Galbi
intro
Tender, sweet-savory marinated beef short ribs, a beloved Korean BBQ staple with caramelized, slightly charred edges and deep umami flavor, perfect for outdoor summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare and Score the Ribs
Rinse 1kg of cross-cut beef short ribs under cold running water for 5 minutes to leach out excess blood, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Score the meaty side of each rib in a 1cm crosshatch pattern, cutting only 3mm deep (take care not to slice through to the bone) to help marinade penetrate evenly.
Mix the Marinade
In a large 2L glass mixing bowl, combine 120ml low-sodium soy sauce, strained puree from 150g grated Korean pear, 45g light brown sugar, 30g minced garlic, 15g grated fresh ginger, 30ml toasted sesame oil, 60ml mirin, and 2g ground black pepper. Whisk continuously for 1 full minute until the sugar fully dissolves and the marinade is smooth and evenly combined.
Marinate the Ribs
Add the scored short ribs to the marinade, turning each piece to coat fully on all sides. Press the ribs down so they are fully submerged under the marinade, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours (maximum 12 hours) to marinate, flipping the ribs once at the 2-hour mark to ensure even flavor penetration.
Preheat the Grill
Remove the marinated ribs from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature. Preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (190°C / 375°F), then lightly oil the grill grates using a paper towel dipped in 5ml (1 teaspoon) neutral canola oil held with long tongs to prevent sticking.
Grill the Marinated Ribs
Arrange the marinated ribs on the preheated grill in a single layer, leaving 2cm of space between each piece. Grill for 3 minutes per side, flipping only once, until the surface caramelizes to a deep glossy brown with slightly charred edges, and the internal temperature of the thickest part of the rib reaches 63°C (145°F) for juicy medium doneness.
Rest and Garnish the Ribs
Transfer the grilled ribs to a clean white serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes to allow meat juices to redistribute. Garnish evenly with 60g thinly sliced green onions and 10g toasted sesame seeds before serving warm.
Tips
2.If Korean pear is unavailable, substitute with 120g grated Bosc pear or 90g unsweetened smooth applesauce to replicate the tenderizing effect and subtle fruity sweetness.
3.Do not press down on the ribs with tongs or a spatula while grilling, as this squeezes out flavorful fat and juices, leading to dry, tough finished ribs.
OMG I made this for my family cookout last weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe! The marinade is perfectly balanced—sweet, savory, just a little hint of pear that makes the ribs so tender. I was worried 4 hours of marination wasn’t enough but nope, it was chef’s kiss. SO good, will be making this every other week from now on! I marinated mine overnight instead of the minimum 4 hours because I prepped it the night before, would definitely recommend that for extra depth!
Really solid recipe! Flavor was on point, my only note is that I’d cut the soy sauce just a tiny bit next time because it came out a little saltier than I prefer. Grilled these up for my roommate’s birthday potluck and they were gone in 10 minutes flat, no leftovers at all.
My kids are SO picky, especially when it comes to meat that’s not chicken nuggets, and they went back for SECONDS of these ribs. I was shocked! The only thing I didn’t have on hand was Asian pear, so I used a Bosc pear I had in the fruit bowl and it worked perfectly. Will be adding this to our weekly family dinner rotation!
Smoked these on my charcoal grill instead of gas and holy cow, they were insane. The marinade caramelized so nicely on the edges, got that perfect char everyone fights over. Cook time was exactly what the recipe said, even with the charcoal setup, no guesswork needed. 10/10.
Flavor was great but I definitely messed up the cut of ribs I bought? I got regular beef short ribs instead of the flanken cut the recipe mentions, and they were way too chewy even after marinating for 6 hours. Next time I’ll make sure to grab the right cut before I try this again.
Brought these to my office potluck last week and I swear half my team asked me for the recipe before they even finished their first bite! I prepped the marinade Sunday night, let the ribs sit until Tuesday evening when I grilled them, and they were so juicy and flavorful. Even my coworker who hates Korean food said these were the best thing he ate all month.
Really tasty! I made this for date night with my girlfriend who’s Korean, and she said it tasted just like her grandma’s galbi, which is the highest compliment I could possibly get. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish the recipe had a note about how hot the grill should be, I had mine a little too high at first and burned the first batch of ribs.
Meal prep win! I grilled a big batch of these on Sunday, portioned them out with rice and kimchi, and they reheated beautifully all week for lunches. The marinade is so easy to throw together, I didn’t even need to run to the specialty Asian market—my regular grocery store had all the ingredients. Total game changer for my work week!
Just pulled these off the grill and had to leave a comment immediately. The smell alone had my neighbors leaning over the fence asking what I was cooking. Perfect balance of sweet and savory, ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender even though I only marinated them the minimum 4 hours. Can’t wait to make these for my Fourth of July party next month!
I’ve been making galbi for years with my mom’s recipe and I was skeptical this would measure up, but wow, it’s spot on. The addition of a little extra toasted sesame oil at the end of the marinade? *Chef’s kiss* I served this with pickled radish and ssamjang, just like we do at family dinners, and everyone was raving.
Made these for our watch party for the big game last Sunday and they were a total hit. Only thing I would change is adding a little gochugaru for a tiny kick next time, I love a little heat with my sweet and savory. Other than that, super straightforward recipe even for someone who doesn’t make Korean food often!
Taste is amazing, but wow this was way more work than I expected for a weeknight meal! I didn’t realize you have to source flanken cut ribs and prep the marinade by blending the pear and garlic and all that, it took me almost an hour just to get everything in the bag to marinate. Worth it for a weekend, but I wouldn’t attempt this after work.
SO good. I was worried I’d mess this up because I’ve never made Korean food at home before, but the step by step instructions were so easy to follow. My roommate walked in while I was grilling and thought I ordered takeout from our local KBBQ spot. 10/10 will be making again soon.
If you have a Costco, run don’t walk to grab their pre-sliced flanken short ribs for this recipe! I picked up a giant pack for super cheap, made this marinade, and fed 6 people for under $25 total. Way cheaper than going out for KBBQ and tasted just as good, if not better.
Served these with some cucumber kimchi and garlic butter corn on the cob for my family’s Memorial Day cookout and it was the star of the spread. Even my 72 year old dad who ‘doesn’t like foreign food’ ate three ribs and asked for the recipe to make for his golf group dinner. Wild!
Made this without the mirin because I don’t keep alcohol in the house, swapped it for a mix of white grape juice and a tiny splash of rice vinegar, and it turned out perfectly! I was worried the flavor would be off but no one could tell the difference, even my sister who makes galbi all the time. Great recipe!
Just finished making these and OMG. The caramelization on the outside from the grill? Unreal. I added a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion on top like the recipe suggested and it made it look so fancy, like restaurant quality. My only regret is not making a double batch because I know these are gonna be gone before the end of the night.
Has anyone tried freezing these after marinating? I want to prep a few bags of the ribs in the marinade to pull out on busy weekends, just thaw and grill. Would that work?