Galbi

Name: Galbi
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: South Korea
Ingredients: 1 kg cross-cut beef short ribs (flanken-style), about 1 cm thick; 1 Asian pear, peeled and grated; 1/2 small onion, grated; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 120 ml soy sauce; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 2 tablespoons water; 3 spring onions, chopped; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, to serve; lettuce leaves and ssamjang, to serve (optional)

Galbi (sometimes called kalbi) is the star of Korean barbecue: beef short ribs cross-cut through the bone, marinated in a sweet pear-soy sauce and grilled fast over direct flame. The name simply means 'rib', but in South Korea it is shorthand for celebration — served at birthdays, weddings and family reunions, where the tabletop grill turns diners into cooks. The cross-cut, a technique specific to Korean-style barbecue, exposes more surface area to the marinade and shortens cooking to just a few minutes per side. The grated pear in the marinade isn't only for flavour — its enzymes gently break down muscle fibres, giving a tender bite without hours of slow braising. It's traditionally served with lettuce leaves, raw garlic and ssamjang, each diner wrapping their own bite to taste.

Total time35m

Active time25m

Servings4

DifficultyEasy

Cost$$

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🥩

Cross-cut short ribs

Thin flanken-style slices through the bone

🍐

Asian pear in the marinade

Tenderizes the meat and adds sweetness

🔥

Grilled over direct heat

Just minutes per side

🥬

Eaten wrapped in lettuce

With a dab of ssamjang

Ingredients 4 servings

1 kg cross-cut beef short ribs (flanken-style), about 1 cm thick
1 Asian pear, peeled and grated
1/2 small onion, grated
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
120 ml soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons water
3 spring onions, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, to serve
Lettuce leaves and ssamjang, to serve (optional)

How to make it

1PREP THE RIBS: rinse the cross-cut short ribs and pat them dry; if any bone fragments remain, pick them out with the tip of a knife.
2MAKE THE MARINADE: whisk together the grated pear, grated onion, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, water and pepper in a large bowl — the grated fruit releases enzymes that tenderize the meat.
3MARINATE: place the ribs in a zip-top bag or dish, pour the marinade over them, making sure every piece is coated, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight.
4HEAT THE GRILL: get a grill or heavy skillet ripping hot over medium-high heat, wiping the cooking surface with an oiled paper towel just before the ribs go on so nothing sticks.
5Lift the ribs out of the bag, letting the excess marinade drip off, and tip out whatever's left in the bag — it's been in contact with raw meat and isn't safe to reuse.
6GRILL THE RIBS: lay the ribs down and leave them undisturbed for 2-3 minutes so a real crust has time to form, then flip once and give the second side the same treatment; because the ribs are cut so thin, the centre finishes cooking almost as fast as the surface browns, so a whisper of pink right against the bone is expected, not a sign it needs longer.
7REST AND SERVE: let the ribs rest 2-3 minutes before slicing between the bones, scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onions, then serve with lettuce leaves and ssamjang for anyone who wants to wrap each bite.