A delicious marinated beef dish, perfect for searing on a griddle at your next Korean barbecue
Galbi, especially the “LA” style that originated in Los Angeles, is a true staple of Korean barbecue.
Aside from its name, which honors the city where the Korean diaspora created it, nothing about this dish is American. Only the cut is different; otherwise it remains a 100% Korean dish.
Whenever I eat Korean food in the US, LA Galbi is one of my must-order dishes. Happily, this cut is becoming easier to find in France as well, right alongside bulgogi, jeyuk bokkeum and samgyeopsal — much to my delight.
What is LA Galbi?
Galbi means “ribs” in Korean. These beef ribs are marinated in a sauce similar to bulgogi, then grilled over charcoal or on a tabletop griddle. Sometimes Korean cooking really is that straightforward.
As noted earlier, the LA version differs only in the cut. Classic Galbi uses thick ribs, while the Los Angeles style calls for flanken-cut short ribs that are sliced much thinner.
I find this thinner cut more versatile; it cooks quickly and pairs effortlessly with the other thin-sliced proteins served at a Korean barbecue.
Origin of LA Galbi
Sources say that in 1973 Yun Ok Chun first introduced this special cut at the only Korean supermarket in Los Angeles.
After she served the ribs at her neighborhood church, the congregants loved them so much they began requesting their Galbi cut this way exclusively. And that is how LA Galbi was born.
The main ingredients of LA Galbi
Sake: Essential for the gentle depth it adds. Use cooking sake; there is no need for an expensive bottle.
Mirin: A sweet fermented seasoning that lends a delicate roundness to the marinade.
Sesame oil: Choose toasted sesame oil for its richer aroma.
Beef: Ideally, pick up flanken-cut short ribs sliced as shown in the photos, but any thinly sliced beef will still taste fantastic.
LA Galbi – Korean BBQ Beef Short Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg beef short ribs cross-cut LA-galbi style (see photo)
Marinade
- 0.25 onion
- 1 fresh ginger about a 2–3 cm piece
- 8 cloves garlic
- 0.5 Asian pear (nashi) apple works too
- 120 mL mirin
- 60 mL sake
- 180 mL light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice syrup or corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds ground
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Rinse the ribs (no soap, of course) and soak them in cold water for 15–20 minutes.1.5 kg beef short ribs
- Drain, pat the ribs dry with paper towels, and set aside.
- In a blender, combine the onion, ginger, garlic, pear, mirin, and sake.0.25 onion, 1 fresh ginger, 8 cloves garlic, 0.5 Asian pear (nashi), 120 mL mirin, 60 mL sake
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the purée into a bowl large enough to hold the ribs.
- Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice syrup, black pepper, ground sesame seeds, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves.180 mL light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice syrup, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- Add the ribs, turning to coat every piece thoroughly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Heat a pan, griddle, or grill to medium-high. Shake off any excess marinade and cook the ribs until nicely charred, about 3–4 minutes per side.
