Galbi (Korean-Style Short Ribs)

When I need to feed a crowd, I always make galbi (Korean-style marinated short ribs). The meat is so tender and flavorful, and it’s perfect when served with lettuce leaves for making wraps. Galbi is one of the easiest ways to bring Korean barbecue vibes to your kitchen. As soon as you make this recipe, everyone will ask for more. 

The best part: You can marinate the meat ahead of time. It also freezes very well, so you can make a big batch. Then, whenever your friends are coming over, thaw the meat in the fridge for a few hours and cook them on the grill — it only takes a few minutes. And, if you’re just looking for an easy way to make your weeknight dinner extra special, galbi makes for a relatively low-effort, yet impressive meal. 

Galbi, also known as kalbi, is a type of grilled meat in Korean cuisine. Galbi (갈비) means rib bones in Korean, so typically when the word is applied to proteins, it refers to the part of meat that comes with the bones. Galbi usually refers to beef short ribs, but you can also get pork galbi, which uses spare ribs. 

Unlike English-style short ribs, Korean galbi is sliced cross-cut, or so-called flanken style, with multiple ribs attached in one piece. Depending on the quality of the meat, you can just grill them as they are, although typically it’s marinated in a soy sauce-based mixture first and then cooked and served on the grill. (You can use this marinade with other proteins like spare pork ribs or even bone-in chicken thighs. If you have any leftover liquid, don’t toss it away — you can use it to tenderize any meat.)

Once grilled, galbi has a slightly smoky, sweet-and-salty taste. Because the beef short ribs get tenderized during the marinating process, the marbling of fat in this cut of short ribs makes each bite so flavorful and delicious. And, because the meat is attached to the bones and cooked with them, the meat stays juicy and tender.

• Prepare your meat. Soak the meat in water for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. This step makes sure that any excess blood and impurities from the meat get removed. Once the soaking stage is over, rinse the ribs under running water to clean them before marinating. Be sure to disinfect the sink after rinsing the meat. 
• Make the marinade. Blend onion, scallions, garlic, ground ginger, and, my secret ingredient, canned pineapple. It makes the marinade naturally sweet and also tenderizes the meat. Then mix in soy sauce, mirin, granulated sugar, toasted sesame oil, and a little bit of black pepper and finish with one cup of water (this ensures that the galbi isn’t overly salty). Let the marinade work its magic for at least 12 hours.
• Grill the meat. Remove the meat from the marinade, and discard any excess. Heat a cast iron skillet or a Korean barbecue grill pan to cook the meat until well browned and cooked through. 

The best way to serve galbi is with a plate of fresh lettuce, rice, and ssamjang (Korean spicy dipping sauce). You can also serve it with other banchan, like Brussels sprouts kimchi. Or, make it into a big feast by serving it alongside dishes like japchae and kimchi pancakes.