Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
Kalbi (also galbi) means 'rib' in Korean and refers to beef short ribs marinated in a sweet soy mixture and grilled. The dish became a staple of Korean BBQ restaurants and home cooking alike. The LA-cut (named for Los Angeles, where Korean butchers popularized it) slices the ribs thin across the bone, creating quick-cooking pieces with maximum surface area for marinade penetration. The classic marinade balances soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and Asian pear, which contains enzymes that tenderize the meat.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- grill or cast iron — Provides very high heat for grilling kalbi short ribs quickly with proper char and caramelization
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Sugar in marinade burns easily; watch for flare-ups.
- LA-cut ribs are thin; they cook in minutes.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Use LA-cut (flanken) short ribs.
Thin cross-cut ribs cook fast and have the right meat-to-bone ratio
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Include Asian pear.
Pear tenderizes the meat and adds subtle sweetness
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Marinate at least 4 hours.
The flavors need time to penetrate; overnight is best
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Grill over very high heat.
You want char and caramelization, not slow cooking
Prep Get set first
About 15 min of prep
- Marinate ribs 4+ hours (overnight better)
- Grate pear and garlic
- Heat grill to high
- Have scissors ready for cutting
This recipe takes about 30 minutes total.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Make the marinade
Blend or whisk soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, grated pear, garlic, ginger, half the scallions, and pepper.
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Marinate the meat
Place ribs in dish or bag, pour marinade over. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
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Grill to finish
Remove ribs from marinade. Grill over high heat (400-450°F surface) 2-3 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
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Final garnish
Garnish with remaining scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with rice and banchan.
Chef's notes
SHOPPING: Ask for LA-cut or flanken-cut short ribs, sliced thin (about 1/4 inch) across the bone. Korean markets always have them; regular butchers can cut to order.
Asian pear can be replaced with kiwi or apple in a pinch.