LA Galbi 갈비 (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)
By Sarah Ahn & Nam Soon AhnPublished on March 28, 2025
Time
1¼ hours, plus 25 hours soaking, draining, and marinating
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Ribs
3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) flanken-style short ribs, ¼ inch thick1 tablespoon sugarMarinade
1¼ cups fresh Asian pear juice 5 tablespoons soy sauce ¼ cup fresh Fuji apple juice ¼ cup pineapple juice ¼ cup mirin 2 green onions, chopped fine3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1½ teaspoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 green onions, sliced thinBefore You Begin
The best ribs for this are about 8 inches long and have a large amount of marbling. Thoroughly washing the ribs is especially important here since flanken-style ribs tend to have a fair amount of bone fragments stuck to them because they are cut with a band saw. If you don’t want to eat all the galbi in one sitting, you can snip the marinated rib sections into pieces and freeze them in zipper-lock bags along with spoonfuls of the marinade. Thaw the ribs overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. If you like, serve this over griddled sliced yellow onion. Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes while getting ready to cook the last batch of ribs. Add 1 yellow onion (283 grams), halved and sliced thin, along with 2 to 3 tablespoons marinade and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Arrange the galbi and its juices over the onion and serve.
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) ¼-inch-thick flanken-style short ribs.
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large bowl. Add ribs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Discard water. Under cold running water, rinse each rib thoroughly, removing any bone fragments (we like to use a designated toothbrush to scrub the bones).
- After ribs have been rinsed, give each rib another quick rinse. Let ribs drain for 30 minutes in colander.
- In large bowl, combine 1¼ cups fresh Asian pear juice, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, ¼ cup fresh Fuji apple juice, ¼ cup fresh onion juice, ¼ cup pineapple juice, and ¼ cup mirin, 2 finely chopped green onions, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1½ teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk together until sugar has fully dissolved.
- Working with one rib section at a time, coat in marinade, then transfer to storage container, alternating bone and meat sides of ribs facing up as you layer them. Pour remaining marinade over ribs, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days, flipping ribs halfway through marinating.
- Arrange 3 or 4 ribs in 12-inch nonstick skillet and add 1 tablespoon marinade per section; heat over medium-high heat. Cook until marinade is slightly reduced and edges of ribs begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Flip ribs and continue to cook until marinade has reduced by half, occasionally redistributing marinade under ribs, about 5 minutes.
- Using kitchen shears, cut between each bone to create smaller rib pieces.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, turning ribs occasionally, until marinade is completely evaporated and ribs are slightly caramelized and charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer ribs to platter and tent with aluminum foil.
- Wipe skillet clean with paper towels, return to medium-high heat, and repeat with remaining ribs in batches; transfer to platter.
- After cooking last batch, return all ribs to the skillet briefly to warm through. Sprinkle with 2 thinly sliced green onions and serve.
for the ribs
for the marinade
Time
1¼ hours, plus 25 hours soaking, draining, and marinatingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Ribs
Marinade
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Ribs
Marinade
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Ribs
Marinade
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
There are many theories about the origin of LA galbi, which Sarah and Nam Soon first came across in a Costco on a visit to South Korea. Some suggest it has to do with how the ribs are cut—across the lateral axis. Another plausible theory suggests that LA galbi was developed by Korean immigrants who relocated to Los Angeles. There, they adapted to working with the flanken cut, a preferred cut among American butchers. What makes Nam Soon’s version special is that she doesn’t use any water in her marinade, a common ingredient you will find in other recipes. Her galbi marinade is made purely from fruits and other seasonings. It’s not diluted, which means unadulterated sweet and meaty flavor in every bite.
Before You Begin
The best ribs for this are about 8 inches long and have a large amount of marbling. Thoroughly washing the ribs is especially important here since flanken-style ribs tend to have a fair amount of bone fragments stuck to them because they are cut with a band saw. If you don’t want to eat all the galbi in one sitting, you can snip the marinated rib sections into pieces and freeze them in zipper-lock bags along with spoonfuls of the marinade. Thaw the ribs overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. If you like, serve this over griddled sliced yellow onion. Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes while getting ready to cook the last batch of ribs. Add 1 yellow onion (283 grams), halved and sliced thin, along with 2 to 3 tablespoons marinade and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Arrange the galbi and its juices over the onion and serve.
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) ¼-inch-thick flanken-style short ribs.
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large bowl. Add ribs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Discard water. Under cold running water, rinse each rib thoroughly, removing any bone fragments (we like to use a designated toothbrush to scrub the bones).
- After ribs have been rinsed, give each rib another quick rinse. Let ribs drain for 30 minutes in colander.
- In large bowl, combine 1¼ cups fresh Asian pear juice, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, ¼ cup fresh Fuji apple juice, ¼ cup fresh onion juice, ¼ cup pineapple juice, and ¼ cup mirin, 2 finely chopped green onions, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1½ teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk together until sugar has fully dissolved.
- Working with one rib section at a time, coat in marinade, then transfer to storage container, alternating bone and meat sides of ribs facing up as you layer them. Pour remaining marinade over ribs, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days, flipping ribs halfway through marinating.
- Arrange 3 or 4 ribs in 12-inch nonstick skillet and add 1 tablespoon marinade per section; heat over medium-high heat. Cook until marinade is slightly reduced and edges of ribs begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Flip ribs and continue to cook until marinade has reduced by half, occasionally redistributing marinade under ribs, about 5 minutes.
- Using kitchen shears, cut between each bone to create smaller rib pieces.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, turning ribs occasionally, until marinade is completely evaporated and ribs are slightly caramelized and charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer ribs to platter and tent with aluminum foil.
- Wipe skillet clean with paper towels, return to medium-high heat, and repeat with remaining ribs in batches; transfer to platter.
- After cooking last batch, return all ribs to the skillet briefly to warm through. Sprinkle with 2 thinly sliced green onions and serve.
for the ribs
for the marinade
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