches from heat; broil ribs until browned and ribs reach desired degree of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-well.

Notes

Named one of Food & Wine's 40 best recipes. For best results, ask your butcher to slice three or four ribs across the bone into ½-inch-thick pieces, and plan to marinate the meat overnight. The marinade is also delicious with chicken or pork. Serve alongside kimchi, lettuce leaves, and steamed rice.