Nothing says summer like firing up the grill to make these Grilled Kalbi Short Ribs! They are melt-in-your-mouth tender thanks to a long marinade in a sweet and savory mix of onion, asian pear, soy, and brown sugar with loads of ginger and garlic.

The finished short ribs are perfectly caramelized on the outside, while staying juicy in the center and are cooked to an ideal medium. Serve them up plate lunch-style with mac salad, steamed rice, and gochujang cucumber salad. These will be an absolute hit at your next backyard BBQ!

You Need These Grilled Beef Ribs in Your Life!

One of my favorite ways to enjoy an interactive dining experience is to head to a Korean BBQ restaurant! Naturally, I man the grill and serve up grilled short ribs, pork belly, shrimp, and veggies while the restaurant heaps all the various sides, or ‘banchan’ on us. It’s truly the best!

My favorite thing I did this summer was to recreate that experience at home with all my friends and now it’s the most requested recipe whenever I host a summer BBQ. The ribs are ultra-tender and flavorful and honestly come together much more quickly than some other involved recipes.

All the marinade ingredients go into the blender for a quick blitz and then you let the short ribs sit in the marinade overnight before grilling them up fast on a super hot grill. It’ll feel impressive to your guests while giving you plenty of down-time!

Korean-Style Kalbi Explained

Kalbi is a term that describes the marinade used to prepare traditional grilled Korean short ribs. It’s the key to all the complex flavor and also a super tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The Korean version of the recipe relies on only asian pear for sweetness, but we’re using a combination of asian pear and brown sugar here–the pear helps tenderize the meat and the brown sugar caramelizes on the grill creating a lovely crust.

You may also see the ribs referred to interchangeably as ‘galbi’ which is the Korean word for ribs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Traditional grilled Korean short ribs, or kalbi, have important cultural history to many others with Korean & Hawaiian heritage. This recipe is not meant to be authentic! I share this recipe out of love for for the food and flavors of other countries that inspire me to adapt the recipes to make and share at home.

Helpful Cooking Tools

• Outdoor Gas Grill
• High-Powered Blender
• Baking Dish
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board

Key Recipe Ingredients

full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.

• Flanken-style beef short ribs. These are short ribs that have been cut crosswise through the bone and are typically about 1/2 inch thick. You can find these in most grocery stores or you can ask your butcher to cut them this way for you.
• Asian pear. Asian pears add sweetness to the marinade and contain enzymes that help tenderize the meat.
• Garlic & ginger. Always opt for fresh vs jarred when possible.
• Green onions. Green onions add the perfect amount of onion flavor without going overboard.
• Brown sugar. You can use light or dark here.
• Soy sauce. To make this gluten-free you could swap in coconut aminos or tamari.
• Mirin. Mirin is a sweet Japanese wine that adds sweetness and depth of flavor to the marinade. You could also use Korean mirim.
• Gochujang & gochugaru. Both are staples in Korean cooking and add the perfect level of tang and heat to the marinade. You can find both at most Asian markets or on amazon.

How to Make Grilled Kalbi Short Ribs

1. Make the marinade. You’ll want to use a high-powered blender here so that the marinade is smooth and not chunky. Otherwise the marinade is so easy to make! Just dump everything in and blend until smooth. Pour the marinade over the short rib and refrigerate them.

Jenny’s Tip: The longer the short ribs marinate, the better and more tender they are. I wouldn’t recommend marinating for any less than 8 hours. I typically shoot for between 12-24 hours when I have the time.

2. Prep the grill. Because there is sugar in the marinade, you’ll want to prep your grill accordingly. Let it preheat for a full 15 minutes and clean the grates of any food and debris. Lightly oiling the grates will also keep the short ribs from sticking.
3. Grill, then rest the short ribs. The short ribs really benefit from quick, hot cooking. You’ll want them over medium-high heat for just a couple minute per side, until you see caramelization and grill marks. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes once you pull them so that the juices can redistribute.

What to Serve on the Side

My grilled kalbi short ribs are one of my favorite things to grill up when I’m hosting a BBQ! They take no time at all and they go with so many side dishes.

If I’m grilling up kalbi, I’m almost always serving it with my hawaiian-style mac salad on the side along with steamed rice and my quick cucumber salad. You could also throw in some grilled corn on the cob or this fresh cabbage salad for some lighter sides!

Add something sweet and special at the end of the meal and serve up my coconut key lime pie which is a total show-stopper!

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If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.

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