Kalbi is literally “rib bone” when translated in English. The fatty cut around the ribs is perfect for grilling or braising and the meat always turns out tender. The cut of beef used is either a cross section cut (a.k.a. LA Kalbi) as shown in the picture or as long short rib for braising.
Korean BBQ Kalbi is everyone’s favorite. Even if you are a vegetarian, you can use this marinade for vegetables. The marinade is simple delicate balance of saltiness and sweetness. Even though this recipe calls for certain amount of sugar, you can adjust it according to your taste. The meat is marinated for a few hours and it is traditionally grilled over a charcoal brisket BBQ flame. But you can pan fry the meat over high flame if grill is not available.
The best way to eat Kalbi is in a lettuce leaf with miso paste called, duen-jang on top and hot rice.
Karen’s Korean Barbecue Beef Marinade
Ingredients:
- 1/2 C Soy Sauce (Use Coconut Amino for Paleo)
- 1/4 C Water
- 1/4 C Brown Sugar (can be light or dark) (Use Honey for Paleo or molasses)
- 5 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 1/4 C Chopped Scallions
- 1 C Pureed Apple or Asian Pear (Pre-made Apple sauce is fine too)
- 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Black pepper
- 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
Makes about 1 Quart. You can half the ingredients for less.
Meat:
2 LB of Grassfed Short Rib Beef cut across about 1/2 ” thick (Your can also use flank steak, skirt steak, or London Broil cut across the grain)
Instruction
- Peel and core fruits and set aside.
- In a food processor, chop garlic.
- Without rinsing, use the same food processor to puree the fruits.
- In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients.
- Fold in the puree and mix well.
- The marinade can be used with about 2 lbs. of meat – chicken, short ribs, flank steak or London broil or any other cut of meat that is good for grilling or broiling.
Marinade Time:
- Vegetables: 15 minutes
- Chicken: 30 minutes
- Beef: 2-4 hours and you can baste the meat while grilling.The best type of meat to make Kalbi with are sliced short ribs with little bit of marblelized fat.
You can grill the meat and vegetables or pan fry on high heat until both sides are brown. If you pan fry, do not use any oil. The oil from the beef will be plenty to cook the meat. You can use a little bit of olive oil when you cook vegetables.
Enjoy!
Note: I boil the leftover marinade after I marinade the meat. You cannot re-use the leftover marinade after the meat has been sitting in it but you can use it as extra sauce if boiled. Refrigerate any unused marinade in a glass jar and is good for up to a week.
- 1/2 C Soy Sauce Tamari for gluten free or Coconut Amino for Paleo
- 1/4 C Water
- 1/4 C Brown Sugar can be light or dark or Honey if Paleo
- 5 Cloves of Garlic minced
- 1/4 C Chopped Scallions
- 1 C Pureed Apple or Asian Pear Pre-made Apple sauce is fine too
- 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Black pepper
- 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 LB of Short Rib Beef cut across about 1/2 " thick or flank steak skrit steak, or London Broil
- Makes about 1 Quart. You can half the ingredients for less.
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Peel and core fruits and set aside. In a food processor, chop garlic. Without rinsing, use the same food processor to puree the fruits. In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients. Fold in the puree and mix well. The marinade can be used with about 2 lbs. of meat - chicken, short ribs, flank steak or London broil or any other cut of meat that is good for grilling or broiling.
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Vegetables: 15 minutes
-
Chicken: 30 minutes
-
Beef: 2-4 hours and you can baste the meat while grilling.The best type of meat to make Kalbi with are sliced short ribs with little bit of marblelized fat.
-
You can grill the meat and vegetables or pan fry on high heat until both sides are brown. If you pan fry, do not use any oil. The oil from the beef will be plenty to cook the meat. You can use a little bit of olive oil when you cook vegetables.
First Photo: Karen
Second Photo: joyosity