Stir-fries
LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)
Soak the LA galbi to draw out the blood, marinate it in a soy sauce marinade with grated Asian pear, then sear both sides over medium heat. Marinating in the fridge for half a day to overnight seasons the meat evenly, and cooking it gently rather than over high heat keeps the marinade from burning.
한국어로 보기 (Korean version)
Steps
- 1
Soak the ribs in cold water for 10 minutes to draw out the blood, then pat dry with paper towels.
Pick off any bone chips stuck to the meat between the bones by hand.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the grated pear, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, mirim, sesame oil, pepper, and water to make the marinade. Thinly slice the onion and cut the leek on the diagonal.
- 3
Coat the ribs evenly with the marinade, add the onion and leek, and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Leaving them half a day to overnight lets the flavor reach the meat next to the bone.
If you used more than 1/4 pear, don't marinate past overnight — the surface of the meat can turn mushy.
- 4
Heat a pan over medium heat, lay the ribs flat, and cook for 4 minutes on one side, then flip and cook 4 minutes more until cooked through.
Don't overlap the ribs — crowded meat steams instead of searing, so give each piece room.
- 5
Add the remaining marinade with the onion and leek to the pan, stir-fry for 1 minute, spoon it over the ribs, and serve.
Substitutions
| Instead of | Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| LA galbi | 600 g boneless beef rib meat | Without the bone, cut the cooking time by 1 minute and spread the pieces out at an even thickness. |
| sugar | 2 Tbsp oligosaccharide syrup | The color darkens faster, so turn the heat down a little. |
Storing leftovers
Once cooked ribs cool, the marinade sets and the meat firms up, so keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat in a pan with 1 Tbsp water over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Cook raw marinated meat by the next day; to keep it longer, freeze it in its marinade and use within 2 weeks.
Serve with
Rice, lettuce wraps, and doenjang jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew). Raw garlic and mild green chilies on the side cut the richness.
Making more or less
For 4 servings, cook the ribs in two batches and scale up the marinade in the same proportions.
Questions
Why does the marinade burn when I cook LA galbi?
A marinade with soy sauce and sugar burns quickly over high heat. Before cooking, shake off the onion, leek, and excess marinade clinging to the meat, and cook over medium heat. If the bottom of the pan scorches black, wipe it with a paper towel before the next batch, and reduce the leftover marinade separately at the end to spoon over.
How long should I marinate LA galbi?
Marinating in the fridge for half a day to overnight seasons the meat evenly all the way to the bone. In a pinch you can cook after just 1 hour, but the outside will be salty and the inside bland. If you used more than 1/4 pear, the surface turns mushy, so don't go past overnight.
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