Authentic Korean LA Galbi (Grilled Beef Short Ribs)

Make restaurant-quality Korean LA short ribs at home with a sweet-savory fruit-based marinade, tenderized to perfection and pan-fried until caramelized.

Ingredients

• 2 kg LA short ribs
• 1 onion
• 0.5 pear
• 50 g garlic
• 1 cup + 2 cups water
• 2 green onions
• 200 ml soy sauce
• 50 ml sake or cooking wine
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp green plum juice
• 1 tbsp ginger juice
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1Wash and Soak Short Ribs

   

   Take 2kg of LA short ribs and thoroughly wash away any blood under running water. Soak the ribs in water for 30 minutes to fully remove remaining blood and impurities.

   Tip: Soaking the ribs in cold water helps draw out excess blood for a cleaner flavor.
2. 2Prep Aromatics and Fruit

   

   Place one onion and half a pear on a wooden cutting board. Use a knife to slice them into smaller pieces, preparing them alongside peeled garlic cloves.

   Tip: Using pear adds natural sweetness and tenderizes the meat.
3. 3Blend Aromatics

   

   Transfer the chopped onion, pear, and 50g of garlic into a blender jar. Add 1 cup of water and blend the ingredients until completely smooth into a juice.

   Tip: Ensure the mixture is thoroughly blended to evenly distribute the flavor in the marinade.
4. 4Chop Green Onions

   

   Take 2 green onions and chop them finely on a wooden cutting board using a sharp kitchen knife.

   Tip: Slice them uniformly to help release their aromatic flavors into the marinade.
5. 5Mix Base Liquids

   

   Measure 200ml (1 cup) of soy sauce and 2 cups of water, then pour them together into a large metal mixing bowl.

   Tip: Use a large enough bowl to comfortably accommodate all subsequent marinade ingredients and the ribs.
6. 6Add Sake, Sugar, and Juice

   

   Pour 50ml of sake or cooking wine, half a cup of white sugar, and the previously blended onion-pear juice into the bowl containing the soy sauce mixture.

   Tip: Stir well after adding to help the sugar dissolve into the liquid base.
7. 7Mix the Marinade

   

   Combine the blended onion, pear, and garlic mixture with soy sauce, water, cooking wine, white sugar, sesame oil, green plum juice, ginger juice, black pepper, and sesame seeds in a bowl, stirring well until the sugar dissolves completely.

   Tip: Ensure the sugar is fully dissolved into the liquid mixture so the marinade coats and caramelizes evenly during cooking.
8. 8Pour Marinade Over Beef

   

   Place the completely drained beef short ribs into a container and pour the prepared marinade juice directly over them, ensuring they are fully covered.

   Tip: Make sure the beef is completely drained of water before adding the marinade to avoid diluting the flavors.
9. 9Marinate the Short Ribs

   

   Allow the beef short ribs to marinate in the seasoning juice for at least 2 hours to let the flavors deeply penetrate the meat.

   Tip: Marinating for longer or overnight in the refrigerator can enhance the tenderness and rich taste.
10. 10Cook the Short Ribs

    

    Pan-fry the marinated short ribs in a heated pan, periodically pouring additional marinade sauce over them as they cook.

    Tip: Keep the heat controlled so the sugars in the marinade caramelize nicely without burning.
11. 11Reduce and Cut

    

    Continue pan-frying until the sauce is completely absorbed and reduced, cutting the cooked short ribs into bite-sized pieces with kitchen shears right in the pan.

    Tip: Using kitchen shears makes it quick and easy to portion the ribs while soaking up the final glaze.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions