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An extremely popular Korean BBQ dish, these bbq short ribs (LA Galbi/Kalbi) are easy to prepare at home. The marinade comes together in just minutes and uses a secret ingredient: pineapple! The meat is tender, perfectly caramelized, and absolutely delicious!
Whenever I go out to an all-you-can-eat Korean bbq place, I always make sure to get the LA Galbi. If you order it as an individual entree, it just never seems like enough. It’s one of my favorite cuts of meat to order, and I absolutely love the sweet and savory marinade. You can’t eat just one!
In terms of active cook time, these Korean short ribs come together quickly. Throw the marinade ingredients into a blender and just pour it over the meat. However, you do need to think ahead on this recipe because the meat needs about 8-24 hours to marinate. If you marinate the meat the day before, you’ll be rewarded with delicious tender and succulent LA galbi the next day.
What Cut of Meat Do You Use for LA Galbi?
The cut of beef used for LA Gabli is called flanken-style ribs. I’ve also seen them called cross-cut ribs or Korean short ribs. What is distinctive about this cut is that it’s cut across the bones instead of between the bones. This thinner cut means that the meat will cook up quickly on the grill.
You can find this cut at many Asian supermarkets, but I actually found mine at Costco. If you can’t find this particular cut, this marinade would work for many different types of meat. Try beef short ribs, thinly cut pork chops, or even chicken.
What’s in the Marinade?
The marinade is a blend of soy, honey, rice wine vinegar, onions, and garlic. Traditionally, the marinade also includes Asian pear, which is what helps tenderize the meat. I didn’t have Asian pear, so I substituted pineapple which is more easily accessible in my area. Pineapple is a great meat tenderizer as it contains an enzyme called bromelain which breaks down proteins. If you want to go the traditional method, feel free to use Asian pear (or Bosc pear). Both add great flavor, slight sweetness, and tenderizes the meat nicely.
How to Cook LA Galbi?
My favorite way to cook these BBQ short ribs is over the grill. I love how it caramelizes the meat and adds a slightly smokey flavor. You can also cook these in the oven on a baking sheet at 400 for 15 minutes and then finish them in the broiler for 2-3 minutes on each side to give them a nice color. These also would work wonderfully in the Air Fryer. Place the ribs on the Air Fryer basket and cook at 400 for about 3-5 minutes on each side.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Korean Braised Potatoes
- Asian Garlic Noodles
- Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Gà nướng sả)
- Ground Beef Bulgogi With Gochujang Sauce
- Vietnamese Steak Salad
Korean BBQ Short Ribs (LA Galbi)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds flanken-style short ribs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or mirin)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 8-10 ounces pineapple (fresh or canned in juice)
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 tablespoons garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients.
- Take the ribs out of the package and rinse and drain well (this will wash off any bone fragments). Place meat into a bowl or Ziploc bag.
- In a blender, combine the rest of the ingredients except for sesame seeds. Blend until smooth. It might look like baby vomit. This is ok.
- Pour the blended marinade into the bowl or Ziploc with the short ribs. Mix so that meat is covered with marinade. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, take out the meat from the fridge. Prepare the grill by preheating to medium-high heat. Place the short ribs on the grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the meat is caramelized.
- Once done, you can cut the meat between the bones into more manageable sized pieces. Serve with rice and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have a grill, you can also cook these in the oven on a baking sheet at 400 for 15 minutes and then finish them in the broiler for 2-3 minutes on each side to give them a nice color. You can also use the Air Fryer. Place the ribs on the Air Fryer basket and cook at 400 for about 3-5 minutes on each side. Just be sure to watch the meat as it can easily burn.
- Replace the pineapple with Asian pear if you want to prepare it by the traditional method.
- Flanken-style meat also goes by Korean short ribs or cross-cut short ribs.
Yes, they’re always a hit in my house!