Delicious flavor packed kalbi or Korean short ribs are simple to make and perfect for your next BBQ. Just a few ingredients and you’ve got yourself an amazing dinner.
There’s no time like today to break out your BBQ and grill up some delicious food. Like pūlehu steak, teriyaki burgers, or even grilled shrimp kabobs. There’s something about cooking outside over an open fire. The smell of Korean BBQ wafting through the air. Those gorgeous grill marks and charred edges. Oh so good.
Don’t have a grill? No problem. You can totally whip these up on the stove top, in the oven, or the air fryer as well. Don’t you worry.
What is kalbi?
Kalbi or galbi is a Korean BBQ dish made of beef short ribs. Galbi is the Korean word for ribs. Here in Hawai’i the short ribs are soaked in a sweet and savory marinade and grilled.
Kalbi style of ribs can be found at local grocery stores here in Hawai’i or at Asian markets. This style of short rib is called flanken. It is a thin strip of meat cut lengthwise across the ribs from the chuck to the short ribs.
The slices are thin which makes cooking time quicker. Mark that as a win in my book. Quick and easy dinners are my jam.
Now although kalbi is traditionally a Korean recipe, it has become a very popular dish in Hawai’i. Kalbi has taken on it’s own flavor and technique of making here as did so many other ethnic foods.
Ingredients for kalbi marinade
- Shoyu is a Japanese style soy sauce. Packed with umami and can be found in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores.
- Brown sugar. I like to use golden brown, but you can use light or dark as well. The darker the sugar, the more of a molasses flavor it has.
- Mirin is a slightly sweet Japanese rice wine and also can be found in the Asian aisle in most grocery stores.
- Sesame oil packs a strong punch. You don’t need much.
- Garlic
- Onion
- Ginger
And of course you’ll need Korean style cut short ribs. If your local grocery store does not carry this cut you can ask your butcher to cut it for you.
How long does it take to grill kalbi?
Because kalbi is thinly sliced, cooking time is relatively quick. It only takes about 3-5 minutes on each side.
What to serve with Korean short ribs?
As with many other Korean dishes, it is often served with banchan or side dishes. Some popular Korean side dishes include kimchi, seasoned spinach, cucumber salad, and you can’t go wrong with sticky white rice.
How to store?
Once the beef has cooled, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep for 3-4 days.
Can you freeze galbi?
Beef is a hearty meat and holds up to freezing quite well. You can freeze pre soaked or pre cooked galbi in the freezer for 4-6 months for optimum flavor.
How to reheat?
Kalbi can be reheated by placing it on a BBQ grill over indirect heat, in the microwave, on the stove top, or in the oven.
Other great grilling recipes
How to make kalbi?
- For the marinade: To a medium bowl add shoyu, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, green onion, onion, and ginger. Mix until well combined.
- For the kalbi: Add short short ribs to a zip top bag and pour in the marinade. Close and set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours up to overnight.
- Heat grill to medium high. Spray grill racks with nonstick cooking spray. Remove short ribs from marinade and place over the flames. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Remove from the grill and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. ENJOY!
Kalbi Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 cup shoyu
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 bunch green onions sliced
- 1 small onion sliced
- 1 inch knob of ginger sliced
For the kalbi
- 2 pounds Korean style cut short ribs
Instructions
- For the marinade: To a medium bowl add shoyu, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, green onion, onion, and ginger. Mix until well combined.
- Add short short ribs to a zip top bag and pour in the marinade. Close and set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours up to overnight.
- For the kalbi: Heat grill to medium high. Spray grill racks with nonstick cooking spray. Remove short ribs from marinade and place over the flames. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Remove from the grill and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. ENJOY!
Notes
Nutrition
© Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!
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Can you pan fry the Kalbi? I don’t have a grill. Or broil in oven?
Aloha Geraldine, You can totally pan fry these or bake in the oven as well. Have a great day.
if no chance to grill, what temp and how long in oven???
Hi Lucena. Bake at 375F for 30-45min depending on the doneness you like.
these were incredible – great flavor
I can almost smell these as I look at your pictures! We love bbq and bbq ribs, especially. This is a new marinade for me and I can’t wait to give it a try.
Great BBQ recipe!
I really want to try this thanks for sharing!
This had so much flavor and the meat was fall apart tender. Loved it!!
Oh yes, grilled ribs! I loved the marinade a lot, it gave the meat a great flavor. Thanks.
Perfect! Happy to hear. Thank you for sharing.
Loved these! The flavors were spot on and they weren’t too sweet. Served them with rice and everybody wanted seconds!
Yay! Thanks for stopping by.
This was so delicious! It had so much flavor and everyone loved it.
Awesome. So great to hear. Thank you for sharing.
The flavour of these short ribs was amazing! It was such a great and easy way to bring the taste of Korean BBQ home!
Yes. Easy and yummy. Win win.
Loved these. They are very flavorful. Everybody loved them.
So awesome to hear. I’m happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by.
Have you ever tried to make pulehu style short ribs?
Yes. It’s so yummy!
I don’t have a BBQ so I tried to broil it and found out the broiler doesn’t work. 😕 So, I pan fried it in a large pan and low and behold the sugar added in searing and charing the meat. My family said it was the BOMB! The pan fry was so easy and will make this again for Memorial or Veterans Day. Thanks Relle. I’m gonna search out more of your recipes.😀
Yes pan frying is another great way to cook kalbi. Happy it worked well for you. Mahalo for sharing.