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Galbi — Korean Grilled Marinated Short Ribs

The sweet-savoury star of Korean barbecue: beef short ribs marinated in a glossy sauce of soy, garlic, sesame, pear and sugar, then grilled fast and hot until caramelised at the edges. Whether cut LA-style across the bones or butterflied off them, galbi is tender, fragrant and built for wrapping in lettuce with rice and ssamjang. The grated pear is the secret — it tenderises and sweetens at once.

Por Ji-ho Park · Asia editor · Publicada 2026-06-03 · Atualizada 2026-06-03
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Preparação
25 min
Cozedura
10 min
Repouso
4 h
Total
275 min
Rende
4 servings
Dificuldade
Easy
#korean#beef#grill#shareable#weekend
Resposta rápida · Resposta em 30 segundos

Make a marinade of soy sauce, grated Asian pear (or kiwi), garlic, ginger, sesame oil, brown sugar and spring onion. Soak thin LA-style cross-cut short ribs (or butterflied galbi) in it for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Grill over high heat — a hot grill, grill pan or BBQ — just 2–3 minutes a side until caramelised and lightly charred at the edges. Serve with rice, lettuce leaves and ssamjang to wrap.

  • Grated pear tenderises the beef and gives galbi its signature sweet-savoury glaze — don't skip it.
  • Marinate at least a few hours (overnight is best), but don't over-marinate thin LA cuts past ~24h.
  • Grill hot and fast so the sugars caramelise and char without overcooking the thin meat.

Equipment

  • Grill, grill pan or BBQ
  • Mixing bowl

Ingredientes

Ribs

  • 1 kg beef short ribs, LA-style (thin cross-cut) or butterflied

Marinade

  • 120 ml soy sauce
  • 1 Asian (nashi) pear, grated, or ½ kiwi / apple
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar (or honey)
  • 4 garlic cloves + 1 tsp grated ginger, minced
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil; 2 spring onions; 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Preparação

  1. PASSO
    01

    If using bone-in cuts, rinse the ribs briefly in cold water to remove bone dust, and pat dry. For very fatty pieces, trim a little.

  2. PASSO
    02

    Combine the soy, grated pear, sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sliced spring onion and sesame seeds. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

  3. PASSO
    03

    Submerge the ribs in the marinade, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. (For thin LA cuts, don't go much past 24 hours or the texture softens too much.)

  4. PASSO
    04

    Heat the grill or pan until very hot. Lift the ribs from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and grill 2–3 minutes per side until caramelised, glossy and charred at the edges. Thin cuts cook fast.

  5. PASSO
    05

    Pile onto a platter and serve sizzling with rice, lettuce and perilla leaves, ssamjang and kimchi for wrapping. Snip into pieces with scissors if needed.

Make ahead

Galbi is made for getting ahead: marinate the ribs the night before (or freeze them in the marinade for up to 2 months). Then it's just a fast grill at mealtime. Prep the rice, lettuce and ssamjang while the grill heats.

Storage

Marinated raw ribs keep 2 days refrigerated (or freeze in the marinade — they marinate as they thaw). Grilled galbi is best fresh and hot; leftovers keep 2 days and are great chopped into fried rice or bibimbap.

Variations

LA galbi

Thin cross-cut ribs (the Korean-American favourite) that cook in minutes — the most common style.

Dwaeji galbi

Use pork ribs with a gochujang-spiked version of the marinade for a spicy pork galbi.

Galbi-jjim

Braise meatier ribs in a similar (less sweet) sauce for tender Korean braised short ribs instead of grilling.

Serve with

Steamed rice and lettuce wrapsSsamjang and kimchiBanchan side dishesSoju or cold beer

Nutrition per serving

480 kcal 30 g fat 16 g carbs 34 g protein 12 g sugar 1 g fiber 1080 mg sodium
Allergens: Soy, Sesame
Diet: Dairy-free

Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.

Perguntas frequentes

What's the difference between LA galbi and regular galbi?

LA galbi is short ribs cut thinly across the bones (flanken cut), so each piece has a few cross-sections of bone — it's the Korean-American style and grills in minutes. Traditional galbi is cut along the bone and often butterflied into a long thin sheet. Both use the same sweet-savoury marinade.

Why put pear in the marinade?

Grated Asian pear does two jobs: its enzymes gently tenderise the beef, and its natural sweetness balances the salty soy without needing only sugar. It's a hallmark of good galbi. Kiwi or apple work too, but kiwi is strong — use a little, or it can turn the meat mushy.

How long should I marinate galbi?

At least 4 hours, and overnight is ideal for flavour. For thin LA-style cuts, avoid going much beyond about 24 hours, since the pear/kiwi enzymes can over-soften the texture. Thicker, traditional cuts are more forgiving and benefit from longer.

Can I cook galbi without a barbecue?

Yes. A hot cast-iron grill pan or heavy skillet on the stove works well, as does an oven broiler/grill. The key is high heat so the marinade caramelises and the edges char in the short cooking time. Cook in batches and don't crowd the pan.

How do I serve galbi?

Korean-style: with steamed rice, lettuce and perilla leaves for wrapping, ssamjang (the dipping/wrapping paste), kimchi and assorted banchan. Lay a piece of grilled galbi in a lettuce leaf with rice and a dab of ssamjang, wrap and eat in one bite. Soju or beer to drink.

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