Korean Kalbi Short Ribs Recipe

Ingredients

4 pounds beef short ribs, bone in, Sliced thin
1 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water
1/4 cup Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Sriracha
6 cloves garlic, pressed, crushed, or minced
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 small onion (about 1/4 cup), chopped coarsely

Selection

Prep the short ribs and marinate the meat the night before. Buy short ribs with at least 1″ of meat on the bones and as few hunks of hard fat as possible. If you can get it boneless, that’s fine too. If it is boneless and cut about 1/2″ thick as it is sometimes sold, you can lay the meat on wax paper, put another sheet of wax paper on top, and pound it flat with the bottom of a frying pan until it is about 1/8″ thick. Plastic wrap works well too. If you don’t have beef short rib meat, skinless chicken breasts and pork loin meat work fine in this rich marinade.

Method

1) With a sharp knife, remove the fat cap and the silver skin underneath it. Cut into individual bone sections if not already cut that way. Stand the meat on its side and slice the meat into 1/8″ to 1/4″ slices working towards the bone. The meat is usually cut thinner in Korean restaurants, but if it is a bit thicker you can get it off with a little pink in the center. I try for slices that are about 1.5″ wide and about 2″ long. Trim any excess hard fat.
2) Dump all the ingredients into a zipper bag or a bowl and mix thoroughly. Let the meat marinate in the fridge for at least an hour and up to 12 hours. Every hour or so, move the meat around so all of it is exposed to the marinade.

Cook

The next day when you are ready to cook, get the Slow ’N Sear®  set up for full-on sear mode. Fill up a full chimney of coals and get them white hot. Remove the water reservoir to give yourself a bigger sear zone. Add the coals to the Slow ’N Sear and let them get glowing red. Place the meat on the grates (no need to oil them, the meat is too wet to stick). With the lid off, cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Try to get the meat off when it is brown on the exterior and there is still a little pink color to the interior.

Kalbi is wonderful served on a bed of rice. I like to sprinkle the meat with thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and some grated orange zest. Most Korean restaurants in the US serve Kalbi rolled up in a crisp lettuce leaf with some rice, like a taco, with kimchi on the side.

Enjoy!

Summary: 

• Prep and marinate the ribs the night before
• Fire up the SnS with a full chimney until they are glowing hot
• Remove the Water reservoir (if Deluxe version)
• With the lid off, cook 2 – 3 minutes/side
• Remove meat while still pink inside