Grilled Beef Galbi (Korean-Style Marinated Short Ribs)

Ingredients

• 1 onion (medium, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 Asian pear (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 0.5 cup water
• 0.25 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp black pepper (freshly ground)
• 4 scallions (thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (lightly crushed)
• 3 lb flanken-style beef short ribs (about 1/2-inch-thick)
• Ssamjang (for serving)
• Lettuce and perilla leaves, steamed rice, thinly sliced garlic, chilies, and scallions, and assorted banchan (for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine onion, Asian pear, garlic, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor and process to a coarse purée, scraping down sides of food processor bowl as needed, about 30 seconds.

2. 2

   Stop processor and add soy sauce, water, brown sugar, mirin, and black pepper to food processor bowl.

3. 3

   Continue processing until liquids and sugar are well-combined with vegetables, 15 to 30 seconds longer.

4. 4

   Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and stir in scallions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

5. 5

   Place beef in a gallon zipper-lock bag or large baking dish, and pour marinade over the short ribs.

6. 6

   Toss to evenly distribute the marinade, then seal bag, removing as much air as possible (if using baking dish, wrap tightly with plastic wrap).

7. 7

   Transfer short ribs to refrigerator, and marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

8. 8

   Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Clean and oil grilling grate.

10. 10

    Remove short ribs from marinade and wipe off excess.

11. 11

    Place directly over the hot side of the grill. If using a charcoal grill, leave uncovered; if using a gas grill, cover.

12. 12

    Cook, turning occasionally, until beef is cooked through and lightly charred on both sides, about 5 minutes total (2 to 3 minutes per side).

13. 13

    Transfer to a serving platter and allow to rest for at least 2 minutes before serving.

14. 14

    Serve short ribs immediately with a pair of kitchen shears on-hand for cutting the meat off the bone and into bite-size pieces. Pass ssamjang, lettuces, garnishes, and banchan at the table.

Notes

If Asian pear is unavailable, you can substitute with a Bosc pear or a sweet apple like Fuji. Flanken-style ribs are cut across the bone into thin strips; this is often labeled as 'LA-style' in Korean markets.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• beef
• grilled
• Korean
• barbecue
• dinner