This Korean beef galbi recipe features juicy beef short ribs marinated in a sweet savory sauce, then grilled to caramelized perfection. It’s Korean BBQ at its finest!
In the our household, we love anything grilled, Asian-flavored, and rich in protein. Korean beef galbi (or kalbi), a type of Korean barbecue, checks all of those boxes! It features long, thin pieces of beef short rib that have been marinated in a sauce that’s both equally sweet and savory. My version is more similar to “LA galbi” (named after Los Angeles) because of the “flanken-style” cut of meat (cut across the bone instead of with the bone). This cut helps the meat cook quickly without sacrificing flavor.
I personally find the sauce to be the main character in beef galbi. It is absolutely phenomenal and believe it is what truly makes this korean beef galbi recipe epic. If you ask my two boys and husband — they will wholeheartedly agree.
Serving tip: Serve the galbi over white or brown rice and with grilled zucchini and mushrooms, grilled asparagus, or kimchi. You can even go light and stuff the galbi into lettuce leaves for easy lettuce wraps.
What’s So Great About the Marinade?
Like I said above, the marinade is what I think makes this dish so amazing. The syrupy combination of low-sodium soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, apple juice, garlic cloves, and ginger lends such a great depth of flavor. Each ingredient is vital to the flavor success. For example, the apple juice adds sweetness, while mirin gives a tang. Combined, they contain enzymes that help tenderize the meat. And guess what! If you boil the marinade, it becomes a safe-to-eat dipping sauce/glaze. It’s a win-win situation!
Like it spicy? If your palette craves heat, add a couple of tablespoons of gochujang (Korean-style hot chili paste) to the marinade.
Grilled Beef Galbi Video
How to Make Grilled Beef Galbi
Preparing galbi is as simple as marinating the beef, throwing it on the grill for a quick sear, and cooking the marinade into a dipping sauce. Talking about this is making me salivate already!
- Make the marinade: Stir or blend the marinade ingredients in a small bowl or ziploc bag.
- Marinate the beef: Place the ribs into the marinade or pour the marinade into a bowl with the ribs. Massage the marinade into the ribs and place them in the fridge for at least four hours.
- Grill the ribs: Remove the ribs from the marinade and grill them on each side for about four minutes.
- Boil the marinade: In a small saucepan, boil the remaining marinade until it reduces in half.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the galbi with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and a side of the sauce. Enjoy!
Don’t have a grill? No worries! You can make this short ribs recipe in the oven or air fryer at 375°F. Cook until the internal temperature is at your desired doneness. Remember to flip them at least once while they’re cooking! If you want a slight char, broil them in the oven for a few minutes, too.
Tips for the Tastiest Grilled Beef Galbi
Much like most beef dishes, galbi requires a little bit of TLC for it to reach optimal tenderness and maximum flavor. Here are a few of my tips to make it easier on you.
- Taste the marinade: Before you mix the raw meat with the marinade, give it a quick taste. You’ll know if you want to add more soy sauce, sugar, garlic, etc. based on how you want it to taste. Consider adding an extra ingredient like salt or black pepper if you feel like it needs it (then tell me all about it!).
- Marinate the galbi for at least four hours: Make sure to marinate the beef for at least four hours or up to 24 hours. This takes the flavor profile to the next level!
- Grill the galbi over medium heat: Don’t rush the process or shock the ribs with too high of a heat, so grill on medium heat. A steady, medium heat creates the perfect level of caramelization on the outside of the ribs. If the heat is too hot, it’ll burn the marinade!
- Cook until the sides are golden: Grill the ribs until they turn golden or slightly charred. Another way to check is to enlist the help of an instant-read meat thermometer. Beef is properly cooked through once the internal temperature is 145°F. If you overcook, the galbi may come out tough instead of tender.
- Let the galbi rest: Before digging in, give the galbi five minutes to rest at room temperature. This will lock in all the precious juices that form during the cooking process.
Hot tip: If you’re looking for beef short ribs and can’t find them at your grocery store, ask the butcher. Or, I usually find mine at Costco or Whole Foods.
Storing & Reheating Leftover Galbi
There’s no arguing that this beef galbi recipe is best eaten straight off the grill, but it also makes for some pretty killer leftovers. See what I do with my leftovers.
- Refrigerator: To keep it fresh for up to five days, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Reheating: To reheat galbi, place them on a covered baking dish or pan and pop it in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through. The microwave is a quicker option, but not quite as tasty.
More Tasty Beef Recipes
- Easy Braised Beef with Mushrooms – Savory, slow-cooked chuck roast with mushrooms
- Braised Beef Short Ribs – Slow cooked in a bed of onions and broth
- Korean Beef Bulgogi – Sweet, salty, and spicy Korean ground beef
- Amazing Shish Kabob Recipe (with Beef) – Steak skewers with veggies
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef short ribs about 1/4 inch thickness
- 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup apple juice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 1/3 cup green onions garnish
Instructions
- In a food safe bag or bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, apple juice, garlic cloves, and ginger.
- Add the ribs, seal the bag, and massage the marinade around the ribs in the bag. Allow the ribs to marinate for at least 4 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the marinade and set the bag of marinade aside. Grill the ribs on each side for about 4 minutes or until each side is golden and the internal temperature is at 145°F.
- In a small saucepan, boil the marinade until it reduces by half (this should take about 7 minutes). Garnish the ribs with green onions and serve them with the marinade on the side for dipping.
Hi Natalya! Can this be cooked in the oven or air fryer? If yes, what temperature and time would you recommend? Thanks!
Hi! Yes, you can cook Korean short ribs in the oven or air fryer. For the oven, preheat to 375°F and bake for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. The internal temperature should reach around 145°F for medium-rare, or you can cook longer for your preferred doneness. In the air fryer, set it to 375°F and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping once. Again, check the internal temperature to ensure it's cooked to your liking!
Super yummy! Easy to sub ingredients too, I didn't have apple juice so used pineapple juice, used extra garlic to please the hubby lol, and added a good squirt of sriracha. I recommend giving the marinade it a quick taste before adding the meat, just to make sure the flavors are where you want them to be (I tasted an ended up adding a bit more pineapple juice, soy sauce, and the sriracha) seared them on our cast iron as we don't have a grill, and they turned out perfect!! Thanks so much for the recipe <3
Hi Madi, sounds like it turned out amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your process and feedback. Enjoy it dear!
I love that you talked that beef Galbi is a marinated short rib available for different styles of cut. I remember when my sister mentioned last week that she was planning to try a beef Galbi for our family gathering next week, and she asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to consider. I like this informative article, I'll tell her that we can try the beef Galbi at the tofu house restaurant that I know as they have good reviews.
Hey John- hope you give this beef galbi recipe a try, it's so easy to make, you can't go wrong with it! Enjoy!
The best short ribs ever! The flavor was AMAZING!
Thank you, Jennifer! Glad you love them just as much as we do! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Hi Allyssa-thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed these short ribs!
All of my teen boys loved this!! Such yummy flavors!
Hi Diane- thanks for sharing! I'm always happy to hear when kids or teens approve a recipe 🙂