What is Kalbi Beef? A Guide to the Delicious Korean BBQ Short Ribs

Kalbi beef is a popular Korean dish that has become a staple in Korean barbecue restaurants around the world. Known for its sweet, savory, and smoky flavors, kalbi is a type of short ribs or ribs dish that is grilled on a tabletop barbecue. With its finger-licking delicious taste and fun, interactive preparation, it’s easy to see why kalbi beef has earned global popularity far beyond Korea. Keep reading to learn all about what exactly kalbi beef is, how it’s prepared, the different cuts used, and tips for making it at home yourself.

What is Kalbi Beef?

Kalbi simply means “rib” in Korean. Specifically kalbi refers to a dish made of either beef short ribs or pork spare ribs that are grilled and usually marinated in a sweet and savory barbecue-style sauce.

The word “galbi” is also used interchangeably with kalbi. Both terms refer to the same Korean grilled ribs dish

While kalbi can be made with pork, it most commonly uses beef short ribs. Korean short ribs are cut across the bones into thin strips or pieces that cook quickly on the grill.

The marinade for kalbi beef often contains a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and other ingredients like green onions, ginger, and Asian pear. This gives the ribs a characteristic balance of sweet and salty flavors.

Kalbi Short Ribs Cuts

There are two main cuts of short ribs used for kalbi:

LA Kalbi

LA kalbi features short ribs that are sliced across the bones into thin strips. This cut allows the meat to cook quickly and absorb the kalbi marinade. It’s called LA kalbi because it’s said to have first been served by Korean Americans in Los Angeles.

Traditional Kalbi

Traditional kalbi uses short ribs cut to expose one long, smooth bone on the short end. The meat is filleted uniformly around this bone. This traditional style takes longer to grill than the LA kalbi slices.

How is Kalbi Beef Prepared?

Preparing kalbi beef involves just a few simple steps

• Cut and clean the ribs – Use a specific kalbi or flanken cut short ribs. Cut into pieces if needed.

• Make the kalbi marinade – Whisk together a sauce with soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, pear, and other desired ingredients.

• Marinate the ribs – Place the ribs in a plastic bag or baking dish with the kalbi marinade. Let them marinate for at least 4-12 hours.

• Grill the ribs – Grill the marinated ribs for a few minutes per side on a preheated barbecue grill. Brush on extra marinade as they cook.

• Slice and serve – Slice the cooked kalbi into bite-sized pieces. Serve wrapped in lettuce leaves with rice and banchan side dishes.

Grilling Tips for Kalbi Beef

To get the most flavor and best texture when making kalbi beef at home, keep these grilling tips in mind:

• Use a gridiron or grill grate you can grease for easier flipping.

• Grill over medium-high heat so the ribs caramelize but don’t burn.

• Flip the ribs every 2-3 minutes for even cooking.

• Brush on extra marinade just before flipping each time.

• Grill for 5-7 minutes per side depending on thickness.

• Slice the ribs across the bones when cooked through.

• Let them rest 5 minutes before serving.

What Does Kalbi Beef Taste Like?

The marinade gives kalbi a balanced sweet and salty taste. Grilling adds nice charred bits and a subtle smoky flavor. The meat itself is rich, beefy, and juicy.

When wrapped in crisp lettuce and rice with spicy paste and fresh vegetables, you get an amazing interplay of flavors and textures in each bite.

Making Kalbi Beef at Home

One of the best parts of kalbi is that it’s easy to make yourself on any outdoor grill or oven broiler.

You can play around with your own kalbi marinade recipe. Just stick to the basic template of mixing soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame, and aromatics like green onion and pear.

Let the ribs marinate anywhere from 4 to 24 hours for the most flavor infusion. Then simply grill or broil until caramelized and cooked through.

If you don’t have a grill, broiling in the oven at 500°F for 15-20 minutes total works well too. You can also pan-fry the ribs in a skillet if needed.

Now you can skip the Korean BBQ joint and enjoy piping hot, juicy, richly sauced kalbi beef ribs in the comfort of your own home. Give this popular Korean dish a try soon and experience the magic for yourself!