Korean BBQ Beef Short Ribs (Galbi)

갈비

Ingredients

Serves 2 portions

  • 450g (1lb) bone-in La Galbi cut short ribs (or trimmed boneless rib-eye steak, partially frozen and cut into ¼-inch-wide pieces)
  • 1 Asian or 2 firm but ripe pears, peeled and grated
  • 3½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
  • 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
  • Large pinch of kosher salt or sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for grilling

FOR SERVING

Method

In a medium bowl, stir together the pears, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper to taste until the sugar has dissolved. Add the beef and massage the marinade into the meat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator, tossing once or twice, for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. The longer you marinate the beef, the better it will taste.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill until very hot. Lightly brush the grates with vegetable oil. Shake any excess marinade off the beef and arrange the beef on the grill without crowding. Grill for about 30 seconds per side for rare, or longer, if you like.

If you’re using short ribs, cut the meat off the bones with kitchen shears. Transfer the meat to a platter and serve with the lettuce, perilla leaves (if using), rice, and spicy lettuce wrap sauce on the side. To assemble, put a lettuce leaf in one hand and top with a perilla leaf (if using), a spoonful of rice, a smear of sauce, a piece of beef, and some spicy scallion and red onion salad. Wrap the lettuce around the ingredients and enjoy.

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageHAPPY FATHER’S DAY!! 
My father was born in 1939 in Chongju, a small coastal village between Sinuiju and Pyongyang, in what is now North Korea. 

In 1945, the communists invaded, and seized his father’s land, forcing them to pack up what they could carry, and flee south with his eight siblings. Even at just six years old, my dad had to haul his share - a small backpack full of fine silk to be used to barter their way onto trains heading south and to buy safe passage through Russian-occupied territory. 

They took a train to Haeju, then crossed the southern border. They escaped under the cover of darkness, wading through the sea’s low tide to Kaesong, which was then part of South Korea. In 1950, the Korean War broke out and my dad’s family fled further and sought refuge on Jeju island. My father was too young to be drafted, but four of his older brothers were enlisted. My dad grew up in a refugee camp on this small volcanic island, which is now ironically a popular holiday destination. He remembers looking up at tall, smartly-clad US soldiers and begging them for ‘bon bons’.

From this challenging situation, he somehow managed through hard work to make it to the ‘Harvard’ of Korea and attended Seoul National University Medical School.
From there he immigrated to the USA in 1967 for his internship and residency in Psychiatry in New York City.

He was introduced to my mom, whose older brother was my dad’s classmate. She had travelled to the US alone (unheard of in those days) to get her master’s degree in Chemistry at Ohio University. They got married in 1970, and are still together to this day.

Happy Father’s Day to my brilliant daddy and all fathers around the world!  My dad continues to inspire me every day.  His formidable spirit, wise advice, and undying love guides me through life…. I hope to be completely healthy too like him at 86 years young! 

I love you daddy! ❤️❤️🙏🙏

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🌸 Chris O’Leary of Warner Music @fatboyzine 
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We made one of Korea’s most trending dishes — Sweet & Spicy Rice Cakes (Tteokbokki) — chewy, bold, and totally addictive 🇰🇷✨

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